tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post5837139737044861998..comments2023-09-19T10:03:27.883-06:00Comments on New City of Friends: FreedomDayamatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04125167790936883271noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-25696831576420092222013-05-25T08:52:37.590-06:002013-05-25T08:52:37.590-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07829053219715458764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-76366023361840751722012-11-06T03:52:52.312-07:002012-11-06T03:52:52.312-07:00Most philosophers, including William James, have c...Most philosophers, including William James, have come to the conclusion that humans have free will/ freedom of choice - because the converse is so naturally-distasteful to most of us.Click here for listinghttp://www.uktantric.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-58032175680904616272012-07-07T17:54:05.649-06:002012-07-07T17:54:05.649-06:00The whole blog reads like a series of George Carli...The whole blog reads like a series of George Carlin rants without any punchlines --and, perhaps, without the atheism.<br /><br />It seems like you're trying to mix George Carlin and George Fox.<br /><br />It is very strange to think that this is the same author whose work on Nagarjuna, etc., I read more than 10 years ago.<br /><br />This seems to prove the rule that nothing without footnotes is worth reading. Perhaps, more broadly, a life without footnotes isn't worth living.Eisel Mazardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06898869744926590471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-22632086706178912062012-06-30T06:29:16.967-06:002012-06-30T06:29:16.967-06:00Great essay, Richard. It very much reminds me of S...Great essay, Richard. It very much reminds me of Sam Harris's newest book, "Free Will," who reaches the same conclusion via his study of neuroscience. You seem to reach the conclusion, that there is very little "freedom of choice," from what I might call a "natural philosophical logical framework." Interestingly, Einstein reached the same conclusion from his study of physics, positing that we live in a fixed universe, one in which all future outcomes could be (theoretically, at least) predicted with perfect accuracy, given enough data about past or present conditions. Einstein posited a fixed state of time, and imagined a future that is also fixed, but which we cannot see - like a winding road that we cannot see around, but which still exists, even without our ability to see it currently. Most philosophers, including William James, have come to the conclusion that humans have free will/ freedom of choice - because the converse is so naturally-distasteful to most of us. Perhaps you, and Einstein, and Sam Harris have all found a natural truth, each by different methods - that we really do not have the free will/ freedom of choice, that we think we have. Again, Richard, great essay! You are a true intellectual and a deep thinker!Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13257579145197381891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-35387025595357029472012-06-30T05:53:21.244-06:002012-06-30T05:53:21.244-06:00Great essay, Richard. It very much reminds me of S...Great essay, Richard. It very much reminds me of Sam Harris's newest book, "Free Will," who reaches the same conclusion via his study of neuroscience. You seem to reach the conclusion, that there is very little "freedom of choice," from what I might call a "natural philosophical logical framework." Interestingly, Einstein reached the same conclusion from his study of physics, positing that we live in a fixed universe, one in which all future outcomes could be (theoretically, at least) predicted with perfect accuracy, given enough data about past or present conditions. Einstein posited a fixed state of time, and imagined a future that is also fixed, but which we cannot see - like a winding road that we cannot see around, but which still exists, even without our ability to see it currently. Most philosophers, including William James, have come to the conclusion that humans have free will/ freedom of choice - because the converse is so naturally-distasteful to most of us. Perhaps you, and Einstein, and Sam Harris have all found a natural truth, each by different methods - that we really do not have the free will/ freedom of choice, that we think we have. Again, Richard, great essay! You are a true intellectual and a deep thinker!Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13257579145197381891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-54788931920417261932012-06-14T12:43:42.787-06:002012-06-14T12:43:42.787-06:00Baruch and Gautama would agree for sure :)Baruch and Gautama would agree for sure :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517892305917115037.post-74150708316876094812012-06-12T08:08:23.702-06:002012-06-12T08:08:23.702-06:00Richard - Since you have posed some unanswered que...Richard - Since you have posed some unanswered questions intended to make one think, I'd like to toss in another. When a society chooses a structure that you implicitly advocate, presumably for a better life for all with fewer destructive behaviors, how often do such structures not descend into despotism with very many suffering in misery, unable to even get clean water, much less a morsel of processed meat, a roll of toilet paper, or a desperately needed ride in an SUV? My main point of this question is that human nature and history have shown us that there is always a would-be despot waiting in the wings to snare advantage from any such revolution or evolution to lead that society to an even darker place, with ever more harm to the citizenry. This in turn, in my opinion, ought to redirect the debate from restricting bad behaviors that harm others to a more "macro" analysis as to how we stay off the path that would provide opportunity for would-be despots. Best Regards, RickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com