What I like and what I must do.: Philosophy Forums

What I like and what I must do.

ChrisNA
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Posted 08/02/02 - 03:03 PM:	#1
I had a conversation with a friend once and he said something i will never forget he said. "If what I like and what I belive in directly stands in the survival of myself and my children, does this mean my beliefs are wrong?" We may have been very high at the time, but it stuck in my mind for a long time. What do u think?

Baron Max
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Posted 08/02/02 - 03:35 PM:	#2
Originally posted by ChrisNA "If what I like and what I belive in directly stands in the survival of myself and my children, does this mean my beliefs are wrong?" Would you re-read that sentence and either re-write it or explain what it means? I have a feeling that there are some words missing or words have been rearranged or something. I don't like trying to interpret what others are posting ... it causes problems and misdirection. The English language is already difficult enough without adding to the complexity. Thank you, Baron Max

ChrisNA
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Posted 08/02/02 - 03:46 PM:	#3
Well I think he was trying to say, if i belive in something so strongly even tho it stands in the way of my survival, how right can I be? did that clear it up? heh if not im sorry :]

Paul
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Posted 08/02/02 - 04:36 PM:	#4
If you believe in it and you also value survival, then you're being self-contradictory... and that could be considered "wrongness" in a logical sense I suppose. (At least it's non pragmatic.) If you simply say that you don't value survival as much anymore, then there's nothing contradictory and you simply have an atypical system of morals.

Spaces
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Posted 08/02/02 - 05:58 PM:	#5
Basically it's two sets of beliefs. That's nothing new in the pluralism that we exist in. Your friend simply recognizes that the value of whatever he enjoys doing is incompatible with another appreciated value, i.e. his children. Morals? I guess you could look at it from that sense but that's mixing it up more and usually clouds the issue. Furthermore, you say that he and you were "incredibly high" at the time. If this particular high was the type that led to such inquiry then it's a good bet that what occurred was a dissolving of certain divisions of conduct that are necessary as we make our way through life. It gives creedence to the notion that our individual core adds on layers of beliefs out of necessity with the result that somewhere along the way one feels "overdressed". If I had been there when he asked the question I probably would have asked which scenario he could best contend with: His not being able to do what he likes and his children alive or him continuing to do what he likes and his children dead. I think that would have sobered it up right there. The thing about incredibly high territories is that when you're there it's you and the territory---exclusively. Nothing wrong with that but if you're living in regular terrain most of the time then you'd better know the difference and not confuse one with the other. Spaces

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