Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Vagueabsolute]

I believe that a chaotic and naturally flowing conversation have it’s merits, as a supplement to the more structured once being promoted on this site. Therefore, I suggest this topic be left unbound. Here i wish for discourse to flow freely!

To get such a discussion started, i will present a few random questions.

Question #1

Is there anything more important then happiness?

Question #2

Would you rather burn forever, or never have existed at all?

Question #3

Does the will of two outweigh the will of one?

Question #4

What purpose may sadism and masochism serve from an evolutionary standpoint?

[LuckyR]

Ha, ha. Nice one.

Personally I'm not a hedonist, so happiness purely for happiness' sake doesn't rank very high for me.

I'd rather hang out in hell with my friends than be in paradise with a bunch of strangers. True a trite, nonserious comment... in response to a trite and nonserious question.

Since the value of will is subjective, it depends totally on the opinion of the person doing the valuation. In other words it's also subjective. Answer: It depends.

S&M are psychological crutches that many find comforting, though I am not aware of any data that the psychologically secure have more children than the insecure. In fact poverty, lack of education and poorer relative health are all associated with more progeny.

[Count Lucanor]

Question #1

Is there anything more important then happiness?

Happiness is an abstract concept about a permanent of temporary state of being which rests on aspirations, desires, and therefore, not actually achievable, because as soon as you reach it, you will desire something more. So, desire is more important than happiness. When you stop desiring, fighting, craving for more, you're dead.

Question #2

Would you rather burn forever, or never have existed at all?

What would be the point of suffering eternally? No, thanks.

Question #3

Does the will of two outweigh the will of one?

The will is personal, subjective, it cannot merge with any other one at that subjective level. Now, the objective consequences that derive from our wilful actions, that's different.

Question #4
What purpose may sadism and masochism serve from an evolutionary standpoint?

Not all behaviors are directly linked to an evolutionary adaptation, most likely these ones are byproducts of some other adaptations. The Spandrels of San Marco.

[Pattern-chaser]

I believe that a chaotic and naturally flowing conversation have it’s merits, as a supplement to the more structured ones being promoted on this site. Therefore, I suggest this topic be left unbound. Here i wish for discourse to flow freely!

I think our Philosophers' Lounge already hosts such conversations as you describe, or aspire to?

[Vagueabsolute]

Question #4

What purpose may sadism and masochism serve from an evolutionary standpoint?

Not all behaviors are directly linked to an evolutionary adaptation, most likely these ones are byproducts of some other adaptations. The Spandrels of San Marco.

What adaptations do you think they could have spawned from?

[Vagueabsolute]

Since the value of will is subjective, it depends totally on the opinion of the person doing the valuation. In other words it's also subjective. Answer: It depends.

It depends truly is a wonderful and frequent truth.

[Agent Smyth]

What's obvious, to me, is you won't get the same answer to "wine?" from a Muslim and a Christian. I sense a depth to the post, perhaps a vague insight that needs to be brought into the light or it could simply be a cat-like curiosity that has, be vewy vewy caeful, claimed many a lives, young, old, women, men, younglings ... even them, yes.

[Sculptor1]

I believe that a chaotic and naturally flowing conversation have it’s merits, as a supplement to the more structured once being promoted on this site. Therefore, I suggest this topic be left unbound. Here i wish for discourse to flow freely!

To get such a discussion started, i will present a few random questions.

Question #1

Is there anything more important then happiness?

Question #2

Would you rather burn forever, or never have existed at all?

Question #3

Does the will of two outweigh the will of one?

Question #4

What purpose may sadism and masochism serve from an evolutionary standpoint?

Of course you can ask those questions. But have you ever considered whether or not Cosplay might be the best thing for you?
Have you tried British Rail, or AMTRACK. I understand that derailment is frowned upon even if you are wearing pretend guardsman costumes.

But seriously...
Q1 yes.
Q2 neither is a viable option
Q3 Wills are weightless.
Q4 Like most things traits have no purpose but their use and lack of use in an evolutionary sense is only known retrodictive. 99% of traits have no bearing on evolution just so long as they do not affect a species ability to have viable progeny. Sado/Masochism, like more sexual practices can lead to reproduction so on a scale of asking the same question about cosplay, for example, S&M is probably more viable.

[LuckyR]

Since the value of will is subjective, it depends totally on the opinion of the person doing the valuation. In other words it's also subjective. Answer: It depends.

It depends truly is a wonderful and frequent truth.

Especially in a venue where simplistic rules to govern complex and nuanced situations are popular.

[Xenophon]

Question #3

Does the will of two outweigh the will of one? (unquote)

You talking political theory or you talking muscle? Jeremy Bentham might say 2 outweigh one. Achilles might have a different answer to any two Trojans you care to name. So I guess venue might important. In the seminar room of dear old Waggener Hall, two might outweigh one. A few klicks east over in East Austin it all depends on whose tooled up that evening.