Philosophy Now Forum

Dalek Prime wrote:Been a while, but I recall the film, based on a book I believe. True story, yes?

Scott Mayers wrote:Dalek,

Only by initial interpretation, I perceive your stance of philanthropic antinatalism as a stance to opt NOT to have children for fear they'd be presented in a world that only adds the potential of them being harmed by it or towards others. I'm not against this and relate to your concern, if this is a proper interpretation.

PhilX,
Wasn't that a movie starring Sally Fields? It's been a while but I've learned of certain concerns in skeptic circles who are suspicious of her (the actual person in the story, not Sally's) integrity. It seems realistic to happen in some cases. Certainly, I bet that actors actually might have a higher tendency for this as some may not be able to interpret their roles from their reality if they get too good at it. I've witnessed bipolar behavior by others and personally believe this is something I have to some degree.

Scott Mayers wrote:Dalek,

Only by initial interpretation, I perceive your stance of philanthropic antinatalism as a stance to opt NOT to have children for fear they'd be presented in a world that only adds the potential of them being harmed by it or towards others. I'm not against this and relate to your concern, if this is a proper interpretation.

henry quirk wrote:The difference between optimists and pessimists(?)

With an eight oz. cup, four oz.

henry quirk wrote:You don't need that four oz.

Make do with what you got.

William James' Varieties of Religious Experience wrote:The supreme contemporary example of such an inability to feel evil is of course Walt Whitman.

“His favorite occupation,” writes his disciple, Dr. Bucke “seemed to be strolling or sauntering about outdoors by himself, looking at the grass, the trees, the flowers, the vistas of light, the varying aspects of the sky, and listening to the birds, the crickets, the tree frogs, and all the hundreds of natural sounds.

It was evident that these things gave him a pleasure far beyond what they give to ordinary people. Until I knew the man,” continues Dr. Bucke, “it had not occurred to me that any one could derive so much absolute happiness from these things as he did. He was very fond of flowers, either wild or cultivated; liked all sorts. I think he admired lilacs and sunflowers just as much as roses. Perhaps, indeed, no man who ever lived liked so many things and disliked so few as Walt Whitman. All natural objects seemed to have a charm for him. All sights and sounds seemed to please him. He appeared to like (and I believe he did like) all the men, women, and children he saw (though I never knew him to say that he liked any one), but each who knew him felt that he liked him or her, and that he liked others also. I never knew him to argue or dispute, and he never spoke about money. He always justified, sometimes playfully, sometimes quite seriously, those who spoke harshly of himself or his writings, and I often thought he even took pleasure in the opposition of enemies. When I first knew [him], I used to think that he watched himself, and would not allow his tongue to give expression to fretfulness, antipathy, complaint, and remonstrance. It did not occur to me as possible that these mental states could be absent in him. After long observation, however, I satisfied myself that such absence or unconsciousness was entirely real. He never spoke deprecatingly of any nationality or class of men, or time in the world’s history, or against any trades or occupations—not even against any animals, insects, or inanimate things, nor any of the laws of nature, nor any of the results of those laws, such as illness, deformity, and death. He never complained or grumbled either at the weather, pain, illness, or anything else. He never swore. He could not very well, since he never spoke in anger and apparently never was angry. He never exhibited fear, and I do not believe he ever felt it.”

Scott Mayers wrote:Ironic. The movie I was thinking of was Sybil 1976 mini-series with Sally Fields AND Joanne Woodward. The girl Sally played had supposedly had 13 personalities [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075296/?ref_=nv_sr_2]