DO YOU suffer from PARADIGM poisoning?

by Terry 13 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Quentin

  Paradigm: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind......been a long time since I took Pholosphy 101, believe it was John Locke who asserted we are all born with a "tablu rosa"(sp?), our "brain, or cognitive reasoning" was a blank wax tablet that became pricked, or imprinted, with what we precivied in the world around us. The older we became, as we grew, was constantly bombarded and imprinted with anything and everything we came into contact with. Making us, at any point in our life, what we are as a person. This is a prossess that never ends. We are born with it and leave this world with it playing out to the end.

  Now, if this is the way our powers of rasoning are developed how do we protect ourselves from false, or faulty paradigms?

  "Take steps to use positive action, positive ideas, better ideas, and strong commitment to build rather than destroy; engage rather than divide and improve rather than snipe and erode"....(Terry) Solid reasoning. It's no secret, to the two of us, that is how we engage each other in discussions( remember the Pryamid conversation? Heh, heh, probably not.. it, however makes the point ).

  Here's the question, if we follow Lock's reasoning, how do we prevent trading one set of false/faulty paradagims for another. Your statement is resonable and works well when acted on. Yet, is it enough?
• 

  Terry

  Here's the question, if we follow Lock's reasoning, how do we prevent trading one set of false/faulty paradagims for another. Your statement is resonable and works well when acted on. Yet, is it enough?

  If our life feel's right and we are mostly happy and comfortable it is a case of "if it ain't broke--don't fix it."

  But, if you feel depressed and edgy all the time you might want to examine your major life's premises.
• 

  A.Fenderson

  Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a true paradigm, therefore none can be said to be false, either:

  Western philosophy is traditionally concerned with contrasting one grid with another grid, and amending grids in hopes of finding a perfect one that will account for all reality and will, hence, (say unenlightened westerners) be True. This is illusory; it is what we Erisians call the ANERISTIC ILLUSION. Some grids can be more useful than others, some more beautiful than others, some more pleasant than others, etc., but none can be more True than any other.

  ...

  The point is that (little-t) truth is a matter of definition relative to the grid one is using at the moment, and that (capital-T) Truth, metaphysical reality, is irrelevant to grids entirely. Pick a grid, and through it some chaos appears ordered and some appears disordered. Pick another grid, and the same chaos will appear differently ordered and disordered.

  Reality is the original Rorschach.

  Principia Discordia, page 50.

  If, however, you go a level deeper than merely looking at paradigms/grids, to the level of looking at the ways in which we are can choose to assign meaning and gain knowledge--i.e. epistemology--then a thorough comparison among the alternatives generally leads any sane individual to rate empricism more highly than, say, divine revelation.
• 

  BizzyBee

  1.Strong viewpoints, opinions, beliefs, but, life success is minimal; you are troubled, depressed or often angry in general.

  2. You see the flaws in everything and offer quick fixes, yet, your everyday existence is a mess.

  3. You quickly identify the error in others but fail to achieve peaceful relations with family, friends, loved ones or business associates.

  Hmmmmm.....I think I know this person!

  Seems that a neuroses is very much like a paradigm. If you've ever read Karen Horney - her theory is that we construct and support theories of our lives in order to accept (tolerate) ourselves with all our faults, falling short of our ideals. "He cannot help recognizing it, however, as soon as his expectations are exposed to the clear light of critical thinking. Such an intellectual realization, however, usually does not change much if anything."

  Terry, you've described the problem, but your solution falls far short. It's like saying "We all die, but if only we would try not to."