Excuse me the first line of my last post should have read.... ...it is impossible to choose to not choose what one does choose...
On Jul 23, 6:59 am, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > I tend to think pretty biologically about control as it's deep-seated > in many animal systems. I think those moments when the conversation > lowers when the boss turns up and when people start shuffling paper > tell us a lot about control. I don't believe in free will much, other > than that we can choose to do the right thing or not - and are often > too scared to do much other than follow the herd. Leibniz made the > arguments of Escher and Hofstader long ago and we might think of a > world of logical possibility. Self seems only known in social context > and I fancy a better understanding of biology could be much more > useful than philosophy in helping us be aware of what is happening to > us as Don describes. I suspect we have lost control in leadership and > it's become nasty, bitchy (not much to do with the increased presence > of women) and lacking in that empathy that tells us to respect others > and only rarely over-ride their concerns. The mechanisms in this are > crude. > > On 23 July, 14:48, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > We do not choose to > > like or dislike something, it is a reaction to established values, > > imho. > > > This is true to a point. However, one can change one's opinion or > > have a seemingly incongruous opinion when it benefits the opiner. > > For instance, hypothetically, I choose to like my sister-in-law. > > Normally, I would never associate with or converse with or have > > business with this person but the fact that she is my son's aunt and > > loves him I tend to ignore the qualities about her I find > > objectionable. I am willing to help her when she needs it because she > > is family and to make this easier on me I find things about her I like > > and focus on these things. Quite honestly I wouldn't have gone > > through the effort if she wasn't my son's aunt. Hypothetically > > speaking. > > > Sometimes when under a great deal of stress I start to feel 'out of > > control' or 'helpless.' I recognize this and nip it in the bud. I > > take control, or the illusion of control, and mentally list my choices > > and make a decision. I'm under the most stress when I feel I don't > > know how to handle a situation. So I force myself to make a decision > > and go with it and change it up later if it looks like it's not > > working. Doing nothing makes it ten times as bad. Action, good or > > bad, is linked with control. IMO. Those that do nothing are not in > > control at all, they are at the mercy of those that act; good or bad. > > > dj > > > On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 7:16 AM, deripsni<[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I am not sure I would catagorize perception as controlled, but more > > > reactionary, similar to an opinion. To me, an opinion isn't contrived, > > > but is the result of variables, such as a comparison to established > > > moral values, preferred individual taste, etc. We do not choose to > > > like or dislike something, it is a reaction to established values, > > > imho. > > > > On Jul 23, 6:23 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > >> Mollay asks: > > > >> 'Do we have the power to create our realities? Are we in control? > > >> What do YOU think? > > > >> In many ways we do create our relalities, in the ways of how we > > >> percive things certianly. In realtion to how the world really is, > > >> maybe not so much. > > > >> If we each look at a tree in the park, it is the same tree that we > > >> stare at, even if our notice picks out things that others do not. So > > >> the tree is real, our perception of the tree may differ. > > > >> We do have the power of veto and I have long argued that this is the > > >> very basis of free will, so yes the fact that we can and do make > > >> descicions means we are in control. Think of it like a cars gears. > > > >> Those that drive automatics cut out the need to manualy depress and > > >> engage the clutch, the clutch is still engaged though, but the car > > >> does not yet drive itself. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
