My approach to Homo Sapiens is mainly pure biologically. We are a species among many others and we surpass all other organisms in our abilities because of our complete self-consciousness.
That has had enormous consequences throughout our history and it still has. To begin with, we have overturned the entire food chain as it has been for millennia over the past 40,000 or more years.
If we had stayed primates like chimps and bonobos the mountain lion had hunted us. Nowadays we can hunt any living creature we want and always win the fight.
Another thing is, that we, as the only species on earth, are able to destroy really everything. We have the technology to do so. Have you ever wondered about the total disrespect this shows for all other organisms on this earth?
But if we not yet have used all these mechanisms of destruction, we just destroy the environment and in the process maybe ourselves in the long run by our unrestrained need for economic growth, production, and consumption.
As I stated in previous lectures, Homo Sapiens is easily inclined to believe in a description of his reality, which cannot be tested in any way. One calls it faith, and the other calls it fairy tales.
A smart guy will say, yes wait a minute, but what you call science is also based on unprovable assumptions. He has a point there. The big difference with fairy tales, however, is that I can derive hypotheses from those assumptions and test them.
The people who believe in the stories of some books have the same possibility. It has been tested: praying for the sick makes them better, for example. Several studies have shown that this is not the case.
Another is that the Lord will punish sinners. I don't want to say anything, but sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, for example, has been able to exist for decades without God's punishing hand.
So, if we look at Homo Sapiens as a biological organism that is 100% self-conscious, which gives him huge advantages over the other inhabitants of this earth, we really need to ask the question.........?
Here stopped my thoughts....yes, what question should we ask? Why do I think we really HAVE a question? Maybe there is a question. If you give it a closer look and love the binary way of thinking of our species, perhaps it is a kind of US or THEM question.
Then the question could be: should survival really be a matter between us and them, all other living organisms on this planet? We have to accept one clear fact. WE can change. The rest of nature can't by itself. It simply lives the life it lives.
This brings me back to the words of Bertrand Russell, which I quoted in the previous lecture: "The value of philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its very uncertainty."
I have no problems with this uncertainty. I have no need of believing in all kinds of stories and fairy tales to fight my uncertainty, which simply is another word for "NOT KNOWING".
Science may answer all kinds of questions and within the contexts of its subjects, be it biology, neurobiology, medicines, mathematics, or chemistry, science offers within these contexts levels of certainty.
But the most fascinating fact in all this is, that it doesn't offer us any certainty about ourselves. That is what the fairy tales, which many love, do and because of our existential uncertainty, there are so many different fairy tales to believe in.
For me, however, life is nothing more than the next day after the previous day, and the time that it gives us, gives us the responsibility to design ourselves and our world over and over again,
where the facts teach us that it is better to live in harmony with THEM = Nature, than to live like leeches on the surface of this planet.
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
[13:21] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[13:21] Al Michigan: thnk yuou too!
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Well It is my belief that we who have not graduated from this class already knew all this of you
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Don't forget certain maniacs (Putin, Kim Jong ect) threatening to blow everyone and everything up with nukes
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and your thoughts
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): that is also a thing only we are capable of, creating doomsday devices like that
[13:21] herman Bergson: Thank you, Gemma...or do you mean I am repeating myself? :-))
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): no
[13:22] Al Michigan: do not forget certain maniacs provoking russia to defenditself
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it was evident
[13:22] herman Bergson: I have no philosophical secrets :-))
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): All the philosophies we have studied and cant even remember
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and we managed to struggle through them still getting an idea of what tthe Professor believes
[13:23] Al Michigan: But mr bergson, i miss some thing, what... is the ... the meaning off life?
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): He showed us his meaning
[13:24] herman Bergson: the meaning of life is very simple , AL.....
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): to be happy and feel good and .... don't destroy everything around you
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): more or less
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i would say
[13:24] herman Bergson: it is being an organism on this planet....
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its a complex question for sure
[13:25] herman Bergson: that implies everything you said Bejiita :-)
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Live and Let live if it is not damaging anyone
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): or anything
[13:25] herman Bergson: There isn't a single organism on this planet that destroyed its habitat.....
[13:25] herman Bergson: except ONE....
[13:25] herman Bergson: that should make you wonder
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): not only our habitat but the habitat of other creatures
[13:26] Al Michigan: is it being an organism on this planet that would make gods say like: who , what God had created this wonderfull beings... look how thankful and respectful they try to be living a good live, a beautiful life and see how they overcome all their troubles with a belief in their powers to overcome any obstacle?
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): pollution, rainforest devastation, manufacture of nukes and other weapons, poisons ect
[13:27] herman Bergson: Would you olease sick to the debating rules here Al....?!
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): only we do these things
[13:27] Al Michigan: ah sorry...
[13:27] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): homo sapines is like a virus
[13:27] Al Michigan: but i could not be shortened
[13:27] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): sapiens
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well poisons nature is capable of too but unlike nature we tend to spread poison around us
[13:27] herman Bergson: Some say that indeed Beertje...and in a sense I agree
[13:27] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): wow almost beertje
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): pumping chemicals into lakes ect
[13:28] herman Bergson: that you could not be shorter is your problem Al, not ours and don't make it ours
[13:28] oola Neruda: Bejita... because not everyone sees this the same way
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed
[13:28] oola Neruda: thus you get starvation in some places where nobody cares if you die... etc... etc.....
[13:28] oola Neruda: ME FIRST!!!!!
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:29] oola Neruda: SHALLOW BELLY BUTTON WATCHERS
[13:29] Al Michigan: is it being an organism on this planet that would make gods saylike: whow, what God had created this wonderful beings...
[13:29] oola Neruda: OR... LETS GO TAKE THEIR FOOD AWAY... OR THEIR...OTHER THINGS
[13:29] herman Bergson: not an issue at the moment Al
[13:30] Al Michigan: oh, i was looking for the meaning off life...
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we wish
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we all do
[13:30] herman Bergson: The inequality in this world is a huge problem....
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): as said, its complex
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:30] oola Neruda: THE MEANING.... ME ME ME ME
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but still
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:30] Al Michigan: why is thata problem? inequality?
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is hard to put together
[13:31] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): some are more equal than others
[13:31] herman Bergson: take a weekend to think that over , Al....
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we believe basically all are good
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): because everyone have the right to a good life and we are created alike
[13:31] oola Neruda: when you live on the down side of that.... then you know... all too clearly
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): byt there are so many that are not
[13:31] Al Michigan: but if we allhave a right, does not that equal no has a right?
[13:31] herman Bergson: Indeed , oola
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa
[13:31] theo Velde is online.
[13:32] Al Michigan: oola, that makes it a problem for poor ppl, not for insecurity.
[13:32] Al Michigan: or inequality
[13:32] oola Neruda: that IS inequality
[13:33] Al Michigan: ?
[13:33] oola Neruda: greed fits in too.....
[13:33] herman Bergson: The climate conference and its results is an interesting example.....
[13:33] oola Neruda: i want what he has
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sigh
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yes
[13:33] herman Bergson: Western greed plundered the world, polluted it by its industries and now we equally should pay for the damage....
[13:34] herman Bergson: And the poor exploited countries say...NO WAY....YOU should pay us....
[13:34] oola Neruda: money money money
[13:34] herman Bergson: THAt is a matter of equality
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ah again the unequal
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and one thing is for sure, we cant save this with VR ect (I heard of a project involving saving some island by making a VR copy of it after its going under water). We have to save our actual real world first
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it does take money tho
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm money is a big issue in all these cases
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): big money
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): make more money, refusing to fix things cause its too expensive even it is possible and so on
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): funny thing is the longer it is put off the more money it takes
[13:35] herman Bergson: There is plenty of money in this world, Gemma.....
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): exactly
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i know
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): but in one place
[13:35] herman Bergson: If some idiot can buy Twitter for 44 billion dollars...?!
