Philosophy Now Forum

We often think about philosophy, history, religion, politics,
biology as a guide to what it means to be human... the why
of existence.. but just as important, is the how of existence...
how do we get from here to there, not just why we go from
here to there.. is our movement through existence suppose to
be in biology, history, philosophy, or is our existence through
history an engagement with the more speculative reasons in
existence... speculations such as religions, metaphysics,
the more mystical understanding of existence...

the how of existence is just as important as the why of
existence.. how we make the journey from animal to becoming
fully human is just as important as to the why we make this
journey..

the point of existence is a why, the method of getting from here to there is
the how...

I hold that the how we engage with today is the path to failure....
the pursuit of money/profits, of seeking titles, power, material goods,
is a path into the future, but why would we seek these things?
What is the point of seeking power, fame, money, titles?
Which is just as important as how we are to engage in our
daily lives..... In other words, part of the Kantian questions,
is "What am I to do?" Is an important question that very few ask..
Every single day, I have a choice of why I am acting in this fashion as
well as a choice of how I am acting this day...

the why and the how are connected... today, I am going to seek wealth,
power, fame, material goods, and the how I am going to achieve these
thing is by capitalism...

Today I am going to seek love and peace and the method, the how will
be by treating people as an end, not as a mean.. I don't use people to
get what I want, I engage with people to help them achieve what they want
and in return, I will get what I want, which is love and peace...

it is no longer enough to say, I want something, I must include how I am
to achieve that want... the how and the why...
that is now part of the human story...

Kropotkin

Why is your journey only to 'fully human'?

To me that was only part way of the journey.

Moving or evolving past the human being stage, by the way, was the most fun partbas well as being the most productive, rewarding and satisfying part also.

Peter Kropotkin wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 6:16 pm the how of existence is just as important as the why of
existence.. how we make the journey from animal to becoming
fully human is just as important as to the why we make this
journey..

the point of existence is a why, the method of getting from here to there is
the how...

This is why I raised this thread;
"Know Thyself" What does that Entail?

In genetics and the genome, we can trace the whole series of how we arrive at what are we today from the first one-celled organisms in the DNA as coded.

but I believe the 'WHY' is our existence is most critical to understand to why we are driven to act in such and such a manner and from there we will understand the Kantian 'What Can I Do' to optimize the individual[s] well being and that of humanity.

see: