More Meditations

The following is taken from Book Nine of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.

"Do not despise death, but be well content with it, since this too is one of those things which nature wills. For such as it is to be young and to grow old, and to increase and to reach maturity, and to have teeth and beard and grey hairs, and to beget, and to be pregnant and to bring forth, and all the other natural operations which the seasons of thy life bring, such also is dissolution. This, then, is consistent with the character of a reflecting man, to be neither careless nor impatient nor contemptuous with respect to death, but to wait for it as one of the operations of nature. As thou now waitest for the time when the child shall come out of thy wife's womb, so be ready for the time when thy soul shall fall out of this envelope. But if thou requirest also a vulgar kind of comfort which shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be made best reconciled to death by observing the objects from which thou art going to be removed, and the morals of those with whom thy soul will no longer be mingled. For it is no way right to be offended with men, but it is thy duty to care for them and to bear with them gently; and yet to remember that thy departure will be not from men who have the same principles as thyself. For this is the only thing, if there be any, which could draw us the contrary way and attach us to life, to be permitted to live with those who have the same principles as ourselves. But now thou seest how great is the trouble arising from the discordance of those who live together, so that thou mayest say, Come quick, O death, lest perchance I, too, should forget myself."

This is basically the definition of Stoicism: to abide all according to nature.

You Choose...

You choose the topic.

*sigh*

That was easy.

Soipsism

http://www.indopedia.org/Solipsism.html

Cull your side! And try not to break out into paroxysm while being frustrated with the idiot who disagrees with you. And don't bilk yourself by creating a short answer. Just exude your opinion!

Wondering what that was about? I had to use four of my vocab. words for an assignment here. I bet you can guess which ones they are.

You Will Be Forgotten

In a little while you will have forgotten everything; in a little while everything will have forgotten you. -Marcus Aurelius

Shall we relate this quote to the importance or lack thereof of historians?

What is the Work of a Human Being?

The following is taken from chapter five of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.

"In he morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present- I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bed-clothes and keep myself warm?- But this is more pleasant.- Dost thou exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion? Dost thou not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe? And art thou unwilling to do the work of a human being, and dost thou not make haste to do that which is according to thy nature?- But it is necessary to take rest also.- It is necessary: however nature has fixed bounds to this too: she has fixed bounds both to eating and drinking, and yet thou goest beyond these bounds, beyond what is sufficient; yet in thy acts it is not so, but thou stoppest short of what thou canst do. So thou lovest not thyself, for if thou didst, thou wouldst love thy nature and her will. But those who love their several arts exhaust themselves in working at them unwashed and without food; but thou valuest thy own own nature less than the turner values the turning art, or the dancer the dancing art, or the lover of money values his money, or the vainglorious man his little glory. And such men, when they have a violent affection to a thing, choose neither to eat nor to sleep rather than to perfect the things which they care for. But are the acts which concern society more vile in thy eyes and less worthy of thy labour?"

What exactly is the work of a human being?

Nihilist: The Intellectually Honest Atheist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exiCcOcjbBY&feature=related

Discuss!

Vegetarianism: Rational or Emotional Choice?

Well, I think that the title says it all. Currently my mind is blank and I don't know what to write... But I plan to actually participate in this one.

Make it interesting! (Please...)






























:)