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): like repairing something early = cheap, fixing it later = exponentially more expensive, this applies both to a car engine and the entire world after destroying it
[13:36] herman Bergson: He could have spent it on soooooo many better issues
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): thing is he does that too
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): cant stand him but
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): he does a lot with his money
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): space travel coming
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed, als also Marks metaverse, what did he do with all that money, it looks like CRAP
[13:36] herman Bergson: complete waste of money
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): 100s of millions of dollars onto that
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:37] Al Michigan: but i .... i descent from safardic jews, chased from protugal by catholics,..I want reparations?
[13:37] herman Bergson: Good luck, Al
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): maybe you should get them to
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): tho
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): so many should
[13:38] Al Michigan: rutte has apologized recently, but van Agt did that 40 years ago as well...no end?
[13:39] herman Bergson: ok..
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): thinks of all the Americans who are displaced from somewhere but also displaced the Native people
[13:39] herman Bergson: Well...this was my first step to the end....:-)
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ah
[13:39] oola Neruda: I've seen the people in Peru... cover a valley... living in boxes and any kind of surface that can be a guard against the weather... many just sleeping on the streets
[13:39] herman Bergson: not the end of our class!!!!
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ah yes oola
[13:40] oola Neruda: In Africa... they lived in hiomes created with mud
[13:40] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): what end Herman?
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa
[13:40] herman Bergson: But the end of describing my view on homo sapiens....
[13:40] Al Michigan: i know lotsa dudes that wandered on the snow in holland, with nomoneyor roof
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): here too
[13:40] oola Neruda: i lived in a chicken house with my family as a child...
[13:41] oola Neruda: i have a very dim view of people who just think of themselves
[13:41] herman Bergson: I still have one or two lectures to go to complete my story and expose it to you
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ah ok
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): more to think about
[13:41] Al Michigan: the meaning offlife,.. how can that be making fun, doin ''good''?
[13:41] Al Michigan: ar we boyscouts?
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we try to be women scouts
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): there is a new idea to 3D print houses out of the mud and materials avaible in that particular area, the problem, u need to get a machine there AND that machine needs power which might be unavailable there, (unless u can power it with solar panels in sunny locations in say africa)
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but i have seen such houses and they look amazing, i could live in one for sure
[13:42] herman Bergson: Good plan Gemma !!!
[13:42] Al Michigan: 17 words!
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): sssss
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): that is our women problem
[13:42] herman Bergson: Right AL....Bejiita...BEHAVE! :-))
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ajajajaj!
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehee
[13:43] herman Bergson: lol
[13:43] herman Bergson: Ok friends....
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): for those who were not in this class for a looooong time Herman had to throw stuff to get us back in place
[13:43] oola Neruda: maybe more people have to "crash" before they begin to care about others
[13:43] herman Bergson: Let it be it for today
[13:44] herman Bergson: ohh...wait ..Gemma
[13:44] Al Michigan: whow his was so hard!
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): awk
[13:44] herman Bergson: lol
[13:44] bergfrau Apfelbaum: lol
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ty]
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yay
[13:45] bergfrau Apfelbaum: ty herman and class!
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hhee
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:45] bergfrau Apfelbaum: Herman
[13:45] Al Michigan: yeah was fun
[13:45] herman Bergson: lol... scripted all these buttons on my pulpit and never used them in almost ten years :-))
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): remember thursday is thanksgiving in usa
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): shall be stuffing stuffing in my mouth
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): washed down with wine
[13:46] herman Bergson: Ahh Thanksgiving....
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we do al
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we do
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): People need to
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): that is part of what thanksgiving is about
[13:47] herman Bergson: Peeps....Thursday we have a day off....where we honor all Americans in our class :-))
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): families
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we get together and argue
[13:47] herman Bergson: Coming Thursday NO CLASS
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): shall be here Tuesday
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): I think
[13:47] Al Michigan: see you tuesday, dr Bergson!
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): oki ㋡
[13:48] bergfrau Apfelbaum: ok
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