The extended thoughts of a fool
Friday, December 5
Why did we become smart?
Yesterday I was talking about how a spider might not feel like building a web but might do it anyway because he knows that it is the best way to get what he does want (i.e. yummy flies and sexy lady spiders). I finished off by mentioning that the reason the spider was able to see past the immediate tedium of web building to the extended benefits of having a build web was an indication of it's intelligence.
Where are you going with this?
If we take the principle of egoistical hedonism (Remember that?) then every action made by any creature is made solely for an increase in personal happiness (or decrease in unhappiness). This includes every time you comfort someone, do someone else's dishes, visit someone in hospital or buy someone flowers (even worrying about a person or an event). Now obviously worrying about someone isn't fun, it doesn't make you happy. Like-wise neither does visiting a person in hospital or doing someone else’s dishes because they are unable to do them themselves. On the surface it would seem that these actions, like the example of the spider building a web even though he doesn't want to, would invalidate the statement th�
Where are you going with this?
If we take the principle of egoistical hedonism (Remember that?) then every action made by any creature is made solely for an increase in personal happiness (or decrease in unhappiness). This includes every time you comfort someone, do someone else's dishes, visit someone in hospital or buy someone flowers (even worrying about a person or an event). Now obviously worrying about someone isn't fun, it doesn't make you happy. Like-wise neither does visiting a person in hospital or doing someone else’s dishes because they are unable to do them themselves. On the surface it would seem that these actions, like the example of the spider building a web even though he doesn't want to, would invalidate the statement th�
Thursday, December 4
Search for Happiness :: Part 1
OK, first things first, what do I mean by hedonism. I don't mean the holiday resort on T.V.; I do mean the search for pleasure over all other things. All forms of pleasure including sex, but by no means limited to it. I looked up the word in an online dictionary and got the following result:
Main Entry: he·do·nism
Pronunciation: 'hE-d&n-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Greek hEdonE pleasure; akin to Greek hEdys sweet -- more at SWEET
Date: 1856
1 : the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
2 : a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism
- he·do·nist /-d&n-ist/ noun
- he·do·nis·tic /"hE-d&n-'is-tik/ adjective
- he·do·nis·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
It also gave this, which I believe is actually what I am talking about:
Main Entry: egoistic hedonism
Function: noun
Date: 1874
: the ethical theory that achieving one's own happiness is the proper goal of all conduct
OK, at the moment it doesn't seem like much of a big deal but I believe that every action made by any living creature can be put down to this principle, including yourself. Insulted? Sorry, most people are (but how does putting forward a theory to be tested offend someone? I am not accusing anyone imbiticuler) lets start by talking about a stupid animal, the dog? Nope too clever, a spider.
Spiders exhibit a very simple behaviour. OK, maybe not very simple but it is at least simple enough for reasonably accurate models to be build of it's behaviour.
We can assume that the male spider wants only a few things. Flies and sex with lady spiders (what is a lady spider called?), lady spiders want flowers, chocolates, nice dresses and to play 'Hard-to-get' with the male spiders.
All of a spiders actions can be traced back to these premises, in fact you could even go as far as to say that he only wants the flies to get to the sex with ladies, though I think he actually likes eating them regardless. I do not claim that all a spider thinks about is flies and sex. It builds webs too, and when a fly lands in the web he thinks about catching it and covering it in silk and then eating it but I don't think he contemplates much else.
Why does he do this things?
The reason he does these things is because enjoys it, it makes him happy. If he didn't enjoy doing it he wouldn't do it, he would do something else... something he did enjoy. Now you're wondering if I have lost the plot, you will feel like this allot!! I mean I am talking about a spiders emotions. Can a spider have emotions? Can it feel pain or be happy? If it can be happy then it can probably be unhappy too. And, well, why not? Emotions drive us and I have seen no evidence that we are different in this respect, so why should we force ourselves to believe that other animals are driven by a different mechanism unless we have to? Maybe all animals are driven by the same primal emotions i.e. happiness or sadness, anger, contentment or fear. They may not be capable of the more complex emotions we, as far more intelligent beings, might experience, like frustration, depression and ambition, but it does make sense to assume that the primal emotions are there.
