Abstract thinking posts: The Grand-what- ANOTHER-one-threequel: Return of the Feelings
I've been all metaphysical for probably the last three weeks. I need to get out more.
So where have all my (many, many...) abstract musings led me now? Here are the facts as I see them.
Opinions: They are either right or wrong. Things ARE or they AREN'T. No in between. Now we might never see how things ARE because of our inherent subjectivity, leading to every person seeing a thing differently (whole other topic), but that doesn't mean things don't BE in a certain way.
Beliefs: What lies under those opinions. Same as above.
Feelings: What gives rise to beliefs. But feelings are different in that they are neither right nor wrong. They simply ARE. They can make 180-degree turns (sometimes over a wide, wide arc) without ever having been "wrong." They're mostly just reactions. Perhaps reactions that may seem unjustified on an opinion level, but feelings don't require justification.
Observation Thirteen: We can disagree with a person's opinions or beliefs, but no justification can be made to disagree with a person's feelings.
I seem to be on a roll here with this stuff. It may stop when I take my first Philosophy course this fall, which may give me an outlet. But if I get accepted to the Scholar's House I'll be creating a discussion group about abstract thinking, and maybe even overrunning my journal with discussion summaries.
Sooner or later, though, I'll run out of things to say. (Yeesh--college. You'll grow here whether you like it or not.)
So where have all my (many, many...) abstract musings led me now? Here are the facts as I see them.
Opinions: They are either right or wrong. Things ARE or they AREN'T. No in between. Now we might never see how things ARE because of our inherent subjectivity, leading to every person seeing a thing differently (whole other topic), but that doesn't mean things don't BE in a certain way.
Beliefs: What lies under those opinions. Same as above.
Feelings: What gives rise to beliefs. But feelings are different in that they are neither right nor wrong. They simply ARE. They can make 180-degree turns (sometimes over a wide, wide arc) without ever having been "wrong." They're mostly just reactions. Perhaps reactions that may seem unjustified on an opinion level, but feelings don't require justification.
Observation Thirteen: We can disagree with a person's opinions or beliefs, but no justification can be made to disagree with a person's feelings.
I seem to be on a roll here with this stuff. It may stop when I take my first Philosophy course this fall, which may give me an outlet. But if I get accepted to the Scholar's House I'll be creating a discussion group about abstract thinking, and maybe even overrunning my journal with discussion summaries.
Sooner or later, though, I'll run out of things to say. (Yeesh--college. You'll grow here whether you like it or not.)