For many centuries, philosophers have wondered about existence, the nature and fundamental properties of being, they call it Metaphysics, and Epistemology which explores the sources, nature and criteria of knowledge; what we are, how we got here, and why we are. They presented to us a range of interesting theories from various philosophical perspectives that we ourselves can study and try to make sense of, see what appeals to us and what does not. Today we have to deal with the era of intelligent design Vs Evolution. After all, we are all philosophers. Plato one of the greatest and earliest philosophers stated that "Philosophy begins in wonder." But Robert Nozick brought it further, he argued. "Philosophy begins in wonder, but never ends." At some point in our lives, we wonder about the very same things that those great philosophers wondered about. We wonder about life, about love, about justice, liberty, happiness, what is right and what is wrong, what is truth, or what is fiction. We wonder about the world, how it came into existence, how it came to where we are now, and where, how and when it will end. In general, we wonder about life and what gives meaning to life! And if there is anyone of us who has not done some wondering, I assume the edict "I don't think therefore, I am not" would be quite in order.--- the flip side of Rene Decartes's "I think therefore I am."
"Better be on a Runaway Horse than to be a Woman who does not Reflect" Theano of Crotona.
Aristotle one of the greatest philosophers of all times said that all men desire to know. But I have reason to conclude from my forty-seven years of experience, coexisting with many, many human beings, I have noticed that we are divided in two main subspecies, one set lives in quiet desperation in the form of resignation. There are also those who at some point lose the desire to know. Some go through life believing that our lives are controlled by a higher power than ourselves and we have no part in determining what kind of life we want to or should live, that all we need to do is accept everything we are told as truth. This is surrendering the power of one's mind. The only power we really have.
I came across this quote many, many years ago "Do not seek the answers which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them, and the point is to live everything. Live the question now, perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distance day into the answer" Rainer Maria Rilke. I am still trying to figure out what the hell this means. In my lifetime, sadly enough, I have met many people who would take comfort in this thought and see it as their living code, their maxim.
On the other side of this spectrum are the restless agitators who sense through their rational thinking that the picture is incomplete, and it does not add up logically. Their discontent gives them a desire; this profound yearning to find the pieces they hope can complete the picture. They know that what is visible, what is told is more mysterious than the untold and the visible as glittering as it seems to be; is not gold, and to them everything is opened to question. They choose not to accept the agreeable fancy, but instead search for the disagreeable fact. They want to argue, to reason with someone, to debate their point of view, but most of all they are looking for answers. They know that they don't know the truth either; if they knew, it, they would not be searching for it. At least even if they can't find the truth, they can prove to others that they don't know it either.
Xenophanes, a Pre-Socrates philosopher taught that although we can always learn more than we know, we can never be sure that we have reached any final truth. Socrates after him and one of the greatest philosophers of the world affirmed that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing, but he believed that knowledge was possible. There is a web of conflicting theories about truth, the best for me is "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" Bible, John 8:32. This is every reason why we should search for the truth. Through the ages those who have thought seriously about the truth have come up with some amazing conclusions on the subject. Maybe their thought can be utilized as a guide towards our search for truth. They left these mind bugling quotations:
"Cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth" -George Meredith: the Egoist.
Cynicism was the mark of the great Diogenes (404-323 BC) He and his followers were not cynics in today's sense of the word. They had a positive belief in virtue. But their basic creed was that the difference between true values and false values was the only distinctions that mattered. Diogenes aggressively flouted all the conventions and deliberately shocked people whether by not washing or dressing or if at all dressed, in filthy rags. He lived in a burial urn, ate disgusting food, and committed flagrant acts of public decency. It is said that Diogenes threw out his only drinking cup when he observed a child drinking from his hands. He lived like a dog; and for this reason people gave him the name "Cynic" (derived from the Greek word kynikos) which means like a dog. This is how the word cynic was coined, but its meaning has changed over the years. Someone once said that a cynic is an idealist who got disappointed, it can also be said that a cynic is never disappointed for he expects exactly what is delivered, just won't accept it.
Diogenes was also the world's first cosmopolitan, for when asked what was his country. Because of his contempt for the distinction between Greek and foreigner He replied "I am a citizen of the world." In doing so, the world cosmopolitan was also coined. In response to being ridiculed for the way he lived, Diogenes had this to say about himself. "I fawn on those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I sink my teeth into rascals." It is recorded that he masturbated in public to share his observation that it is too bad that hunger could not be relieved in similar fashion merely by rubbing your stomach. His point in part was simply to flout conventions, but it was apparently also to contrast sexual needs with need for food. One can fulfill one's sexual desire, but cannot satisfy his/hunger in the same manner.
