Well, since I have nothing real to think about all day, my mind goes onto interesting things.
Enjoy: Clicky!
Ok, so I've been reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra (by Nietzsche) and now the Tractatus by Wittgenstein. They are providing to be interesting foils to each other. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (TSZ) is a interesting, and rather artistic look at philosophy. It is complicated, beautiful and never really clear as to what he's getting at. Hell, I still don't even really know what Nietzsche's philosophy he is supposedly expounding is, I don't even know what's really going on in the book. He seems to be using a persuasive argument based on how it's delivered than the actual content in the delivery (I know there is a specific word for this, it's in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance, it was Pirsig's character's main field of study). For example, when he condemns other philosophers he doesn't say why they are wrong, just that they are, and in elegant terms. The Tractatus is the complete opposite. Wittgenstein is obviously influenced by Frege, Bertrand Russell and other thinkers in the analytical philosophy movement. He is examining the use of language and what can be said in it. The book is written in a very formal argumentative style, where he posits an assumption, argues the reasoning for it, and then continues the argument with said assumption. For example, he discusses that language cannot deal with objects because objects are not a part of language. The only thing that language can deal with is facts about objects, and the collection of all facts about an object will describe an object in language. Facts are a necessity of objects as well, something that you see must have a fact about colour since that is a property of the space the object occupies. As you can see, very concise and precise.
This being said about both of the books, both make the claim in the beginning that they've solved the problem that they are dealing with. In TSZ, I'm not sure what he is even solving, but I do know it has something to do with the inadequacy of the current methods of thought, understanding and human nature. Wittgenstein claims he solves the problem of language, that being what can be expressed, the limits of expression, etc... I have serious troubles with whomever claims they have the answer. So I don't completely love and believe either book, but I think it's important to read something that you don't always agree with. Learn about the other side...lest you be American.
I read a funny title to an article today. Something along the lines of, "Homeland (Security)? That sounds awfully Russian."
I also have a big rant about these so called "cleanse diets," I know more than a few people who do them. For one, a diet is what you eat anyways, and cleanse? Get a friggin enema if that's what you think you need. I can't find a single journal article saying that the human body builds up "toxins" and that these diets will miraculously "cleanse" you in 7 days no less! Does anyone know what kind of toxins these are? Gimme some chemical formulas dammit, no nonsense about "food has toxins which build up in you." People are not cars folks, we don't need our oil changed every 6 months. That's why you poop! Your body is a miraculous machine, it is utterly self regulatory if you eat the right foods. Another argument is, "Well it must work, I felt so good after!" Well that's because your feelings are relative, and you felt like shit during the "detox" so of course you'll feel better afterwards. If you stop feeding yourself the proper nutrients (like, I dunno, protein!) you body will deteriorate as everything is made up of protein. People like to think only muscles are, but damn near everything in your body is made up of these carbon chains. So just eat your veggies, stay away from sugar and fast food, and you'll notice the same difference and be healthier. /rant.
I hope all is well with everyone. Much love
Joshy Poshy
Enjoy: Clicky!
Ok, so I've been reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra (by Nietzsche) and now the Tractatus by Wittgenstein. They are providing to be interesting foils to each other. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (TSZ) is a interesting, and rather artistic look at philosophy. It is complicated, beautiful and never really clear as to what he's getting at. Hell, I still don't even really know what Nietzsche's philosophy he is supposedly expounding is, I don't even know what's really going on in the book. He seems to be using a persuasive argument based on how it's delivered than the actual content in the delivery (I know there is a specific word for this, it's in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance, it was Pirsig's character's main field of study). For example, when he condemns other philosophers he doesn't say why they are wrong, just that they are, and in elegant terms. The Tractatus is the complete opposite. Wittgenstein is obviously influenced by Frege, Bertrand Russell and other thinkers in the analytical philosophy movement. He is examining the use of language and what can be said in it. The book is written in a very formal argumentative style, where he posits an assumption, argues the reasoning for it, and then continues the argument with said assumption. For example, he discusses that language cannot deal with objects because objects are not a part of language. The only thing that language can deal with is facts about objects, and the collection of all facts about an object will describe an object in language. Facts are a necessity of objects as well, something that you see must have a fact about colour since that is a property of the space the object occupies. As you can see, very concise and precise.
This being said about both of the books, both make the claim in the beginning that they've solved the problem that they are dealing with. In TSZ, I'm not sure what he is even solving, but I do know it has something to do with the inadequacy of the current methods of thought, understanding and human nature. Wittgenstein claims he solves the problem of language, that being what can be expressed, the limits of expression, etc... I have serious troubles with whomever claims they have the answer. So I don't completely love and believe either book, but I think it's important to read something that you don't always agree with. Learn about the other side...lest you be American.
I read a funny title to an article today. Something along the lines of, "Homeland (Security)? That sounds awfully Russian."
I also have a big rant about these so called "cleanse diets," I know more than a few people who do them. For one, a diet is what you eat anyways, and cleanse? Get a friggin enema if that's what you think you need. I can't find a single journal article saying that the human body builds up "toxins" and that these diets will miraculously "cleanse" you in 7 days no less! Does anyone know what kind of toxins these are? Gimme some chemical formulas dammit, no nonsense about "food has toxins which build up in you." People are not cars folks, we don't need our oil changed every 6 months. That's why you poop! Your body is a miraculous machine, it is utterly self regulatory if you eat the right foods. Another argument is, "Well it must work, I felt so good after!" Well that's because your feelings are relative, and you felt like shit during the "detox" so of course you'll feel better afterwards. If you stop feeding yourself the proper nutrients (like, I dunno, protein!) you body will deteriorate as everything is made up of protein. People like to think only muscles are, but damn near everything in your body is made up of these carbon chains. So just eat your veggies, stay away from sugar and fast food, and you'll notice the same difference and be healthier. /rant.
I hope all is well with everyone. Much love
Joshy Poshy
posted by Poshy at 12:45 PM
2 Comments:
Couldn't agree with you more about the cleanse diets, those are some of the stupidest things ever, and no one has ever actually been able to explain exactly what it is that they are cleansing from their bodies.
I have an inkling that those things which *can* be cleansed by the body are cleansed naturally, while potentially harmful things can't be cleansed at all, or certainly not within a week.
jerk. I actually felt really good whilst *on* my lemonade extraveganza. Not just afterwards, but during (aside from the fact that everything looked tasty after two days of lemon juice and organic maple syrup).
However, you will be happy to know I'm not doing it right now. I don't have the willpower to turn down chicken soup, and I'm not sure how good it would be considering I've been feverish on and off the past few days.
However, I'm not going to lie to you, I couldn't give a rats ass about the cleanse. It was nice to be 11 pounds lighter for a while, hahaha.
Anyhoo, hope you're doing well and I'm glad you're enjoying Nietzsche. I don't think I've got the mental capability right now to try and get through his writings, hehe.
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