In preparing readings for my Intro to Philosophy course which I am teaching, I noticed that there seem to be two points running through every single thinker, no matter how diverse their views are on other topics. One is that we ultimately need to understand things on our own, and that explanations and teaching can only point us in the right direction; we must utilize our own power to see the truth for ourselves. The other is that the things we encounter in our daily lives are only means and must be treated as such, without attachment. Plato, Aristotle (albeit to a lesser degree), Augustine, the Confucians, the Daoists, and the Buddhists all hold these things. What points does anyone consider to be important, and pretty universal despite different narratives legitimating them? To what extent do the stories we tell surrounding these basic points matter (asked as a legitimate question and not merely as a dismissal of detailed thinking)?
2 comments:
"The other is that the things we encounter in our daily lives are only ends and must be treated as such, without attachment."
I don't think I quite understand your summary comment - "things are only ends" (do you mean, as opposed to means?) and why "without attachment"? Do you mean "without affection" or "without trying to make them something they're not"?
Ah, thank you - I have corrected the passage to read "means" now - that was a typo. "Without attachment" in any precise sense differs according to the thinker, but the general gist is that the things in our daily lives amongst which we often lose ourselves just aren't really all that important. At most, they are neutral and helpful for building certain virtues (Aristotle); for many, they actually can be obstacles in realizing the ultimate end for most of us.
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