Freedomain Radio

in
Latest post Wed, May 7 2008 10:18 PM by blackacidlizzard. 60 replies.
Page 2 of 5 (61 items) < Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  • Wed, Oct 10 2007 7:04 PM In reply to

    • Mr. C
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on Sat, Apr 1 2006
    • North America
    • Posts 1,662
    • Philosopher King

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Spaghettim0nst3r:
    You said that you had real epiphanies, and fake drug ones
    No, I did not.  The language here must be precise, and I did not use the word Epiphany, nor would I.  An epiphany is a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into reality (much like revelation), and I explicitly laid out how that does not characterize the experience or it's intention.

    I did, however, say that I experience the emotion of eureka both on and off.

    I didn't use the word "it's" for "its" while I was criticizing someone for imprecision, nor would I.
  • Wed, Oct 10 2007 7:48 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    There are a lot of people on this site who enjoy bumping their post count by making smart ass comments while having no point. 

    The intelligibility of my post was not affected, although you're right... I probably suffered a few typos.  The difference here is technical anal retentiveness vs. accuracy in communicating meaning.

    Epiphanies are not the equivalent of the emotional experience of Eureka.

     

  • Wed, Oct 10 2007 7:55 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Spaghettim0nst3r:
    Epiphanies are not the equivalent of the emotional experience of Eureka.

    What is the emotion of "Eureka?"

  • Wed, Oct 10 2007 8:05 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Spaghettim0nst3r:

    There are a lot of people on this site who enjoy bumping their post count by making smart ass comments while having no point. 

    The intelligibility of my post was not affected, although you're right... I probably suffered a few typos.  The difference here is technical anal retentiveness vs. accuracy in communicating meaning.

    Epiphanies are not the equivalent of the emotional experience of Eureka.

    Please stop posting on this Board.

    Please join the new Freedomain Radio Facebook page:

    Freedomain Radio - The Largest Philosophy Conversation in the World | Promote Your Page Too


    All Free! - Audio, PDF. Print starting @ $9.99+
    Freedomain Radio Needs Your Support!


    My status

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 6:57 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Stefan Molyneux:

    Please stop posting on this Board.

    I'm not quite sure that that was fair Stefan. Well, at least I question the reason behind banning him.

     
    In my opinion, Mr. C's comment was just as abusive as his retort - just veiled behind more sophisticated language. And he had a point about the distinction between precision in communicating meaning and anal technicality.

     

    "He who attains his ideal by that very fact transcends it." - Nietzsche "I shall tell you a great secret my friend. Do not wait for the last judgement; it takes place every day." - Albert Camus

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 7:05 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    He kept aggressively evading my questions too.

    You just can't get any wisdom out of defensive people, it's worse than a waste of time.

    You can PM him though, if you want to continue the discussion.

    Please join the new Freedomain Radio Facebook page:

    Freedomain Radio - The Largest Philosophy Conversation in the World | Promote Your Page Too


    All Free! - Audio, PDF. Print starting @ $9.99+
    Freedomain Radio Needs Your Support!


    My status

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 7:08 PM In reply to

    • GregG
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on Tue, Feb 21 2006
    • Brooklyn, NY
    • Posts 14,170
    • Philosopher King

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Given the way he behaved with Charlie, in the other thread, I think he got off easy.

     

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 7:19 PM In reply to

    • Mr. C
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on Sat, Apr 1 2006
    • North America
    • Posts 1,662
    • Philosopher King

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Gabe:
    In my opinion, Mr. C's comment was just as abusive as his retort - just veiled behind more sophisticated language.
    The difference is like that between initiation of violence and response to it.
    Gabe:
    And he had a point about the distinction between precision in communicating meaning and anal technicality.
    I understand that sometimes there is a distinction.  There wasn't one in this case, since Stef didn't even come close to making the semantic error he was attacked for.

    It's alright for the guy to use curiosity to make sure that Stef is understanding his distinctions.  It's not alright to initiate an attack by making snide and emotional false accusations that Stef didn't read his posts and to insinuate that he didn't make stupid errors in distinction like Stef.

    He also called people assholes for daring to question him in other threads.
  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 9:05 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Well, he certainly should not have called Charlie an asshole. But I can see how he might interpret Charlie's comment as hostile and demeaning. And he did not simply call Charlie an asshole, he also responded with some curiosity and asked what the intent behind that statement was.

    Perhaps a reprimand to not use hostile language or attack others would have been in order?

    Judging by the effort he put into his posts and his apparent intelligence, he could have been a valuable community member. I don't believe he was evading the questions, I think he was just trying to clarify definitions before answering them, so that there would be mutual understanding.

     
    Do you think my interpretation is wrong?

     

    "He who attains his ideal by that very fact transcends it." - Nietzsche "I shall tell you a great secret my friend. Do not wait for the last judgement; it takes place every day." - Albert Camus

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 9:09 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Mr. C:
    The difference is like that between initiation of violence and response to it.

    But in discourse there is no physical necessity for self-defense. In such situations where life is not at risk, the higher road is to not respond in the same manner. Peace is much more conducive to the pursuit of truth.

