Freedom
The freedom of the human spirit is perhaps the greatest power in the universe. Its expression is the highest achievement that the imagination can encounter. It is the birthplace of beauty and the seed of elevation. But the attainment of this freedom, in the truest sense, eludes us continuously. The forces beneathe our reason, those that would bind us by any means, be they cultural, pyschological, or otherwise unnecessarily experiential, never cease to limit and distract us from our potential.
Often those who have no awareness of their freedom seem to express it most concretely. We (or they) cite anarchy, chaos, or narcisism as their wellspring of freedom. But such outcry is a conterfeit freedom, in which the observer becomes the victim of his own eyesight. It is the story of the dreamer who dared to stare at the sun, and, so scorned by the power of its rays, refused to open his eyes to the world of beauty that those same rays illuminate, instead stomping over it in a blind rage.
The path to true freedom lies only in transcendence. The encounter with beauty, in which the beholder and the beheld become unified, makes clear the magnificent possibility of existence.
Monday, May 5, 2008 at 11:29AM | Filed under: Philosophy
Reader Comments (8)
Now, it does take the Recognition or Revelation that one is Free to recognize that one can Choose, but knowing that you have the ability to choose is not an end, it's a means.
Don't confuse your ways and means and ends!
of that dirty old river
Down where the reeds
And the catfish play
There lies a dream
as soft as the water
There lies a bluebird
that's flown away.
You're wrong. The first half of that sentence is more wrong than the latter half.
I now dig your redefinition of 'freedom' as a portal to creativity. That jives with ma' hives.
But Utility Does have an intrinsic value, and I think it is important to declare that the definition of 'purpose' should and does have 'boundaries' (or, perhaps a certain 'base' or guiding 'principles').
That guiding principle being something about the ultimate value of the universal spirit and individual will, and that ones actions should be toward an end growing and expanding and deepening that spirit and fraydom (through such things as letting people know that they're free, presenting them with beauty, spreading democracy, saving conscious beings from destruction, playing foosball, gardening, etc.).
If you say 'that which is, is good' you are creating an equivalence between all patterns of matter, and such an equivalence is diametrically opposed to valuing freedom and consciousness (the universe being made aware of itself).
When you say it's not subjectivist, you need to expound a bit more. Are you arguing that there IS a unified reality within which we all exist, but that all ways of behaving and being within that shared experience are equally 'right' or 'righteous' or 'good?'
Freedom and Transcendence, on the other hand, do not have this same relationship. Transcendence, while a complex idea and experience, is most easily described as an encounter with beauty, or a momentary (by necessity) perception of TRUTH. If we can accept that truth has intrinsic value, then we must also admit that transcendence (which gives us clarity in understanding truth) must also have intrinsic value. FREEDOM and its expression is the the further expression of transcendence, in that it actually enriches and expands truth by forging new forms out of the infinite Being (reality).
Regarding a "unified reality within which we all exist," I do believe this exists... but it is also an infinitely unknowable existence that has multiple levels or "circles" of forms that as we come to understand and know one, it reveals the expanse of others (covered by Emerson in "Circles" and "The Over-Soul," and referred to by Jaspers as "The Encompassing"). This concept refers not only to Being or existence as a whole, but also of its many parts: most notably MAN himself (the individual, the species, and the community).
The problem with utility is that it suggests a finitude rather than an infinitude, or a final accomplishment, whereas a transcendence, freedom, truth, and understanding of existence all suggest that there is no such finality. We must continue to strive to look with new eyes upon the world, to inspect from new angles, to never commit the falacy of claiming full dominion. To use a tired cliche, the journey is the destination: transcendence is the vessel, freedom the captain.
You're right in the way you phrased 'utility has no intrinsic value, except when it's utilized.'
And you're right in focusing on infinity.
And I'm right in saying that your initial description of 'purpose' as being something we can define in any way...It was lacking in acknowledging the necessity of basic principle.
Transcendence IS an end to itself, and it can Also be a utility toward a 'goal.'
But I shiver and shake and perhaps react a bit overmuch ( A bit overmuch, not muchly overmuch) when I read or hear anything tinged with the idea that the goal or the good is in affecting our Perception as opposed to affecting our Actions and exhibiting principled Behavior.
The universe does rejoice when it comes to know itself (which is what happens when we reach a certain level of understanding).
Your focus on the temporary 'moment' of truth needs to have a more active principle after it as well...
You climb the mountain, you reach the top of the mountain, you can not stay on the peak, but you see that which is below, and so when returning to the valley, you have the memory of a new perspective...That perspective affects your understanding of the valley, the way it actually is, and this affects your behavior.
If you merely have the transcendent experience on the peak of the mountain - something of intrinsic value - you are short-changing yourself if you don't incorporate that into your understanding of the rest of your life. In fact, the Utility of the transcendent experience is of greater value than the experience itself, because only when it's utilized is it multiplied.
I too believe in the infinite - my use of the word 'ends' was faulty, I admit... 'purpose' and 'principle' are better words - and I believe that this infinity applies to truth as well.
Your vision of momentary transcendence, at this point, seems to be too focused on the transitory ecstatic awareness, as opposed to the recognition and understanding of 'lower' truths and experiences as well.
Perhaps we must focus more on achieving the 'higher' truths because it's harder and rarer, but we must be equally cognizant of the 'lower' ones as well.
See, the universe Is infinite. A 'goal' is merely an end that would express the realization of a principle... But a 'principle' is a guide for behavior (and more, but it's at least this), and so is not something that can be 'attained...
' since the universe is infinite, ones 'principles' can never be fully expressed.
And I think there's something shallow about a principle that focuses too much on ones own transcendence.
Because our axiology should be to express our principles (good, Lockean, Christ-like ones mostly), which means the proper approach is to experience transcendence (a good in itself), to turn that into utility, and to utilize the utility to achieve goals that are expressions of principles.
*******
The thing I find interesting about our conversation is that the 'sides' of the coin we're both focusing on are probably what most would consider to be the Opposite of our personalities... so perhaps we're wise because we're seeking after that which comes not as naturally to us.
(I mean, I'm talking in more 'goal-oriented' terms...but most people would consider you the more 'goal-oriented' person).
I think your interpretation of my use of transcendence in this case is affected by your prior experience / conversations with me. I'll reply a bit more later. I'm about to have a meeting with Ms. Tracy.