Head/Heart

[C4Racer]

Interesting discussion (let's not personal, ok?)

 

Two different view points, one from a philosophical view and the other from a biophysical view. Two different explanations for much the same thing? Perhaps the real answer is a little of both.

 

Dam, Don, I was enjoying the good spat. Ya really know how to spoil the fun man. (Only kiddin')

 

Anyway, I think you have something there about the real answer. My dad always taught me that there are three points of view on any subject. Both extremes, usually talked about as right and left, or conservative and liberal, depending on the subject. Although both preach they are the only right, neither is usually right. The right answer is normally found somewhere in the middle. The world is not black and white, but a whole lot of shades of gray.

 

East is not always right, West is not always right, right is somewhere in the middle.

[Joanne]

East is not always right, West is not always right, right is somewhere in the middle.

 

That was Confucius' idea.

[Trigg]

East is not always right, West is not always right, right is somewhere in the middle.

 

That was Confucius' idea.

uh huh, Confucius and about 100 million others. Nothing really exists on a dichotomy--rather on a continuum. Anything that is perceived as real is indeed real in it's consequences!!!

[david_dawei]

Personally I find psycho babble easier to swallow than eastern mysticism mumbo jumbo.

 

I would agree with this.. as did Confucius.. so we are all in agreement.

 

Eastern mysticism has been labeled as bordering on the irrational... it's a good thing that the chinese were too smart, practical minded, and in tune with mankind to embrace that sort of thing.

 

Mysticism, in a philosophical sense, implies a tendency for the union of the human with the divine; one has to go to christianity (ergo, western civilization) to see the greatest tendency of this.

 

Again, the chinese were way too practical to embrace such ideas, and they tend toward more humanism if anything. Confucius was man-centered and self-effort was paramount. His main three ideas were courtesy/conduct, goodness, and ethic. One should be able to easily see why "doing" is the final outcome.

 

To attempt to bring this back on-topic.. Neo-Confuciansim was a revival of Confucius thought, starting in the 9th century. Such concepts as 'daoxue' (teachings of the way), 'lixue' (teachings of principles) and 'xinxue' (teaching of the mind-heart) became standard...

 

Sounds silly to talk of a standard almost 2,000 years ago... and which is practically perserved today in chinese thought today...

 

I wonder how long the current western thought will stay perserved? Existentialism of the 50's is already out of vogue... although it was humanistically fairly close to chinese thought (and borrowed from it, without knowing it), it has already passed it by for, supposedly something better...

 

left, right, middle is still a concept.. one should just 'be'. Western man worries about where they are in mix (left, right, middle)... I've never heard an eastern person be troubled with where they are in the mix.

[LeeFisher3]

WHEN I FIND MYSELF IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM

LET IT BE

 

AND IN MY HOUR OF DARKNESS

SHE IS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM

LET IT BE

 

LET IT BE, LET IT BE

LET IT BE, LET IT BE

WHISPER WORDS OF WISDOM

LET IT BE

 

AND WHEN THE BROKEN HEARTED PEOPLE

LIVING IN THE WORLD AGREE

THERE WILL BE AN ANSWER

LET IT BE

 

LET IT BE, LET IT BE...

 

AND WHEN THE NIGHT IS CLOUDY

THERE'S STILL A LIGHT THAT SHINES ON ME

SHINE UNTIL TOMORROW

LET IT BE

 

I WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF MUSIC

MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM

LET IT BE

 

LET IT BE, LET IT BE...

 

THERE WILL BE AN ANSWER

LET IT BE

[frank1538]

I can only offer this. Since I have been told that I have no brain and therefore, presumably no mind, my heart or other body part further down must be doing all of the thinking for me.

[Dennis143]

 

left, right, middle is still a concept.. one should just 'be'. Western man worries about where they are in mix (left, right, middle)... I've never heard an eastern person be troubled with where they are in the mix.

TO DO IS TO BE: Neitzche

TO BE IS TO DO: Kant

DO BE DO BE DO: Sinatra

[SinoTexas]

The guy standing on the tiny stage never missed a chance to take a simple idea and intellectualize it until it disappeared completely.

 

Kinky Friedman

[LeeFisher3]

The guy standing on the tiny stage never missed a chance to take a simple idea and intellectualize it until it disappeared completely.

 

Kinky Friedman

[david_dawei]

the whole point of head/heart as taught in chinese philosophy is that one should not divide them into distinct concepts; just as right/wrong; left/right... that's the only point I've tried to make.. if one can drop this idea (of breaking down the parts), then you take a step towards understanding one aspect of asian philosophy. Maybe "let it be" is a good way of expressing it.

 

But it seems that people rather feel this is a stage... I'm not sure how a thread turns into a stage, unless we're breaking down the thread to some smaller part.. interesting to observe the reactions going on.

[david_dawei]

AM,

 

knowing your study of chinese language and interest in linguistics.. I think you'd find this author and book interesting that I've read:

 

A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought: A Philosophical Interpretation

http://www.amazon.com/Daoist-Theory-Chines...TF8&s=books

 

Here is the authors website as well:

 

http://www.hku.hk/philodep/ch/

 

and an article by him on heart-mind:

 

http://www.hku.hk/philodep/ch/mind.htm

 

and a forum on chinese culture and language

 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/forums.php

 

and a forum on chinese history

 

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/

Edited October 1, 2006 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[Joanne]

The guy standing on the tiny stage never missed a chance to take a simple idea and intellectualize it until it disappeared completely.

 

Kinky Friedman

I don't get it. What's so funny?

[Dennis143]

The guy standing on the tiny stage never missed a chance to take a simple idea and intellectualize it until it disappeared completely.

 

Kinky Friedman

I don't get it. What's so funny?

I'm with you Jo. Whatever it was, it flew right over me.

[SheLikesME?]

Gees Dennis and Joanne, I KNOW this isn't just a Texas thang. Of course he is running for govenor.

 

 

 

All I can say over all about this is that I am glad my wife does know the diference. Of course she tries, rather well, to live by her head, but her heart sure got in the way this time. One thing about us is this FEELING sure is the glue for us. We like it. But she did put her head into this relationship and all her preperations as much as possible. She would like to dismiss or control her heart. But.......we both got stupid and rash. Truthfully I think she gets mad at herself because of her heart. It's not logical, but she accepts it and works with it in reality to make it work out. The 2 are not compatible. Smae with children. She wants a relaxed life but loves babies -- the 2 are not compatible. She gets stumped. So maybe the heart will win. I HOPE SO!!!

Edited October 5, 2006 by SheLikesME (see edit history)

[SmilingAsia]

My head is a cabinet for the PC card - my brain.

My heart is a motor.

When I feel upset, I just push the reset button.

I never complained to the manufacturers (my parents) about this human robot even when it broke down.