"So what?" you ask, and rightly so. Well, the existence of these emotions is an important prerequisite for my argument that all things are egoisticaly hedonistic beings, without emotions it would do impossible to for a creature to operate in this 'mode'. Every action a spider makes it does to give it satisfaction i.e. it increases the spider's happiness. Building a web may be something which the spider enjoys doing or it may be something which the spider finds boring. However, the spider does know (maybe not consciously mind you) that not building the web will reduce it's happiness by more than building the web will in the long run, hence he decides to build the web (possibly grudgingly).
The spider's ability to recognise that although the immediate action may not be a pleasurable one is, I believe an indication of its intelligence. How? I'll tell you tomorrow, I think I have talked enough crap for the time being. I will also elaborate on this egoistic hedonism idea later, the intelligence discussion is important to it then talking about clever animals like you.
In the mean time, take it easy kids!
Main Entry: he·do·nism
Pronunciation: 'hE-d&n-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Greek hEdonE pleasure; akin to Greek hEdys sweet -- more at SWEET
Date: 1856
1 : the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
2 : a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism
- he·do·nist /-d&n-ist/ noun
- he·do·nis·tic /"hE-d&n-'is-tik/ adjective
- he·do·nis·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
It also gave this, which I believe is actually what I am talking about:
Main Entry: egoistic hedonism
Function: noun
Date: 1874
: the ethical theory that achieving one's own happiness is the proper goal of all conduct
OK, at the moment it doesn't seem like much of a big deal but I believe that every action made by any living creature can be put down to this principle, including yourself. Insulted? Sorry, most people are (but how does putting forward a theory to be tested offend someone? I am not accusing anyone imbiticuler) lets start by talking about a stupid animal, the dog? Nope too clever, a spider.
Spiders exhibit a very simple behaviour. OK, maybe not very simple but it is at least simple enough for reasonably accurate models to be build of it's behaviour.
We can assume that the male spider wants only a few things. Flies and sex with lady spiders (what is a lady spider called?), lady spiders want flowers, chocolates, nice dresses and to play 'Hard-to-get' with the male spiders.
All of a spiders actions can be traced back to these premises, in fact you could even go as far as to say that he only wants the flies to get to the sex with ladies, though I think he actually likes eating them regardless. I do not claim that all a spider thinks about is flies and sex. It builds webs too, and when a fly lands in the web he thinks about catching it and covering it in silk and then eating it but I don't think he contemplates much else.
Why does he do this things?
The reason he does these things is because enjoys it, it makes him happy. If he didn't enjoy doing it he wouldn't do it, he would do something else... something he did enjoy. Now you're wondering if I have lost the plot, you will feel like this allot!! I mean I am talking about a spiders emotions. Can a spider have emotions? Can it feel pain or be happy? If it can be happy then it can probably be unhappy too. And, well, why not? Emotions drive us and I have seen no evidence that we are different in this respect, so why should we force ourselves to believe that other animals are driven by a different mechanism unless we have to? Maybe all animals are driven by the same primal emotions i.e. happiness or sadness, anger, contentment or fear. They may not be capable of the more complex emotions we, as far more intelligent beings, might experience, like frustration, depression and ambition, but it does make sense to assume that the primal emotions are there.
"So what?" you ask, and rightly so. Well, the existence of these emotions is an important prerequisite for my argument that all things are egoisticaly hedonistic beings, without emotions it would do impossible to for a creature to operate in this 'mode'. Every action a spider makes it does to give it satisfaction i.e. it increases the spider's happiness. Building a web may be something which the spider enjoys doing or it may be something which the spider finds boring. However, the spider does know (maybe not consciously mind you) that not building the web will reduce it's happiness by more than building the web will in the long run, hence he decides to build the web (possibly grudgingly).
