Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

A Philosophical Conversation


JollySipper

Recommended Posts

Also I'm glad to see Robert Heinlein get quoted here in a philosophical discussion. I did not agree with a lot his views on things. But, over the years his fiction books in particular got me thinking about somethings in a slightly different light. Every ten years or so, I try to rereading Stanger In a Strange Land.

Agreed. Both Heinlein and Ayn Rand put a lot of commonly held ideas in a completely different light for me. I don't swallow either of their positions whole, but they're certainly worth thinking about.  :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe in our Constitutional right to keep a gun in this country if one wishes to. As I've noted before, I don't wish to do so. And that should be okay too. I also believe in Castle laws. You should have a right to defend yourself if someone breaks into your while you are there.

It is an intensely personal decision as to whether one wishes to be armed or not, and I certainly respect your position. As long as we retain the right to CHOOSE, I'm happy.

But let me just remind you...and everyone...there are really BAD people in the world who will take your stuff and hurt, maim or kill you without any hesitation. Whether they're born bad or made that way by "society" is a question for another discussion. The salient point is that THEY'RE OUT THERE.

They cannot be reasoned with, talked down, or intimidated...especially if they're whacked on some chemical.

I am NOT a physical match for TWO grown men a third of my age. After they kicked my door open and came in the house, screaming incoherently, and one of them started coming at me...closer than 10 feet and advancing, my only choice was to allow myself to be beaten into jelly, or to fire. You don't try to "wing" somebody in that instant. The idea is to STOP them.

I thought up until that night that it would NEVER happen to me. I don't live in a high-crime area, I don't associate with thugs or crooks, and home-invasions are unheard of. I've never been any kind of gun "nut" and was ambivalent about the idea of being armed for self defense. No more.

My final point, again, is that it CAN happen to you, no matter how good a little boy or girl you are, no matter how well you color inside the lines, and no matter how much of a pacifist you may be.

If you think you can talk a drugged-up psycho out of messing you up, or you think the police will get there in time to protect you...you really need to think again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, indeed....... but what is the question to all philosophical answers?  :P

Ah! That is the question. If we knew what the real question is, then 42 would made sense and all of our problems be solved.

Another very good book on philosophy, is Sophie's World, written by Jostein Gaarder. It was mainly written for teenagers, and mainly aimed at girls. But don't let that stop you from reading it. It's really best book I've ever read explaining the basics of philosophical thinking through out history. There has also been a movie based on it. But like most movies, it can not really convey the ideas from the book with any depth.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed. Both Heinlein and Ayn Rand put a lot of commonly held ideas in a completely different light for me. I don't swallow either of their positions whole, but they're certainly worth thinking about.  :D

I agree 100% with you on both authors. Rand was another very interesting person. I almost agree with nothing she believed in. Yet I liked Atlas Shrugged. Someday I need to read her book Fountainhead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The answer to that may be as simple as 'our parents decided to have a child', or could be as profound as We were born so that certain events could take place, or so that we could be a part of someones life that needed us in their life....... 

Yes, there are multiple answers, depending on how you see the question.

I see it as the ultimate philosophical question... as in, what is the point of life itself? Why does it exist? Why am I a part of it? Why do we all have a short length of time here, and what is the point of having that time? It can get very complicated if you think about it long enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me there is one basic philosophical question; Why am I here? Everything else sort of branches out from that one simple, basic question.

Genesis 1:26  The reason life is a short time is that man was created to live forever, that's why we never want it to end, and we was never intended to grow old but Genesis 3 And Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Psalms 22:10  Mathew 10:30

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...