Philosophy the final chapter: Part II

My final post on the book we're reading is a realization that as the book gets weirder and weirder so do my posts, so I'm going to try to tone back the crazy this week for the final post. In the final chapters of the book we see Sophie and Alberto travel into reality ( or at least Albert Knagg's reality) by way of a deus ex machina, a random act of Ascension into a higher plane, becoming transcendental beings in the process. As they aren't from Albert's reality, they find that they can interact strangely with his world, phasing through objects and walls and entirely capable of giving him a really bad day. Except for the minor fact that nobody is capable of noticing them and they aren't capable of moving anything. Albert and Sophie have finally achieved the “absolute” free will they wanted, only to live in a world where only the two of them are aware of their existence ( for the most part). They cannot die but neither can they live, a tragic ending, at least from my point of view. It seems to be that they are in the same plane of existence as an idea, but rather than affecting the world, the world can only affect them. Maybe they aren't actually capable of dying, but they will still wear away as time passes by unmercifully. Their final success is a mixed blessing and a choice that I may not have made in their place if I knew the consequences. As a great man once said “It's better to burn out than fade away.”  

Philosophy the final chapter: Part I

To change things around a bit, I've decided that my next post should be on the nature of religion, that ever forbidden topic in polite conversation. Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses, a tool for placation and control. I personally think that religion, for all its vagueness and nigh incomprehensibility, at least from a purely logical standpoint, without relying on any inherent logical flaws, that's why its called faith right? But my tangentially minded thoughts aside, although I’ll talk about the nature of faith later. Religion's purpose is to ignite the hearts and souls of the people as well as inspire the dreams and enforce a moral code upon the people based on a mutual belief and understanding. But the funny thing about it is that every religion ever promotes a concept called free will, which is somehow concurrent with an God who is omniscient omnipotent and omnipresent or gods who are kinda like us, which seems infinitely more believable. Pascal's Wager is a statement that tells an individual to assume that God exists and to act accordingly, cause the possibility of a neutral to good ending is higher that way. One shouldn't assume anything, cause in the end, what I believe is the truth is that one must find their own truth and make their choice to believe in it. For example, if I want to believe that I am the reincarnation of a centuries old magician and I make that my truth, then that is my reality. In the end reality is merely attributed to the perceptions of the one who views it.

Plato's Forms

Recently, in the throes of what can only be described as a morbid curiosity, I have accepted a friends challenge to read multiple fanfics and then later write my own, about the world of my choice. These pale imitations of the original works, wrought with many a Mary Sue and plagued by the deus ex machina, made me think upon the nature of Plato's forms. Plato, in the throes of what can only be described as insanity, got the wacky idea that the things that exist in the world are merely the shades of bigger ideals. Though this is certainly false for some things, many other relationships it proves true for, like the fanfics and the original works. Like the internet and morality for example, the idea of morality on the internet, seems to be a joke to some people. Appeals to the pathos or ethos of the internet hive-mind often find themselves falling upon deaf ears. The only way to actually inspire the crowd of internet lovers is the infringement of personal rights. Even the threat of such an action is enough to force them up in arms, taking volatile action against friend and foe alike. Their idea of morality is so strange that many traditional news networks find themselves run around in circles by their love for the “lulz” and so on and so forth. I really dunno whether he's truly correct or not, but like Democritus's atomic theory, it seems really bloody strange from a merely intellectual stage.

Sophie's world: What wall?

Sophie's world has, like the incarnation of unpredictability, Deadpool, become merely a fourth wall defying monster. The fourth wall, which they've decided to downright demolish, build a hotdog stand on top of and then advertising a brand new hot dog stand with an annoyingly colored sign, complete with neon lights and such, made me have a conniption and led to my writers senses not just tingling but burning like a fiery coal. My rage thus established lets move on to the enjoyment of a reader at seeing the break of the fourth wall. At first, the novelty can force a laugh from both the green and experienced reader, but in the long run it only leads to a character being known as a cloud-cuckoo lander or a running gag. Mr. Amundsen pulls it off rather well, avoiding both of these possibilities with the use of both allusion and his setting to create a surreal environment that can only be described as downright bizarre, if at least a little bit believable. This understanding of the reader's suspension of disbelief is actually used quite well by the author, leading to a reading experience that actually works and helps promote philosophical thought. The fourth wall exists to divide the reader and the novel but the end result of the fourth wall is to link rather than divide, it brings the reader into the novel and brings the world of the novel into the mind of the reader.

The denim questions

Questions:

Would you be willing to be part of a genetic experiment that not only strengthened your muscles but prevented them from deteriorating with age?

if you had the chance (and it were possible), would you pick certain traits for your child before he/she was born?

Is this kind of genetic selection ethical?

I would be willing to participate in a genetic experiment that strengthened my muscles and prevented them from deteriorating, because even though it may have been beyond my natural capabilities, I would still have to work to gain complete control over my new-found strength and would also have to work to become stronger. Not everyone is born equal, contrary to popular belief, so I would welcome the tiny advantage. It would be able to help me in all parts of my life, and then once it hits the market it could help many people in all paths of life.

It depends what traits you are talking about. If its something as minor as appearance or talents, then no, but if my child could become the next Bruce Lee or Einstein or even have super hero level abilities*, then yes. I'm not exactly that religious, so while I think you should be comfortable for who your child is naturally, but if you have a chance to make them excel then take it. Of course, I wouldn't really know how I would react in this situation unless I was actually in the middle of it but that's besides the point. Really, I just think it would be really cool, but I think more can be done after your child is born through teaching him properly and encouraging independence and the value of hard work.

Genetic selection IS ETHICAL. But only within reason, such minor traits as hair color, skin color, and that dumb crap is for you dumb@ss heiress or rich b@stard who thinks such stereotypically retarded things as that. But if your child has a higher chance of heart disease, cancer, illness, hemophilia, then don't try and explain it away as being the “will of God”, do whatever you can to make your child have a carefree childhood. Having an easy childhood is dumb idea, childhood is for learning and understanding the world you live in, and our world sure ain't easy. Only hard work can truly get you to a beautiful ending.

*And I'm talking about beyond the edge of human capabilities here**

**Like not batman, edge of human capabilities, think like superpower superheroes.^

*** The Crazy awesome stuff

^Hey look, A footnote within a Footnote******

*****YAY TANGENT