Traditional Thinking

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coberst
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Traditional Thinking

Post by coberst »

Traditional Thinking

If it did not happen yesterday it cannot happen tomorrow—it has always been this way therefore it can be no other. This might be regarded as the traditional mode of thought. It is the mode of thinking taught to us by our educational institutions. Such thinking requires few Critical Thinking skills beyond what pair of sneakers or which automobile might be the best.

A changeless society, a traditional society, is characterized by the lack of alternatives. The proper behavior is to accept things as they are and if things need to be changed you will be told by experts why change is necessary and what those changes will be. Today’s financial crisis is an extreme example of that traditional view.

Traditional epistemology (what we can know and how we can know it) recognizes no potential difference between prevailing ideas and reality.

Naming a concrete thing is to tie a label to it. The name and the thing are interchangeable. “Thinking and reality are coextensive.”

Objectifying an abstract concept is to tie a label to it and it becomes reality. This “reality” then becomes an object to which we often live, die, and kill for; examples are scientific theories, religions, freedom, justice, etc.
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LarsMac
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Traditional Thinking

Post by LarsMac »

Sometimes I think I live on a different planet than you do.

After this one, I am certain of it.

No offense intended.
The home of the soul is the Open Road.
- DH Lawrence
albertpollard
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Traditional Thinking

Post by albertpollard »

A changeless society, a traditional society, is characterized by the lack of alternatives.

I would say a changeless or traditional society does not LACK alternatives, it simply sees itself as having no need to change. “It is the way it is, it is good this way, we need not look elsewhere.”

This method of thinking is brought on by the ruling class who attempts to control the masses through appeasement and control, either by force, coercement or education.

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum[1] has argued that something is objectified if any of the following factors is present:

• Instrumentality – if the thing is treated as a tool for one's own purposes;

• Denial of autonomy – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency or self-determination;

• Inertness – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency;

• Ownership – if the thing is treated as if owned by another;

• Fungibility – if the thing is treated as if interchangeable;

• Violability – if the thing is treated as if permissible to smash;

• denial of subjectivity – if the thing is treated as if there is no need to show concern for the 'object's' feelings and experiences.

In the case of many of the ideals you named they are not objectified they are deified, made into GODS or objects of worship.
NEWS FLASH! The Universe is God's Petri Dish.
coberst
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Traditional Thinking

Post by coberst »

LarsMac;1306985 wrote: Sometimes I think I live on a different planet than you do.

After this one, I am certain of it.

No offense intended.


Therein we can see a lesson.

I think that one very important difference that an intellectual life might have is that it leads to a constantly changing world view as one's degree of sophistication is enhanced.

We do each live on a different "planet (world)".
coberst
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Traditional Thinking

Post by coberst »

albertpollard;1307029 wrote: A changeless society, a traditional society, is characterized by the lack of alternatives.

I would say a changeless or traditional society does not LACK alternatives, it simply sees itself as having no need to change. “It is the way it is, it is good this way, we need not look elsewhere.”

This method of thinking is brought on by the ruling class who attempts to control the masses through appeasement and control, either by force, coercement or education.

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum[1] has argued that something is objectified if any of the following factors is present:

• Instrumentality – if the thing is treated as a tool for one's own purposes;

• Denial of autonomy – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency or self-determination;

• Inertness – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency;

• Ownership – if the thing is treated as if owned by another;

• Fungibility – if the thing is treated as if interchangeable;

• Violability – if the thing is treated as if permissible to smash;

• denial of subjectivity – if the thing is treated as if there is no need to show concern for the 'object's' feelings and experiences.

In the case of many of the ideals you named they are not objectified they are deified, made into GODS or objects of worship.




I would say that we objectify many abstract ideas and in doing so we often do it to manipulate the masses. The objectified abstract idea becomes like the Matador's cape.

Because the abstract concept is not of an object in the beginning it can easily be defined as one might wish.
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Lon
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Traditional Thinking

Post by Lon »

coberst;1306841 wrote: Traditional Thinking

If it did not happen yesterday it cannot happen tomorrow—it has always been this way therefore it can be no other.

.


Your opening sentence is ridiculous and precludes me taking the balance of your post seriously.
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beowulf
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Post by beowulf »

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

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albertpollard
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Traditional Thinking

Post by albertpollard »

beowulf;1307141 wrote: :rolleyes::rolleyes:


Obviously we weren't talking to you! :)
NEWS FLASH! The Universe is God's Petri Dish.
Ahso!
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Post by Ahso! »

Lon;1307140 wrote: Your opening sentence is ridiculous and precludes me taking the balance of your post seriously.Then why participate in the thread? Or is this baiting? What exactly is your problem with Coberst?
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities,”

Voltaire



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Be the wave that I am and then

Sink back into the ocean

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