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Chapter of the Week: #81 [Archive]
The Origin of Free Will - (I thought I'd move this over here to put all the free will stuff in one place )
There certainly is will. For example, I will keep writing this until I've made myself clear. Ha, Good luck! I could also say it this way... I must or need to keep writing this... etc. Furthermore, the days will grow shorter and the birds will fly south.
Where does free enter into this? If I am choosing what I need to do, how is that free? What does free mean anyway? Ok, the dictionary put it this way... free > adj. 1. not under the control or in the power of another. Another what? A person or natural force, like need? There are about 9 other definitions, but they all agree with the first. If free is meant as nothing more than not under the control of another person as in slavery, then, end of discussion. I can go along with that. But, of course it doesn't end there!
Taken more broadly, free will implies that we are not under the control or in the power of ... let's say need. So, if I ever do something that I don't feel I need to do, then I'm using free will, eh? But, I have never experienced that phenomenon. Every action I take has a certain degree of need driving it. I need to scratch my nose, I need to vote for so and so, I need to eat less, I need to practice, be careful, sleep, wake up... need, need, need drives it all. So, there is something else going on with the free angle on will? Allow me muse...
1. We can imagine what we could, should, or might do, and assume that this imagined ideal can, in fact, be implemented. This assumption gives us a certain sense of control over life, while those dumb animal are all just being driven by instinct. Aren't we special 8) . This helps boost this assumption into a firm belief, I suppose.
2. We can reflect back on what we did and think about how we should, could, or might have done differently :oops:. Seeing the possibility makes it so in our belief, I suppose. Seeing is believing.
3. The projection of what we think (need) others should, could, might do :idea:. We give advice, for example, "All you need to do is just say NO!" It is incredibly easy to notice other peoples actions and imagine the 'ideal' alternative for them. Being in this position of 'superior wisdom' boosts our ego. We know better than they do, but they can come up to 'snuff' if they choose to. This allows us to feel superior, while at the same time acknowledging 'they' can do it too, if they choose to. Just, snap your fingers and bingo!
4. Then, of course, free will is an essential part of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic paradigm. God created us in his image and gave us free will to choose between 'right' and 'wrong' :?.
Thinking, and by extension speech, sure plays a large role in our notions about free will :!:. Ok, now tell me where I'm going wrong here...
(besides using too many little faces)
There certainly is will. For example, I will keep writing this until I've made myself clear. Ha, Good luck! I could also say it this way... I must or need to keep writing this... etc. Furthermore, the days will grow shorter and the birds will fly south.
Where does free enter into this? If I am choosing what I need to do, how is that free? What does free mean anyway? Ok, the dictionary put it this way... free > adj. 1. not under the control or in the power of another. Another what? A person or natural force, like need? There are about 9 other definitions, but they all agree with the first. If free is meant as nothing more than not under the control of another person as in slavery, then, end of discussion. I can go along with that. But, of course it doesn't end there!
Taken more broadly, free will implies that we are not under the control or in the power of ... let's say need. So, if I ever do something that I don't feel I need to do, then I'm using free will, eh? But, I have never experienced that phenomenon. Every action I take has a certain degree of need driving it. I need to scratch my nose, I need to vote for so and so, I need to eat less, I need to practice, be careful, sleep, wake up... need, need, need drives it all. So, there is something else going on with the free angle on will? Allow me muse...
1. We can imagine what we could, should, or might do, and assume that this imagined ideal can, in fact, be implemented. This assumption gives us a certain sense of control over life, while those dumb animal are all just being driven by instinct. Aren't we special 8) . This helps boost this assumption into a firm belief, I suppose.
2. We can reflect back on what we did and think about how we should, could, or might have done differently :oops:. Seeing the possibility makes it so in our belief, I suppose. Seeing is believing.
3. The projection of what we think (need) others should, could, might do :idea:. We give advice, for example, "All you need to do is just say NO!" It is incredibly easy to notice other peoples actions and imagine the 'ideal' alternative for them. Being in this position of 'superior wisdom' boosts our ego. We know better than they do, but they can come up to 'snuff' if they choose to. This allows us to feel superior, while at the same time acknowledging 'they' can do it too, if they choose to. Just, snap your fingers and bingo!
