When philosophers retire.

[DCLugi]

Okay so this is an exercise in imagination but I thought it might be curious to ponder. Philosophy, like medicine, is in the business of putting itself out of business. Come with me if you will to a distant future where first principles are as common as oxygen and human violence is greatly reduced. Automation has replaced most inconvenient occupations and leisure time is abundant. Free markets, NAP and UPB are cultural norms. What would you contribute to the world?

[A4E]

 like medicine, is in the business of putting itself out of business.

I would like to examine your claim here. Do you mean the people in white coats dealing patented artificial chemicals to people, often making them more sick or even resulting in them dying. Or did you mean something else?

[AccuTron]

Good catch A4E (what does that stand for by the way?).

 

I recently read that iatrogenic (healthcare induced) death is #3 death cause in the US, after cancer and heart disease (notice that all three are massively preventable).  I don't have all those links, but this is one:  

A New, Evidence-based Estimate of Patient Harms Associated w... : Journal of Patient Safety

(supporting material) Why Most Published Research Findings Are False

 

My own experience with Kaiser Permanente, related in these forums, is bone chilling.  And no recourse whatsoever, we are billable  meat. "free" screening risks, prostate - General Messages - Freedomain Radio Message Board

 

 

Back to OP....

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, author D.Adams tells of far future philosophers by the names of, as I recall, Magic Thighs and Broomfondle.  A mega computer was to figure out The Meaning Of Life, but would take seven million years to run the program.  The philosophers were advised to hire a good agent and hit the talk show circuit about what the computer would find.  Hot air plus good agent.  They got rich.

 

 

I could stop there, but why pass up an opportunity for further depression?

 

A building is only as stable as it's foundation soil.  Ever hear of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa? -- Your view on "The View" - General Messages - Freedomain Radio Message Board, esp. #4.

[Will Torbald]

Nobody is born knowing. It's impossible for philosophy to retire, even if a free society. It is a constant struggle to push tyranny away from society.

[DCLugi]

I would like to examine your claim here. Do you mean the people in white coats dealing patented artificial chemicals to people, often making them more sick or even resulting in them dying. Or did you mean something else?

I'm using "medicine" in a very generic, beneficial cure for what ales you type way.

Nobody is born knowing. It's impossible for philosophy to retire, even if a free society. It is a constant struggle to push tyranny away from society.

Are we saying that a free society is but a dream?

[MrNlul77]

The goal of Philosophy is not freedom, its truth. Even in a "free society" there will be questions to which the answers are not known. What the questions are, only time will tell.

[A4E]

Good catch A4E (what does that stand for by the way?).

The original meaning has nearly nothing to do with my life anymore. It was a kind of narcissistic cuIt. But I managed to get out of it and not let it get in my way, even though everyone knew they would be put to shame if they left. But it was shrinking for every year, so I guess I was fortunate that way.

 

I grew fond of the 3 letter nick though, and it can be interpreted many ways, but I usually just let other people assign it a meaning if they want, because it can be fun.

 

 

I recently read that iatrogenic (healthcare induced) death is #3 death cause in the US, after cancer and heart disease (notice that all three are massively preventable).

I am more than familiar with this. It almost killed my mother.

 

Recently a friend of mine who is just as open minded as me had an old friend of his own (60 year old) who got cancer. It was serious and large, in the neck area I think. My friend researched online, and bought lots of apricot seeds and gave to him 3 weeks before he was supposed to start chemo. When he arrived at the hospital, they scanned him as routine before chemo, and the cancer was gone.

 

I already knew about apricot seeds like 7 years ago, and we have been talking about a lot of things, but my friend claims that I never mentioned it to him...

[thebeardslastcall]

With a million grueling and difficult miles to go and no guarantee of success you want to know what we'll do when peace and rationality are the norm and pervasive in society? When we've slowly and painfully gone through the process of building up our legs into full functionality, when we're out of physical and mental therapy were will we go? I don't know, but it will be a much earned run of joy and maybe that's all that matters.

[Will Torbald]

Are we saying that a free society is but a dream?

 

I'm saying there is no end to the struggle against superstition, irrationality, and since we are all born ignorant, against propaganda and misinformation. Even if a free society is achieved, to truly free individuals, it requires constant philosophical vigilance against charlatans, mysticisms, frauds, etc.

[DCLugi]

Perhaps people are not hearing my question as intended. Stef has spoken many times of a voluntary society with free trade, reduction in crime and all the amenities of virtue. I get that this is a multi-generational forecast. I'm only asking to put yourself there now. What would you do? Build better mousetraps? Write poetic computer code? Challenge robots to a staring contest?

[A4E]

. What would you do?

More of what I am doing now, since I will not feel I have to spend some time updating myself and contributing against bad people and bad ideologies.

 

In my case more programming. I love it.

 

But I have a feeling you think that we would reach a ceiling of knowledge and technology. Is your perception that there would be nothing more to discover or work towards?

