joined on 04/11/04
last updated 03/02/08
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about me
A few stray questions about life: why is it that any conversation that goes on long enough will drift toward those things your mother told you not to talk about at the dinner table or with relatives—politics, religion, ethics, sex, or violence? Let me know if you have answers to this weighty question, or if you can tell me what the meaning of life is...
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April 16, 2004
Brian is my best friend. He is supremely intelligent and thoughtful. He has a penchant for reason and is sure to talk you out of all of your superstitions and irrational beliefs. He is cute and witty. He is also as friendly as he is smart. He is well traveled and has not lost his intellectual curiosity over the years. In fact, I believe he thinks more deeply now than when he was in college. He loves good food and exercise. He is outdoorsy and culturally-minded. He likes the beach and philosophy discussions. Do not cross him or he will whip up a chemical brew that may be inimical to your health.
Re: Would You Enter The Happiness/Experience Machine?
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
OPTIONAL READINGS FOR SUNDAY'S DISCUSSION: Note that the discussion will focus on the question/ thought experiment, and what our answers to it mean, rather than specifically on the text of the readings. However, if you'd like to inspire and stim...
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discussion post on Sun, May 18, 2008 - 2:39 AM
Would You Enter The Happiness/Experience Machine?
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Hi everyone! We are having our monthly gathering this Sunday in Santa Monica, the usual 3rd Sunday of the month (5-18-08; see the event listing nearby on this tribe page). I hope to see you there! Whether or not you come to Sunday's meeting, feel ...
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discussion post on Thu, May 15, 2008 - 4:33 AM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
A few of my own thoughts:
I suspect that we have not been put here for any particular reason, except that the universe produced us by a combination of happenstance and the laws of physics, evolution, and so on. So, in the narrow sense of this ...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:21 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
The psychiatrist David Viscott once said, "The meaning of life is to discover your gifts and talents in this world; the purpose of life is to use these gifts to help others." (my paraphrase)
discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:18 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Nietzsche's test for how meaningful and satisfying your life is: Would you want to live it over and over, ad infinitum?
Consider Nietzsche's often quoted passage from The Gay Science at section 341:
"The Greatest Burden. What if a demon ...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:16 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
...AND ANOTHER ONE: from Frinj / Ken:
I've used that approach in the past, telling people that questioning what is the purpose of life is akin to asking what is the weight of blue, or some such analogy.
Yet, on the other hand, I cannot e...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:03 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
FROM ANOTHER POSTING FROM THE PAST ON THIS TRIBE: by Samwise:
I had a thought once that was quite powerful for me... (but who am I... Wait that's another whole question... I digress...)
The Thought was...
Not only is there not answer t...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:01 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
THIS PASSAGE IS FROM A PREVIOUS POSTING ON THIS TRIBE: by Richard J. Eisner rjeisner@ix.netcom.com
Typographical note: This web site does not accommodate italicization, for which I will substitute CAPITALIZATION. Such expedient, alas, does no...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 1:00 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Some quotes I found online:
Joseph Campbell:
I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.
Albert Camus:
You will never be happy if you continue to search for ...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 12:56 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Arlene, from our discussion group, has a few ideas on the topic, so I'm posting this for her:
Built into the question, "What Is The Meaning Of Life? is the assumption that there is a meaning, which seems to dismiss the real question as to whe...
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discussion post on Sun, April 20, 2008 - 12:42 AM
Philosophy-in-LA this Sunday: "What's the Meaning of Life?" (April 20 at 5 PM in Santa Monica)
( events » other ) Hello Philosophy Fans!
I want to remind you that the April Philosophy-in-LA Discussion group ( philosophy-in-LA.tribe.net ) is happening this Sunday, April 20, 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm! We'll be at our usual venue, the Community Room of the Y...
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event starts Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 5:00 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Here's an excerpt from the from the first of the above optional readings, plato.stanford.edu/entries/life-meaning/This is the introductory paragraphs of that article:
THE MEANING OF LIFE
Many major historical figures in philosop...
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discussion post on Thu, April 17, 2008 - 6:37 PM
Re: WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
OPTIONAL READINGS: I have a few readings that will focus our discussion this Sunday on this broad topic; I highly recommend that you read one or more of them. Our discussion, however, focuses on the topic rather than specifically on the readings...
read more
discussion post on Thu, April 17, 2008 - 6:33 PM
WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? (yeah, really!)
(in ! Philosophy in Los Angeles !)
Hi everyone! We are having a gathering this Sunday in Santa Monica (4-20-08; see the event listing nearby on this tribe page). I hope to see you there! Whether or not you come to Sunday's meeting, feel free to carry on a discussion by posting your...
read more
discussion post on Thu, April 17, 2008 - 3:40 PM
Philosophy-in-LA this Sunday: Prof. Herrero (Philosophy of Religion, Religious Studies, Social Ethics) speaks on whether it is rational to convert to a religion (Santa Monica)
( events » other ) Philosophy Fans!
We are fortunate to have an expert speaker on this month's topic at our Philosophy-in-LA gathering this Sunday: Professor Juan Herrero, a native of Spain and a professor of Religious Studies, specializing in Social Ethics an...
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event starts Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 5:00 PM
Philosophy-in-LA Café! Sunday, Feb 24 at 2 PM
( events » other ) Hello Philosophy Fans!
This is a reminder that the February Philosophy-in-LA Discussion group ( philosophy-in-LA.tribe.net ) is happening this Sunday, February 24, 2:00 pm - 4:45 pm! See below for the topic.
We'll be at our usual ve...
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event starts Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 2:00 PM
Philosophy-in-LA Café this Sunday, Jan 20 at 5 PM! Also, pre-election meeting Feb 3 at 5 PM
( events » other ) Hello Philosophy Fans!
This is a reminder that the January Philosophy-in-LA Discussion group ( philosophy-in-LA.tribe.net ) is happening this Sunday, January 20, 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm, at the usual location (address and detailed driving dir...
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event starts Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 5:00 PM
"Solving the Iran Crisis Without War and Envisioning the Road to Abolishing War"-- by TAD DALEY, J.D., Ph.D.
( events » politics & activism ) The Faith in Action Peace and Civil Liberties Committee
Of The Unitarian/Universalist Church of Santa Monica
PRESENTS
TAD DALEY, J.D., Ph.D.
Former Policy Aide, Senator Alan Cranston
Former Policy Director, Congressman Dennis Kucini...
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event starts Friday, January 11, 2008 - 7:30 PM
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IRRATIONAL? At the Philosophy-in-LA Café, THIS Sunday, Nov 11, 2pm, Santa Monica)
( events » other ) Hello Philosophy Fans!
This is a reminder that the November Philosophy-in-LA Discussion group ( philosophy-in-LA.tribe.net ) is happening this Sunday, November 11, 2:00pm - 4:45pm! See below for the topic! Please bring a printout of t...
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event starts Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 2:00 PM
Philosophy-in-LA Café! THIS Sunday, Oct 21 at 5 PM (the Community Room of the Yahoo! Center, Santa Monica)
( events » community ) Hello Philosophy Fans!
This is a reminder that our October Philosophy-in-LA Cafe ( philosophy-in-LA.tribe.net ) is happening this Sunday, October 21, 5:00pm - 7:45pm! See below for the topic! Please bring a printout of this email with...
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event starts Sunday, October 21, 2007 - 5:00 PM
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