Isolation Impossible

In class we discussed how humans are social beings. This lead to the idea that we cannot survive without one another. Even if you trapped yourself in your home and were never to come out again you still would be dependent on others. Just look around you; our lives are filled with things that other people make. The clothes on your back, the chair you are sitting in, the computer your are reading this blog on, all of it has been touched by another human before arriving where it is now. Even when you build something you use tools and materials made and produced by other people all over the world. If you were to be picked right now and thrown onto a deserted island it would still be impossible to escape the influence of other people. At this day and age we know how to survive in 'the wild' because we observed other people doing so or teaching us. We would have some sort of  an idea of how to make a fire or shelter because someone else already learned how to for us.
 We live in a world where nothing can be done without the influence or resources that other people share with us, we are dependent upon each other making isolation impossible.

A Common Thread

"[Aristotle] says that we can all agree that there is such an end, and that we call it ‘happiness,’but we may disagree about what happiness actually is”(98) but is there a common thread in peoples’ definition of happiness? We could say that people can be happy when surround by friends and loved ones. At the same time we could claim that an addict could be happy when they feed their addiction. Ultimately we are usually happy doing something that we see as pleasurable. However Aristotle argues that in order to be truly happy they need to be doing something that is fulfilling, that exercises the abilities that that person has learned and enjoy. This is perhaps why the people who claim to be the happiest are those whop were able to get a job that they can truly enjoy and feel as if they are doing something in. Perhaps then the common thread to true happiness is that not only does something bring some one a sort of pleasure but a sense of fulfillment as well.

Friendship

Aristotle claimed that friendship is“only possible with a few people; moreover it can only really exist between good people" (106).  But I question if that is a truly valid statement. The idea of only good people having true friends is an understandable statement. If you met someone and started to get to know them and then found out that you did not agree with how they acted towards you or any other people you would probably not continue to see them or would only remain acquaintances with them. In this manner friendships are more likely to be formed, and remain in good standing, if each party sees the other as 'a good person.' As for the idea of only being able to be friends with a few people: I believe that it would depend on how good of a person you are towards others and how many good people you actually are able to meet.

I'm Not Listening

When talking about how Aristotle was rather narrow minded when it came to slavery, women and "barbarians" the authors make a very interesting statement towards the reader. They write: "But this should not prejudice us against the rest of [Aristotle's] thinking" (97). This got me thinking about how often people tend to do that. You will learn that a person disagrees with you on idea like religion, women's rights or in this case slavery, and dismiss every other idea that they believe. We turn away and say "I'm not listening to another word," no matter how valid their other ideas may be. In a way it is a very childish thing to do and yet we see it happen everyday with adults, even country to country. For instance, there are many Middle Eastern countries that we disagree with on how a country should run, but if we looked past our discrepancies we may see that women have been appointed countless times as president or prime minister while back in the United States women are horribly represented in our government. So even though you and another person may not to see eye to eye on every issue there is no reason to discredit every single one of their ideas.    

Response to Osa: The Cave

Here is link to the original post: http://thenatureofhumannature-osa.blogspot.com/2012/02/cave.html

I believe that if you compare many religions, beliefs or philosophies, you can find similarities. Many of these world religions are based around the idea of finding some sort of truth, whether it be in the form of reason or freedom of sins. No matter what we believe, we are almost always striving to find some explanation for our lives on this earth. We desperately want to explain what we do not know. Why are we here? What happens after we die? To try to cope with and answer these unknowns we prescribe a way of life. Plato said that we need to follow reason to let ourselves out of "the cave." In Christianity people are taught to not sin (or ask for forgiveness when you do) and follow the word of the Lord.  When you do these things you are leading the "perfect life," understanding the ultimate truth (leading an examined life) or gaining the favor of the Lord and therefore a favorable afterlife. 

So yes I do see the similarities and if you look closer at other beliefs, religion or philosophy, you will find even more.