In the previous lecture I tried to clarify the worldview from a materialist point of view with the help of the diagram behind me. I think, I have to give it another try.
In the first place, you have to look at our history from an evolutionary perspective. But this perspective is filled with completely incomprehensible questions.
The very first one is: Ok, we live in a universe. Why does it exist? Can we ask Where it exists or how did it come into existence?
To me completely nonsense questions, which only exist because we were able to create language and thence can combine whatever words we like.
Individually the words have understandable meanings but combined in such questions only some people believe these questions are meaningful, but to all such questions, the only right answer is: WE DON'T KNOW or This is a meaningless question.
The only thing we can say with certainty is, that we are here on this earth. Period. Darwin has shown us, how everything came into being from the single cell organism to the super complex organisms.
Homo Sapiens is one of these organisms and he has to deal with that fact. He is the organism with the maximum level of self-consciousness.
There are certain animals who have the same ability but only to a much lower level. So, compared to them we have what they don't have: a Mind.
Now you may ask, what is the most essential characteristic of being human? That is, what is the most fundamental consequence of being 100% self-conscious? My answer is... the awareness of time.
Just think about it for a moment: almost everything in your life you relate to time. Not to the hands of the clock. What we are aware of is past, present, and future. So, I mean time meaning "duration".
We know when something begins and we hope or fear that it never or soon will end. Just look at your own life: everything is embedded in duration. The expression: just wait, it really takes some time, means there is a beginning and an end.....duration.
You must excuse me, but here I really want to diverge from the main issue here. My name is herman Bergson. In 2004 I made my current SL account. In those days you were allowed to choose your own first name, but you had to choose a second name from a list.
You start at A of course and when I reached B I ran into the name Bergson. Cool.... the name of a philosopher!
So I chose that last name. But guess what...... While studying what philosophers had said about time, I ran into Herman Bergson!!! We shared the same ideas!
In the early nineteenth century, Henri Bergson (1859 - 1941) made the notion of duration (durée) central in his philosophy.
According to him, physical time is something spatialized and intellectualized, whereas the real thing, with which we are acquainted in intuition (inner experience), is duration.
Unlike physical time, which is always measured by comparing discrete spatial positions, for example, of clock hands, duration is the experienced change itself,
the directly intuited non-spatial stream of consciousness in which past, present, and future flow into one another.
Bergson’s meaning is unclear, partly because he thinks that duration is something to be intuitively, not intellectually grasped.
Even though the Bergsonian notion of duration may be rejected, there is nevertheless a clear use of the word “duration” in science and ordinary life.
Thus, in talking about the duration of an event, we talk simply about the temporal distance between its beginning and its end.
Let me quote from Wikipedia: "The foundation of Henri Bergson's philosophy (...) Bergson introduced Duration as a theory of time and consciousness in his doctoral thesis Time and Free Will....."
And here I am, explaining to you that the consciousness of duration and its consequences the fundamental characteristic is of Homo Sapiens.
To be continued.....thank you for your attention again..
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
[13:20] oola Neruda: Einstien involved time in his calculations
[13:21] oola Neruda: and high energy physicists get into a lot of the issues you have just stated
[13:21] herman Bergson: Yes oola..and when you read about time..it is a mystery
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): very true
[13:21] herman Bergson: only our brain realizes time
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we just take it all for granted
[13:22] oola Neruda: AND A NECESSITY
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): time that is
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the fact that nothing can go past the speed of light and that time stops when u reach it
[13:22] herman Bergson: Indeed Gemma...that is the point...
[13:22] herman Bergson: But it defines our being.....we...beings in time....
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): spacetime
[13:23] herman Bergson: just get back to my diagram.....
[13:24] herman Bergson: when we notice something is there ...in time....we ask..WHY is it there???
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): love the tree
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): can we have a copy of the diagram?
[13:24] herman Bergson: sure...