4. Then, of course, free will is an essential part of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic paradigm. God created us in his image and gave us free will to choose between 'right' and 'wrong' :?.
Thinking, and by extension speech, sure plays a large role in our notions about free will :!:. Ok, now tell me where I'm going wrong here...
(besides using too many little faces)
Comments
Note: The Tao Te Ching can be obscure, especially if you think you're supposed to understand what it's saying! We find it easier and more instructive to simply contemplate how the chapter resonates with your personal experience. Becoming more aware at this fundamental level simplifies life. This approach conforms to the view that true knowing lies within ourselves. Thus, when a passage in the scripture resonates, you've found your inner truth. The same applies for when it evokes a question; questions are the grist for self realization.
Chapter 81
Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful.
Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.
He who knows has no wide learning; he who has wide learning does not know.
The sage does not hoard.
Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more;
Having given all he has to others, he is richer still.
The way of heaven benefits and does not harm;
the way of the sage is bountiful and does not contend.
Well, here we are again at the end... or the beginning. It just depends on which side your standing. The circular nature of Taoism is so comfortable really. We are always somewhere on the circle. Anyway...
Beautiful words or [chref=2]beautiful[/chref] anything are nothing more than esthetic preferences we lean towards. Truth is so much more profound. Certainly 'truth' can [chref=79]show no favoritism[/chref] toward what we regard as 'beautiful' or 'ugly'. So, the beautiful and the good that we see only mirror our own needs and fears - who we are, not the true nature of what we are describing.
I think of reporters or politicians when they tell us their stories. If they presented the truthful 'big picture', we as listeners would be bored to sleep. To persuade us, they must tell us what we desire to hear. If they say otherwise, we judge them as biased, i.e., you are biased if your perception differs from mine. You'd think we would notice this self serving social practice better than we seem to... I mean it is so obvious. Of course, noticing truthfully, ourselves as we are, is not a persuasive view; it is not what we want to see. I guess that's ironic.
That the sage does not hoard only means 'he' does not need to. Why? He [chref=7]he is able to accomplish his private ends[/chref]. Does this mean he actually, physically has given all he has to others? That would upset the balance of nature. It comes down to need. The less I need all I have, the less I fear losing all I have, the smaller role what I 'have' will play. Thus, in effect I am bestowing all I have. A fascinating aspect of life for me is that by given all I have, I have yet more. Jesus put it this way, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it".
Of course, the extent to which I 'win' at losing (bestowing all I have), is completely out of my hands. Choosing to bestow all I have is impossible because choosing not to need or fear is impossible. Sure, I can face my fear... when I need to. I can refrain to act on a need if I fear adverse consequences. But, just drop them both? Accepting such utter helplessness pulls me down to [chref=61]the lower position[/chref]. This, more than anything, helps me [chref=19]have as little thought of self and as few desires as possible[/chref]. Dropping the notion of self control diminishes a major attachment - the power of self. This helps weaken the illusion of self itself. (see Buddha's Truth #2) Here we see how Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity come together on what may be the most profound truthful words - our 'self' stands in the way of ourselves.The more 'I' try to 'win', the more I will loose. [chref=78]Straightforward words, seem paradoxical.[/chref]
And finally this one: he who knows has no wide learning. First, I've had quite a lot of wide learning. Second, I never could figure out how my wide learning got in the way of knowing. Maybe I finally have?... It is not so much my wide learning that obstructs knowing, but holding onto that wide learning as a way to understanding. Always seeing the world through the lens of wide learning blinds us to a simple and easy [chref=43]understanding[/chref]. More does not simplify, it obfuscates. Anyway, as the years pass my wide learning is fading fast. Maybe that's why wisdom comes with age.
When the highest type of people hear Tao (Truth), they diligently practice it. When the average type of people hear Tao, they half believe in it. When the lowest type of people hear Tao, they laugh at it. If they did not laugh, it would not be Tao.
? Lao-Tzu
So there you go.