Utilitarianism

by Blueblades 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  Blueblades

  Charles Kluephel says that he is a Utilitarian;The seeking of the greatest good for the greatest number.He goes on to say that,"Religious faith can be a great good for people,enabling them to enjoy life in their own way while they are here.Those who enjoy what religious believers call the gift of faith do indeed have a valuable life enhancing ability not to suffer the uncertainty that comes of the belief that there are no known answers to, say,life after death."

  He continues,"This is even true for the atheist, who can enjoy life in his own way,while it lasts,without fear of a worse afterlife.Even those who reject religion and the Spirit can have a life-enhancing faith that when they die,that's all there is.This in some ways more comforting than the unknown."

  So, the best advice that he can offer is;"To go with whatever you can believe".

  "Why is there something rather than nothing?" Martin Gardner.

  Is the physical universe a product of mind?

  I don't ascribe to any of this .Just thought I would post it for whatever its worth. Blueblades who is still in the Twilight Zone.

  To think there is a God is Absurd! But to think there is NO God is even more Absurd". Steve Allen.
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  onacruse

  William James proposed a similar philosophy (Pragmatism and The Meaning of Truth, p. 98):
  		

  The possession of truth, so far from being here an end in itself, is only a preliminary means toward 
  			
  other vital satisfactions...You can say of it then either that 'it is useful because it is true' or that
  			
  'it is true because it is useful.' Both these phrases mean exactly the same thing, namely that here
  			
  is an idea that gets fulfilled and can be verified. True is the name for whatever idea starts the
  			
  verification-process, useful is the name for its completed function in experience.

   One possible answer to your question "Is the physical universe a product of mind?" would then be:

  What is a mind? It doesn't matter. What is matter? Never mind.

   Craig
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  jst2laws

  onacruse,

  What is a mind? It doesn't matter. What is matter? Never mind.

   That's it. I demand you get rid of that 'Goofy' jpeg as your ID. This is ssssoooooooo misleading. If you cant find

   something more appropriate I will help. 

  Note my new Icon. Very symbolic, aye. 

  Jst2laws
• 

  joannadandy

  I dunno maybe my math is off, but when I look at my tally sheet for the "greater good" that religion has brought it is decidedly in the red. Not just for me, but for the society as a whole.
• 

  onacruse

  joanna: I think it's interesting that the quote Blueblades provided included atheism as a religion. The way I took the thought was that whatever belief structure one has, as long as it does the greatest good, is productive. Now, I agree with you that the tally sheet for religion is definitely to the negative. But my opinion is that religion is made by the man, not man by the religion. If so, then the negative balance for religion is nothing more than the negative balance of mankind's core motivations. The solution is to change mankind. Then the religion (if any) will naturally follow suit.

  jst2laws: Careful, there, dude. Goofy is sensitive, and likes just the way he looks.

  However, there is a flock of aerodynamically unstable Sus scrofa frequenting this board that may benefit from your assistance! LOL

  Craig (of the "likes to live dangerously" class)

  Edited by - onacruse on 16 December 2002 20:5:58