[DCLugi]

More of what I am doing now, since I will not feel I have to spend some time updating myself and contributing against bad people and bad ideologies.

 

In my case more programming. I love it.

 

But I have a feeling you think that we would reach a ceiling of knowledge and technology. Is your perception that there would be nothing more to discover or work towards?

Cool. No, I imagine technology might not have a limit at all. I don't want to make this question any more provocative then it is. I simply thought it was interesting. That said, Hitchens expressed that he didn't want religion to end because he enjoyed the sparring and there would be no one left to argue with. I don't think that's a good stance to take and was put off when he said it.

[A4E]

Cool. No, I imagine technology might not have a limit at all. I don't want to make this question any more provocative then it is. I simply thought it was interesting.

I felt, and I am pretty sure others did too, that you are asking because you perhaps think that it would turn into a boring world. Your follow up post has this undertone. So even if it was not your intention, it is more provocative than curious. Its nice that you make it clear that you don't want to provoke though.

 

It is an interesting question yes. But we have enough history to find transitions to compare it to, so that we get an idea of what the potential results could be:

 

In a very early hunting gatherer time:

"If we discover a way to make and control fire to be able to cook a wide range of vegetables and meat that are hard to eat raw, what would you do on a more frequent full stomach?"

 

In a more advanced tribal time:

"If we can figure out a way to more effectively transport things around so that we don't have to carry them with our hands all the time, meaning more spare time and energy, what would you want to be doing?"

 

In a early civilized village time:

"What if we will be able to make different symbols that mean different things on an object, which can be seen and understood by anyone else looking at that object, even without the person making the symbol having to be there to say or explain anything, such that information will be greatly increased among people, how would you spend your days?"

 

In a rowboat time:

"If we will figure out how to make our boats move across the oceans with drastically less strength needed on our part, which would make space in our lives to do other things, and also in more locations around the world, what would you want to do with your life?"

 

In a pen and paper, postal time:

"If we can create a way to send a 'letter' to a recipient on the other side of the planet in mere seconds, and such letters are being sent by the millions every minute, what would you do with your time on our planet?"

[Armitage]

Okay so this is an exercise in imagination but I thought it might be curious to ponder. Philosophy, like medicine, is in the business of putting itself out of business. Come with me if you will to a distant future where first principles are as common as oxygen and human violence is greatly reduced. Automation has replaced most inconvenient occupations and leisure time is abundant. Free markets, NAP and UPB are cultural norms. What would you contribute to the world?

If the ethical stuff for 5-year-olds (in age or mentality) was taken care of, I'd have a plenty to do. Besides the ethics from Stefan, I learned philosophy of language, science and metaphysics. I could do a lot of good in research, piecing together information from various areas into a greater picture of what remains to be discovered as the next breakthrough in science. If I had a reputation of any kind, I could point at a promising research on behalf of investors or recommend that some investment be taken away from bad ideas. 

 

If there was a research of meditation, I could serve as a specimen myself. It's because I meditate Laya Yoga regularly and I would make a case that meditation is more than just relaxation. In my experience, it is more like electrolysis or internal massage, if you do it right 

 

In the area of language, I would run experiments with students, learning to think in the most general way possible and then applying it. I would read up on Bertalanffy and Korzybski. According to these guys, there is such a thing as a general behavior of systems. If you master that "language" of systems, then you can learn any actual system more easily by learning exceptions from the general language of systems. For example, physics is a very general language of processes and I find myself often using metaphors for physics in economical or social thought. I would look into it, if this can be systematized into a real discipline of its own. So far I have thought of applying it to easy learning of scientific fields. 

But I have read a book by George Adamski (yes, the UFO guy from the 50's, he wrote a book on philosophy that I helped to translate for a friend) and he mentioned an idea that there is also such a way to learn common languages rather quickly. If he meant the same thing. It is by no means certain, but it would be worth a try, if the world weren't burning right now. 

 

If I was really feeling bored and had nothing better to do, I'd go and learn music. I would analyze all the music pieces that give me chills and I'd find out what makes them tick. I would form a repertoire of these techniques that produce the finest emotions in me personally. I'd use an alphabet of sorts that links chords and emotions, but I'd try to master those that appeal to me and add the psychedelic techniques to it. I would then use this language-like understanding of music as a method in composing through an attempt at melodic storytelling. I have no idea whatsoever if this is a viable composing technique. But I know that my taste in music is good, most of music is shit and it's worth looking into if composers should create more than several memorable tracks in their lives. At the very least I'd discover why that can't be done. 

 

If the free society was now and I had enough money, I might even finish that RPG videogame that I have as a half-finished engine and design documents. Some quests and bestiary from that are totally hilarious. If you get the references. 

 

See, if the world wasn't going to shit and I wasn't busy with school, finishing my therapy and earning a living in jobs that I suck at, I would be very productive indeed.