    "He who attains his ideal by that very fact transcends it." - Nietzsche "I shall tell you a great secret my friend. Do not wait for the last judgement; it takes place every day." - Albert Camus

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 9:28 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Gabe, how did you feel when I asked him to stop posting?

    Please join the new Freedomain Radio Facebook page:

    Freedomain Radio - The Largest Philosophy Conversation in the World | Promote Your Page Too


    All Free! - Audio, PDF. Print starting @ $9.99+
    Freedomain Radio Needs Your Support!


    My status

  • Thu, Oct 11 2007 9:41 PM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    In terms of what is responsible, I'd say it depends whom you're considering.  If a father enjoys a glass of wine every night, it might be arguable that it this behavior is bad for his health in the long run, through a minuscule increase in his chance of digestive cancers.  If he enjoys a bottle of wine every night, on the other hand, there is a serious problem, mainly in that he's practicing potentially risky behavior that could put his children at risk (mainly of neglect). There's no doubt that a bottle of wine a night isn't good for the father either. So where's the line? 

    It really depends on his analysis and the marginal utility he gains from the experience and his own approval of his behavior--something we cannot know completely.  For me, I use the drug of caffeine every day, in the form of 1-3 cups of coffee.  When I drink coffee at night (usually 2-4 more cups), I get tired around the same time the next day.  I consider this abuse, and try to avoid it when my self-control allows me.  Similarly, I consider the smoking of any cigarettes abuse, because I am a singer and it's bad for my voice.  However, I still occasionally smoke 1-5 at parties.

    Marijuana? For me, this is more of a situational activity (like a wild party with alcohol).  I usually smoke a few bowls, depending on the number of people and quality of weed.  I consider this acceptable on a perhaps biweekly, social basis.  However, when I was a junior in high school, I smoked weed 2-4 times a day (on weekdays): Once in the morning with one friend, once at lunch with friends, one after school with the same friend as in the morning who gave me a ride home, and sometimes in my bathroom at night.  Obviously that was unhealthy.

    I've done salvia many times, but since the nature of the drug is that you "break through" only once and then lose the desire to do so, I am still unsatisfied, since I've never smoked enough in a sitting to "break through".  I've tried cocaine and LSD only once each.  I would consider it unacceptable to snort cocaine again, simply because I liked it very very very very very much (it's like coffee, which I tend to get addicted to, but better), and therefore I'm wary of becoming a habitual user.  LSD didn't really do much for me, so I'd try it again to discover its effects.

    Sorry that was a bit of the tangent, but it might be useful for those of you that haven't used these sorts of drugs to understand more about them, and what one user considers acceptable behavior. 

  • Fri, Oct 12 2007 6:22 AM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    This may also be a bit of a tangent, but I constantly hear from regular drug users "you need to experience drugs before having opinions about them."

    Not one of them has ever said: "I have no opinions about sobriety." Yet they do not experience it, and haven't for years.

    That's part of what I mean when I say that drugs mess up your mind.

    Please join the new Freedomain Radio Facebook page:

    Freedomain Radio - The Largest Philosophy Conversation in the World | Promote Your Page Too


    All Free! - Audio, PDF. Print starting @ $9.99+
    Freedomain Radio Needs Your Support!


    My status

  • Fri, Oct 12 2007 7:43 AM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Stefan Molyneux:
    Pens, axes and violins don't disrupt your ability to process reality, and neither does a cup of tea.

    I find it particularly interesting that you mentioned a cup of tea in your "non harmful tools" list, since some people consume tea (and coffee and soft drinks) for the caffeine content and resulting "lift" they get from that consumption.  Caffeine is a psychoactive drug (in the same category as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD) and the only thing that keeps it from having the same negative connotations of those other drugs in society is the legality of the substance.  Since that legality is controlled solely by the state, I would think that you would view caffeine in the same light as other "harmful" drugs.  Heck, if cocaine had not been deemed illegal by the government, we might still be consuming that in our soft drinks.

  • Fri, Oct 12 2007 8:10 AM In reply to

    Re: Artistic Subjectivism & Drugs

    Exactly--I rarely experience complete sobriety any morning.  Why?  Caffeine.  I mean, I agree with you, Stef, about the issues with being high all the time, even if it's on coffee.  It's problematic.  Sobriety is wonderful. 

     I wouldn't say you have to try drugs to denounce them entirely-- it's very clear that they're bad for you.  However in order to get a decent idea of where the line is between utilitarian, recreational, and addictive drug use, it helps to have used the drug in question, or at least know a good deal about the experience as related by others (hence the lengthy description above).

    I would never claim that being high on drugs gave me any special, additional insight on the world, only that it scrambles my brains in such a way to allow me write unusual music I'd be unable to otherwise (I'm talking mainly pot here)

    Of course, this could be completely a placebo effect:  When I take drugs, I expect to think differently, so it's not out of the question that the difference in my art is simply a result of suggestability.  But for me, the benefits of occasional drug use (as both a tool and simply for fun) far outweigh the cons.

Page 2 of 5 (61 items) < Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >
Copyright 2005-2012 By Stefan Molyneux
Powered by Community Server (Non-Commercial Edition), by Telligent Systems