So i'm sitting in my humanities class today.
My eyes, for some reason, are still a little puffy from when I woke up even though it is 3:00 in the afternoon. I'm sitting in my usually seat on the other side of a giant "U" that is formed by the tables and sharing some cranberries with Bandera, the girl that sits next to me. Another day. Another philosophical conversation will ensue. My teacher is jazzed as always. All the usuals are there. And we're all talking. Discussing. This time about Aristotle's "Ethics".
Discussion is our only survival tactic to make it until 4:20. So we discuss the time away.
"So Aristotle decides that the ultimate happiness is found when we fulfill our function as human beings." Professor Banning announces happily. "What is our function as human beings?"
Simple question? Sounds so.
Any answers? none.
Why am I here?
Why do i own a bed?
Why do I set my alarm clock?
Why do I feed myself breakfast?
Why do I set out from my home, into the sprawling,
human-inhabited land around me, to pursue a life for myself?
...no really, why?
Does this not sound like the most elementery of questions?
In my mind, this should have been figured out by the ancient cultures long ago so we could get on to more important things. But, oddly enough, we are still stuck on it.
I am terrified with the conclusion I am drawing in my head as the silent seconds tick on: We are here (so incredibly here. Getting our hearts broken. Stubbing our toes. Mowing our lawns with ripped jeans. Saying things we regret. Loving passionately. Hating vehemently. Being so bored we could cry.) and nobody knows why. Or cares to figure it out. It's a fun discussion topic for students in humanities classes and for fancy people in churches, but outside those doors? on the streets? no. There are more important things to talk about.
Please tell me something that's more important than this.
It's like a bunch of people got together and just started making a house. And somebody stopped and said "Whoa whoa, wait. Why are we making this house?" And everybody just looks at him and shrugs their shoulders and continues to work, kind of bugged about this guy interrupting their conversations. But some guy goes "Good question. I have no idea!" and starts working again.
Can this possibly be the truth?
10 comments:
Hhaaa!! Joel and I were JUST talking about this, although, not specifically to what Aristotle said (I have a hard time getting over his un-ethical belief that women are "colder than men and thus inferior a species" or however he phrased that and I always have that tainting cloud hanging over his other more worthy saying).... ANYWAY, back to the point, We were saying that people are afraid to question "Why" because of the responsibility that it places on them to do or act differently. I feel so amazingly blessed to be around a group of christians who are always looking at the "whys" and trying to better themselves and the world around them. I can not believe the things these kids have done because they questioned the norm.
But dosen't it seem as though knowing the reason for our existence would trump having responsibility? I guess not. Sacrificing purpose for pleasure dosen't seem worth it. maybe so. are our minds so very small?
I'm not a philosophy major-- but I think I remember once hearing something about how Aristotle's idea of ultimate happiness was based on living a virtuous life.
"Man is most happy when he is doing good for people other than himself-- and delighting in it." Something like that. Maybe this would be Aristotle's idea of our ultimate function as humans-- to lead virtuous lives, and to delight in it??
Also: Shaquille O'Neal once called himself "The Big Aristotle."
yeah i don't think we've gotten that far into ethics yet. we're still unpacking it all. we're halfway through. loving it so far though. makes for invigorating conversation because there's super diverse people in the classroom. i think i like to think. aristotle liked it too. we get along.
Depends on your theology of "life", and especially as it pertains to religion, or in my case, the bible. In all my studies on ethics, I have yet to find another religion or philosophy that gives me a reason why. IF I were an atheist, I would definitely just do whatever I wanted, drinking, drugs, etc... Because there is no reason to be good like you said, except that some people say you "should" be, but really, who would care? My mom says she would smoke pot. HAHA. (BTW I just can't imagine my mom and atheist or smoking pot.) I just don't think you can really truly live morally with out Biblical principles. Maybe for a little while, but without them, without a God, and reasons why you should be ethical, there just isn't enough to actually make you do those things....I know I wouldn't. I think Aristotle also proved that himself in that he talked about living "ethically with fellow man" but he himself didn't challenge the why of the "inferior species of women" or how about his acceptance and approval of leaving unwanted babies uncovered and alone in the cold so they would die? Not my idea of ethical, to say the least.
no yeah, and i think that's what i'm getting at. so many theories, philosophies, etc totally bypass the why. that's why when the teacher asked what the human function was, i was surprised. he was sort of asking "what do we do/why are we here? and you're right, Aristotle dosen't really answer it exactly. just something vague like" when we use logical thinking and conjunction with excellence"---which is actually what the teacher said the answer was. (and i thought, how sad)
i think this is the most important question. we bury the answer to this question day by day, week by week, and year by year.
"what is the function of human beings?" is exactly the same question as "what is the chief end of man?"
what could be more foundational or important than this? our state of existence and heart are revealed by how we answer or relate to this query.
my little catechism-ed head promptly answered "to glorify god and enjoy him forever!" but i am still awe-struck simply by the question's existence.
Kyrie!! You should'a busted the catechism on them!
On another note, I agree thinking is pretty neat. Since coming to school I've been present for a lot of discussions that make completely throw me out of my brain and all of a sudden my conscience is in a new place.
yeah, recently i've found out i like to think really hard and alot. my teacher laughs at me. i'm always interrupting students/the teacher ( i know. yikes) with my sudden thoughts/questions/observations and then apologizing. he's a good teacher though. listens well. keeps a sense of humour. genuinely interested in all opinions and knows how to get us to explain them. (because we are art students and tend to talk abstractly)
i could write a blog post on every lecture but this one imparticular was..well, terrifying. so i had to write. writing it helps me process. and get feedback.
i seriously love all of ya'll's feedback.
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