The spider's ability to recognise that although the immediate action may not be a pleasurable one is, I believe an indication of its intelligence. How? I'll tell you tomorrow, I think I have talked enough crap for the time being. I will also elaborate on this egoistic hedonism idea later, the intelligence discussion is important to it then talking about clever animals like you.
In the mean time, take it easy kids!
Wednesday, December 3
... Point of no Return
This is it, my first blog.
What is it about? Answer: Nothing and everything.
Whatever comes into my head (no double-entendre intended, those who spotted it, you know who you are you dirty, dirty minded people!!).
This is to become a repository of all the crazy ideas and notions that keep me awake at night. When I read a newspaper article and find myself wondering about the meaning of life, or the definition of success or why Chorizo tastes so good even though it is just testicles and gristle.
This is a place for me to store all these pointless, potentially useless and definitely pedantic attempts at deep and meaningful adventures into the mind which all to often become common or garden pop western philosophical tripe.
This is for when I are feeling very, well, anal and want to go on a rant about it... One could call it an anal rant.. No an 'Anal Rant'. Hence the title of the blog, welcome to 'Anal Ranting'.
(For you Americans... Over here in Great Britain land, people who are pedantic and quibble over tiny things like whether your friend owns you 20p or 22p are called anal, or sometimes retentive. Just some British slang for you)
But what the hell do you mean?
OK, I am the sort of person who argues... a lot, and about anything I can. I may not even agree with the point of view I am arguing but I can't help myself. If I see someone arguing something against 3 people who are arguing against him I will argue his point of view. Yes, this attitude has got me into some sticky situations in the past, more than that I have, in the past, convinced people to change their view from the view I agree with (the one they were arguing for) the one I don't agree with (the one I am arguing for).
Is this wrong?
So the prevent any further embarrassment and confusions I will vent my... whenever... here. Because people don't like joining your cause only to find that that isn't your cause and your cause was what they were joined with anyway, they tend to feel stupid... stupid and embarrassed... and angry.
I am not particularly religious and am not trying to convert anyone to my religion, though I did get ordained once for a giggle, it wasn’t that funny though.
My working day is drawing to a close now anyway. Tomorrow the fun begins, if you thought what you just read was confusing, just wait until tomorrow when we deal with the subject of hedonism!
What is it about? Answer: Nothing and everything.
Whatever comes into my head (no double-entendre intended, those who spotted it, you know who you are you dirty, dirty minded people!!).
This is to become a repository of all the crazy ideas and notions that keep me awake at night. When I read a newspaper article and find myself wondering about the meaning of life, or the definition of success or why Chorizo tastes so good even though it is just testicles and gristle.
This is a place for me to store all these pointless, potentially useless and definitely pedantic attempts at deep and meaningful adventures into the mind which all to often become common or garden pop western philosophical tripe.
This is for when I are feeling very, well, anal and want to go on a rant about it... One could call it an anal rant.. No an 'Anal Rant'. Hence the title of the blog, welcome to 'Anal Ranting'.
(For you Americans... Over here in Great Britain land, people who are pedantic and quibble over tiny things like whether your friend owns you 20p or 22p are called anal, or sometimes retentive. Just some British slang for you)
But what the hell do you mean?
OK, I am the sort of person who argues... a lot, and about anything I can. I may not even agree with the point of view I am arguing but I can't help myself. If I see someone arguing something against 3 people who are arguing against him I will argue his point of view. Yes, this attitude has got me into some sticky situations in the past, more than that I have, in the past, convinced people to change their view from the view I agree with (the one they were arguing for) the one I don't agree with (the one I am arguing for).
Is this wrong?
So the prevent any further embarrassment and confusions I will vent my... whenever... here. Because people don't like joining your cause only to find that that isn't your cause and your cause was what they were joined with anyway, they tend to feel stupid... stupid and embarrassed... and angry.
I am not particularly religious and am not trying to convert anyone to my religion, though I did get ordained once for a giggle, it wasn’t that funny though.
My working day is drawing to a close now anyway. Tomorrow the fun begins, if you thought what you just read was confusing, just wait until tomorrow when we deal with the subject of hedonism!