Diogenes also expressed his indifference to and contempt for material things in an extremely cynical way. According to a story, he visited the home of a wealthy man. The man asked Diogenes to stop spitting on the floor or furnishings, because the house was expensively appointed. Diogenes responded by spitting in the man's face and commenting that it was the only worthless thing in the room.
The most famous of stories about Diogenes's life is that Alexander the Great once came to visit him in his filthy hole and stood in the entrance asking if there was anything that he, the king and ruler of the entire world, could do for him, Diogenes replied. "Yes-you could stand out of my light" and it is said he meant it both figuratively and literally. Alexander's companions, on the way back, were making fun of the simple-minded old man, but Alexander told them: "Laugh if you must, but if I were not Alexander I would choose to be Diogenes." This is possibly the most eloquent denunciation of worldly values that a philosopher has ever managed to deliver, and this is indeed the most telling divulgence that a great ruler of the world could ever make.
It is a saddening fact that the world today is far less tolerant than in the time of Diogenes's life. Today Diogenes would be declared a mad man and sent to an institution or jailed for teaching a doctrine foreign to the one we know. He would be considered an anti-materialism terrorist; a communist. But the most important man of that period respected him as the dog he chose to live by, and saw wisdom in his actions. There are not many like Alexander the Great left in this world either. I really believe that the best of humanity had come and long gone.
I have the greatest admiration and respect for Diogenes, and just like him I am cynic. I was not born as that, but I gradually adopted the philosophy of Diogenes when I realized that many of the things that I am told as truths, turn out not to be true. Now I take nothing for granted. I question everything, and everyone. I often wonder why some insist that their truth is the only truth. A few of us don't just embrace what we are told as the truth, and what is important to others may be unimportant to us, and we looked upon as pariahs when we express our positions. Those of us who have different opinions should not give in. We must speak out. If someone would tell me now "I have three bundles, one holds the truth and a billion dollars, the other holds five billion dollars which is yours if you say what I want you to say, and do exactly what I want you to do, and the other holds just the quest for truth and freedom to think for yourself, choose one" I would hasten to say "Please let me have the bundle which holds the quest for truth and my freedom to think for myself." Knowing that I may not even arrive at the truth in my quest for it, at least I would have my freedom to search. Just like Diogenes, I am a citizen of the world, and just like Diogenes I ask, Please step out of my light and take your worldly treasures and your pseudo success with you!.
In this extraordinarily fast paced world, most of us are preoccupied most of the time; most of us are chasing things in the wind, things we may never catch, but we keep on chasing anyway, un-encumbered by the realities, we are hypnotized by something they call democracy, but not democratic, an equality that is not equal; justice that is not just. We have been blinded by our own individualism; in the little pseudo world we were forced to create for ourselves, we cannot see beyond it.
But a few of us think that it is necessary for us to recoil and wonder about what is going on around us and to question the things that are being thrown at us from all directions. Some of us actually question the things that are happening in the world, and most of all we question how these events came to be, and what are our responsibilities as citizens of the world? Yes some of us actually ask what we can do to make a positive difference. Sadly most of us think there is nothing we can do, because there is just too much going on in the world, so we just leave it at that and the evil continues to prosper because that what happens when good men say and/or do nothing. Some of us have certain things standing in our light barring us from seeing beyond the shadows of materialism, consumerism, and that thing we call success. What is it to be successful? I can't help asking.
So we go to church (where we feel good about ourselves, find some kind of solace) and hear our preachers preach the love of God, and we in turn sing and dance and testify our love for God and our fellow human beings, but outside the walls of the church we see something quite different. We see our brothers and sisters tear each other to pieces, and killing each other. Husbands and wives pledge love till death doth part, but as soon as the going gets tough, they divorce each other. Parents give up on kids and the states become their wardens. Don't you wonder what love really is?
We see millions dying of hunger and starvation and the lack of pure drinking water while we are being gluttonous and wasteful. We hear politicians loosely and inappropriately using words like social justice, equality, freedom, security, and democracy and power. They tell us they are good and those who disagree with them are bad. Don't you wonder when politicians who tell us that they know the truth and they act according to moral conventions? That the reason they go to war is to attain peace; that the other man is immoral, and evil and bad and his cause is dark and unjust so they have to kill him in the name of peace and democracy? What about the innocent who die in the process? Collateral damage? Aren't you tempted to ask them, those who kill in our name what is truth? What is justice? What is peace? What is morality? What happened to equality and the creed that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness? Don't those rights apply to ALL men? Can there ever be peace without justice?
Napoleon Bonaparte although a warrior who fought and won many battles for France finally acknowledged, "There are two powers in the world, the sword and the mind, in the long run, the sword is always beaten by the mind. The philosopher in us asks why then men choose the sword? Beats me! So just like Diogenes I ask, please step out of my light, allow me to see beyond the shadows of this illusion!