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): might help me think better for homework
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:25] herman Bergson: we have two questions in life....
[13:25] herman Bergson: when and why
[13:26] herman Bergson: when did it happen
[13:26] herman Bergson: then
[13:26] oola Neruda: the speed of something is relative to the system that time is moving in.... Einstein
[13:26] herman Bergson: why did it happen
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:26] herman Bergson: ebevn Einstein didn't know the answers...
[13:27] oola Neruda: different system.... different time
[13:27] Al Michigan: but .... we do assume , the idea an animal have a limited consiousness, is off course just a hypothesis, right?
[13:27] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): hmmm
[13:27] herman Bergson: when did the universe came into being.....?
[13:27] herman Bergson: Completely meaningless question....
[13:27] herman Bergson: beyond our understanding of reality
[13:27] oola Neruda: why meaningless
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): u can clearly see this in action in LHC however. There is a monitor for the RF drive firld frequency, it stops rising short after the ramp is started (beam cant go any faster) but still the energy continues to increase by many times from there
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): even they cant move faster then light
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): instead mass increases
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): or soes it?
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): does
[13:28] herman Bergson: that the universe is there, we know Bejiita....
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:28] herman Bergson: but that is all
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): we dont know all the fine details
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): the new camera out there is helping
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): finding the older galaxies
[13:29] herman Bergson: I dont think so Gemma....
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): LHC might bring some answers and also that one
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but well idk
[13:29] Al Michigan: I understand about time... itis a mass, andit moves like a sea, we travel in time when we jump from a jump board in a swim pool, we jump and fall down, when we fall we travel with time, so, time and duration are 2 separate things.
[13:29] herman Bergson: It shows what there is....
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its soo complex everything
[13:30] herman Bergson: but it doesn't tell us why it is there, or about its origins and so on
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): no that it never will
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): we can build massive machines to nstudy them but can we find the answers to WHY
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): why no but maybe more about the origins
[13:30] Al Michigan: yeah indeed mister bergson! We found out there was no ''Big Bang! That was so amazing!
[13:30] herman Bergson: `and that is an amazing fact Gemma....
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): they just are
[13:30] Al Michigan: it is the moststunning discovery ... like ever!
[13:31] Al Michigan: Imagine, all this time we thoaght about the big bang and now it turned out to be ridiculous fantasy!!!
[13:31] herman Bergson: Us being here on this planet and not knowing at all where we cam from or why we are here....we just are here...that is all we know
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): oh not completely AL
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): not all of the idea
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Wll the big bang idea seems a bit crazy though, Why would an explosion suddenly happen out in nowhere
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ?
[13:31] herman Bergson: no no...the Big Bang Theory is a model
[13:32] Al Michigan: well as a model it is debunked
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): theories lead to other theories
[13:32] herman Bergson: it works in predicting the workings of space
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): But we said so about the Higgs boson also but that one proved true, but also we had a machine to find and study it with, I don't know how many papers i have gone through myself about the higgs boson at CERN document server
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but can we prove how the universe began
[13:33] Al Michigan: But the boson seems to have appeared
[13:33] herman Bergson: The Big Bang Theory is actually a nice example of our consciousness of time
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes, cause we created it in a particle accelerator and could study it there and then
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its not occuring naturally
[13:33] Al Michigan: YES!
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well out in space it might
[13:34] Al Michigan: it is not about the appearing,it is about the theory that seems to be working, somehow
[13:34] herman Bergson: We discovered that objects in space move in a certain direction.....
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:35] herman Bergson: so we deduced the reverse direction which seemed to converge to one point
[13:35] herman Bergson: I guess
[13:35] herman Bergson: Beng!
[13:35] Al Michigan: because we do not know, what it was that appeared, we think it was the boson, but, might it have been something else?
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): again will we ever really know
[13:35] Al Michigan: but mister bergson
[13:36] herman Bergson: Main point today is that homo sapiens is aware of time.....
