Action and Changing

Last class we spent a large majority of the time trying to define action. These are some definitions found at "Dictionary.com" that I feel define "Action" in accordance with our class. "An exertion of power or force or effect or influence." We had argued that action could be a "being" I completely disagree. A being can not be an action. It can be a result of an action. A being can do and action. And although a being is constantly changing with time, it is still not an action itself, but the changing is the action. We ended with the question, "Are there situations which are not actions..not where time stops, but where there is not change?" The answer is simple no. Because time is constant. Each second is either the past or present or future for only a second. Once a second passes it can no longer be or remain. Its gone. Things are constantly changing because of time. An ashtray sitting on a desk does not look like its changing. Eventually its chemical make up will break down and it will become nothing or nothing like it was, but we cannot see that. But an ashtray that existed in the second that just passed can no longer be cause now its an ashtray in the present second, but only for a second.

Relating to Humans?

Last class we discussed how Philosophy, Art, Craft, & Science are categories or how the "self" perceives the "outer world". You had stated that you feel only humans can really use these categories to relate to the outer world. I agree in that only humans would sit and say "well this is the philosophy, art... in this activity.." But I do think that other creatures "alive" or inanament could very well have thought beyond our knowing. How do we really know that a crystal which takes many years to form, if could speak, wouldn't tell us about its experience? Just by acknowledging the existence of the crystal and studying its growth is us listening to its story. In nature plants and animals have adapted to one another in order to continue to survive. Maybe there is an unknown connection between them. Flowers and Bees, Birds and trees, a parasite and its host. They may not think " hmm which flower looks better, but they do seem to know what they are doing. A tree or plant will form a gall in order to stop a parasitic take over, but in turn is providing the parasite with a home or hotel room in exchange. How does this tree know to do this? Did it just decide one day it was sick of getting bit? Orangoutangs, Gorillas, although not human defiantly show signs of thought and emotion. Just look in the face of a caged primate and tell me it isn't thinking of a better life. Or how it got into this situation. This kinda takes me back to how everything is connected. We has humans may not have the ability to hear, or scientifically describe the thoughts of rocks, plants, trees, or any other living creature that isn't human, but maybe thats just because we are human. I'm sure a bee could not understand a crystal, but maybe one crystal could speak to another. Who knows?

Circulating energy/ outer world

"How can you support from experience the notion of all energy, including "selves" being constantly recirculated? By analogy only, or can some "scientific" demonstration be made?"
- Just like all beliefs there is no physical evidence that makes one true or better than another, but people find ways or reasons to believe in what makes them able to continue life. The earth itself is always recirculating. When anything dies, something new is born, when ever it rains the water is reabsorbed into the earth and then evaporated back into the sky again. You personally showed us a tree at Shenk's Ferry that has been decaying for 15-20 years or so and all around it was new growth. If this is possible with nature... well aren't we a part of nature. You can not ask a plant why it exists, but if you could what would it say? Would we say they exist for the soul purpose of providing us with food and air. Are we that selfish? I think we have all taken for granted what we have been provided with. But in the end we will all eventually die, and whether we are buried or burned, our remains will eventually become part of the earth again. And from that something new will grow. I can not say what happens to our energy with evidence, but I really don't think it just disappears.

The "Outer" world

I wrote down a bunch of notes to myself while the class was going on. I'm going to try to write what I was thinking during the class and make it say what I wanted it to say. We began with a chart with one side being the "Self" and the other being "the outer world". In between was a cross with Art, Philosophy, Craft, & Science. We talked about "Will" power, motivation. Then the questions were asked, "Do I exist?, How can I prove it?, can you prove the existence of your body, mind...will?" I then asked in my head, "why do you think that you imagined the outer world, is it possible that something else "created" this outer world? Maybe you are just experiencing my outer world". Then you said the outer world exists based on my senses. How does this chart work? Are the "four" (Phil., Art, Science, Craft) in the outer world... in the self? I think we experience the "four" as a result of our existing energy clashing with the outer world. The "four" may already exist with in the self, but it takes the interaction with the self and the outer world to bring them out. Do you consider yourself spiritual? I feel we are energy formed by the earth, as a result of the earths cycle and recycle process. We act in negative and positive ways in order to keep a balance. When we die our energy, which is all we really are, gets recycled back into the earth to become part of the whole. We experience so much confusion while we "exist" as humans, because we are separate from the earth. There really is no self. We may feel we exist as the "self" for a short period of time. The word itself probably doesn't need to exist. If you stop thinking about yourself and enjoy this experience while as a human then maybe you would be less depressing. Of course then we wouldn't have this class that makes everybody question the "Self";{ What would life, while living, be like if the word self and the meaning we gave it, didn't exist? I think it would change a whole lot.

Wednesday chart

I made a pie chart as a way of describing human activity being broken into the four categories..Philosophy, Art, Craft, & Science. Since I don't know how to upload images yet, I suppose I can describe my chart based on three different human activities. First example... Sex, (from a man's perspective).. 5%-Philosophy, 5%-Art, 80%-Craft, and 10%-Science:) From a woman's perspective... 60%-Philosophy, 20%-Art, 19%-Craft, and 1%-Science. My third example...Love (from my perspective) 80%-Philosophy, 18%-Art, 1%-Craft, and 1%-Science. So imagine a circle with these percentages with in it. A pie Chart.

Monday thought?

Having heard Professor Achtermann's thoughts of how he uses our thesis to categorize
human activity has given me a clearer interpretation of the class. I was having some confusing thoughts on how human activity could be broken down into the fourcategories which are Philosophy, Art, Craft & Science. The driving example having been broken into all four of the categories helps a great deal with solving any confusion I may have had. This also helps with the question that was asked by a fellow student, which was a
question I had myself. The question was, "Whatcategory does murder fall into?" Now I know that the action of murder does not fall into just one category, but rather the question should be "what is the philosophy of murder; art in; science of; craft of.

Setting up 2 blogs

Having 2 blogs should be interesting. Have fun keeping track of this :) (thats a smile face.)