Magnificent, and I was so thrilled to see you two in discussion! I loved the opening points on the practicality of philosophy and how it teaches us to think “the 24/7 loop of ourselves” (what an excellent phrase), as well as what we aren’t thinking in that loop. Framed that way, philosophy is clearly one of the most important things in the world, and yet people do indeed treat it as if it’s impractical and “airy,” just as Mr. Nelson noted. Philosophy indeed helps us stop “acting” and learn how to treat things like we’re experiencing them for the first time, which is very hard, given that we are indeed stuck in “loops.” And the wordplay on “great philosophers are strange loops” was awesome—I’m going to try to remember that one.
So much of life is learning how to encounter things versus concepts, and yet without concepts we’d be unable to learn about things in ways that could help us better encounter them. How strange, but a challenge worth taking on. I love Dr. Last’s association of “flow states” with “lack,” those experiences of “self-forgetfulness” that are indeed some of the highest possible experiences of life. It was also insightful that we can meditate a million years and yet we’ll still get hungry, thus the need for constant and active dialectical thinking. And Cadell’s legendary reversal of “marriage as risky while dating isn’t risky” is amazing: Michelle and I are biased, but we totally agree. Dr. Last is also right on the dangers of thinking of ourselves as “always growing.” This can be good (it depends on what we mean), but there’s also something to be said about “committing ourselves to something.” This “commitment space” is where “vertical growth” can happen, as I would tentatively call it, but it requires giving up “horizontal growth.” It’s well worth it, I think.
Gosh, you two covered so many great topics. Thank you very much for the mentions and everything you said on masculinity and femininity, all of which was deeply insightful. Here’s hoping you two speak again! This was truly great!
Yes I absolutely loved "Cadell’s legendary reversal of “marriage as risky while dating isn’t risky” as well! A bit of a novel perspective for my young life ... and i've felt a shift towards less deeper connections than more shallow connections these days. Philosophy is truly fruitful after all :)
"learn how to treat things like we’re experiencing them for the first time, which is very hard, given that we are indeed stuck in “loops.” this feels super key to me O.G. The incredible joy that I feel when I stumble upon experiencing something as if for the first time is something I chase. Maybe I shouldn't chase it, but who knows, maybe there's a philosophical degree of development where phenomenological novelty is cultivated and experienced with much regularity.
Hmmmmm. I'd be very interested in hearing what you mean by "yet without concepts we’d be unable to learn about things in ways that could help us better encounter them." This is such a paradox. I'm definitely sitting with this one.
Wonderful remarks, and that paradox on “concepts” is alluding to the distinction between “thinking and perceiving” out of which “(Re)constructing “A Is A”” is built. No pressure at all to give it a listen, but you can find an Audio Summary of the idea here:
And I think it is incredibly important to see experiences which transcend “preset complexes,” and thus can be experiences “as if for the first time.” As we’ve discussed (and is in “On Beauty”), Walker Percy is great on this. This doesn’t mean “preset complexes” are bad (they’re necessary), but it does mean we have work to do…
Magnificent, and I was so thrilled to see you two in discussion! I loved the opening points on the practicality of philosophy and how it teaches us to think “the 24/7 loop of ourselves” (what an excellent phrase), as well as what we aren’t thinking in that loop. Framed that way, philosophy is clearly one of the most important things in the world, and yet people do indeed treat it as if it’s impractical and “airy,” just as Mr. Nelson noted. Philosophy indeed helps us stop “acting” and learn how to treat things like we’re experiencing them for the first time, which is very hard, given that we are indeed stuck in “loops.” And the wordplay on “great philosophers are strange loops” was awesome—I’m going to try to remember that one.
So much of life is learning how to encounter things versus concepts, and yet without concepts we’d be unable to learn about things in ways that could help us better encounter them. How strange, but a challenge worth taking on. I love Dr. Last’s association of “flow states” with “lack,” those experiences of “self-forgetfulness” that are indeed some of the highest possible experiences of life. It was also insightful that we can meditate a million years and yet we’ll still get hungry, thus the need for constant and active dialectical thinking. And Cadell’s legendary reversal of “marriage as risky while dating isn’t risky” is amazing: Michelle and I are biased, but we totally agree. Dr. Last is also right on the dangers of thinking of ourselves as “always growing.” This can be good (it depends on what we mean), but there’s also something to be said about “committing ourselves to something.” This “commitment space” is where “vertical growth” can happen, as I would tentatively call it, but it requires giving up “horizontal growth.” It’s well worth it, I think.
Gosh, you two covered so many great topics. Thank you very much for the mentions and everything you said on masculinity and femininity, all of which was deeply insightful. Here’s hoping you two speak again! This was truly great!
Yes I absolutely loved "Cadell’s legendary reversal of “marriage as risky while dating isn’t risky” as well! A bit of a novel perspective for my young life ... and i've felt a shift towards less deeper connections than more shallow connections these days. Philosophy is truly fruitful after all :)
"learn how to treat things like we’re experiencing them for the first time, which is very hard, given that we are indeed stuck in “loops.” this feels super key to me O.G. The incredible joy that I feel when I stumble upon experiencing something as if for the first time is something I chase. Maybe I shouldn't chase it, but who knows, maybe there's a philosophical degree of development where phenomenological novelty is cultivated and experienced with much regularity.
Hmmmmm. I'd be very interested in hearing what you mean by "yet without concepts we’d be unable to learn about things in ways that could help us better encounter them." This is such a paradox. I'm definitely sitting with this one.
Wonderful remarks, and that paradox on “concepts” is alluding to the distinction between “thinking and perceiving” out of which “(Re)constructing “A Is A”” is built. No pressure at all to give it a listen, but you can find an Audio Summary of the idea here:
https://o-g-rose-writing.medium.com/on-thinking-and-perceiving-e3f19eba26a
“The Dialectic Between Meaningful Memories and Pure Experience” might also be of interest to you (which also has an Audio Summary):
https://o-g-rose-writing.medium.com/the-dialectic-between-meaningful-memories-and-pure-experiences-b2599dea0d3e
And I think it is incredibly important to see experiences which transcend “preset complexes,” and thus can be experiences “as if for the first time.” As we’ve discussed (and is in “On Beauty”), Walker Percy is great on this. This doesn’t mean “preset complexes” are bad (they’re necessary), but it does mean we have work to do…
Totally appreciate the recs as always!
I've added them to the reading list for the upcoming week :)