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): that we are
[13:36] Al Michigan: that was what ppl saw now, they do not come into a central point!!!!!!
[13:36] herman Bergson: We live in time...in past present and future
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): exactly
[13:36] Al Michigan: that was the big thing!
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): no other being thinks like that
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): about time
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): thats true
[13:36] Al Michigan: so there was no central point out off which the universe expanded
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i think at least
[13:37] herman Bergson: Just look at yourselves...your feelings, expectations, experiences....all are related to time
[13:37] herman Bergson: a beginning and an end...
[13:37] Al Michigan: Cats do live in time!
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): instinctual tho
[13:37] Al Michigan: cats do very much live together with a feel off time!
[13:37] herman Bergson: Not a single animal is aware of time in the sense of duration
[13:38] Al Michigan: iamsure mycat was!
[13:38] herman Bergson: cats are the most brainless animals ever ^_^
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): omg
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): OMG!!!
[13:38] Al Michigan: OMG!
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:38] Al Michigan: OMG!
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): disagree
[13:38] herman Bergson: lol
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): loool
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): tehy are very very smart
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): naaa the cats rule us, we just dont know about it
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): they know exactly what they are doing with humans
[13:39] herman Bergson smiles
[13:39] bergfrau Apfelbaum: have you ever had a cat? Herman
[13:39] herman Bergson: sorry I said that about cats :-))
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): good thing
[13:39] Al Michigan: my cat know exactly when i get home
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed Gemma
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:39] Al Michigan: exactly
[13:40] herman Bergson: I have had a number of cats...one made even 22 years of age
[13:40] Al Michigan: they sit up and go to the window, where they know i ll appear.
[13:40] Al Michigan: and they look out side
[13:40] Al Michigan: waiting
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): wrong crowd to say such a thing to i think
[13:40] herman Bergson: guess I better log off now....lol
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ha
[13:41] Al Michigan: i saw a posting onyou tube, about a bear.
[13:41] herman Bergson: That is not a cat Al
[13:41] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): realy?
[13:41] herman Bergson: But we are off topic now....
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): way off
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): but we did not drag us there
[13:41] bergfrau Apfelbaum: grinst
[13:42] herman Bergson: So...let's recapitulate for today....
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its as it should be in the end
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): spiraling away
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:42] herman Bergson: Homo Sapiens is the organism that is aware of duration.....
[[13:43] bergfrau Apfelbaum: Time is obviously not important to Beertje's cat lol+
[13:43] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): lol no ツ
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): my cat has no idea of time, he has other ideas
[13:44] Al Michigan: cats... the dumbest animals ever.....
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sigh
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): my oldest cat lived to 19
[13:44] herman Bergson: In Dutch we have the expression of having a "Kater" (hangover)
[13:45] herman Bergson: Kater is a male cat ins Dutch
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe ok
[13:46] herman Bergson: So...because we won't get to more serious talks here anymore, time to end our debate :-)
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:46] herman Bergson: Some of us may have a "Kater" now :-))
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ha
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:46] Al Michigan: wellI am,in other doubts
[13:47] Al Michigan: like the difference between... Wirklichkeit, realitat, and die Wahrheit
[13:47] herman Bergson: We'll continue our anaylsis next Tuesday...
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): is the tree attached to the schema Herman?
[13:47] herman Bergson: What tree Gemma???
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): behind you
[13:48] Al Michigan: yeah and i do not understand the tree either!
[13:48] herman Bergson: Ohh you mean the evolutionary tree :-))))
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): the skulls
[13:48] herman Bergson: no
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yes
[13:48] Al Michigan: whats gouing vertical at the right hand?
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ok
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): human skulls
[13:48] bergfrau Apfelbaum: thank you Herman and class!
[13:48] herman Bergson: yes
[13:49] Al Michigan: I have to go dosometraining toheal from my haertattack!!!
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): am off
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): feeding my cats
