5 ideas
7413 | Without confidence in our beliefs, how should we actually live? [Tuck] |
Full Idea: The central question for sceptics is if we lose confidence in the truth of most existing beliefs, then how do we actually live? | |
From: Richard Tuck (Hobbes [1989], Ch.4) | |
A reaction: Scepticism is not, of course, all or nothing. You can lead a 'normal' life in a virtual reality machine. I find it much more of a struggle to live if I lose faith in values, than if I lose faith in tables. |
7903 | The six perfections are giving, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom [Nagarjuna] |
Full Idea: The six perfections are of giving, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom. | |
From: Nagarjuna (Mahaprajnaparamitashastra [c.120], 88) | |
A reaction: What is 'morality', if giving is not part of it? I like patience and vigour being two of the virtues, which immediately implies an Aristotelian mean (which is always what is 'appropriate'). |
22370 | Big central government only exists as a focus for anger - not to act [Fisher] |
Full Idea: The specter of big government is there to be blamed precisely for its failure to act as a centralising power, the anger directed at it much like the fury Thomas Hardy supposedly spat at God for not existing. | |
From: Mark Fisher (Capitalist Realism [2009], 8) | |
A reaction: The point is that the power resides with the leaders of capitalism, and central government is largely a side-show. Sounds somewhat true, and the politicians are largely unaware of their role. |
22368 | It is hard to imagine the end of capitalism [Fisher] |
Full Idea: It is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism. | |
From: Mark Fisher (Capitalist Realism [2009], 1) | |
A reaction: His book addresses the question of whether complacently accepting capitalism is the right attitude. I read it because I am complacently resigned to living with capitalism. If we started again, would capitalism be a rational choice? |
22369 | Are students consumers or products of education? [Fisher] |
Full Idea: Are students the consumers of education, or its product? | |
From: Mark Fisher (Capitalist Realism [2009], 6) | |
A reaction: As a teacher I have been increasingly obliged to treat pupils as customers, meaning that my main task is to keep them happy. Admittedly, pupils who are interested are usually happy pupils, but as a main objective happiness seems wrong. |