126. 19 May 2019
Afternoon. You and Carol worked in the yard earlier today and you both are still tired; you from the heat and Carol from the actual work. - Amorella
1412 hours. You are always to the point, Amorella. Yep, that's the way the late morning was. I am interested in the definition of metaphysics above because, to me, this project hits on three: 1, unchanging things (the soul); 2. the mind/body problem (heart and mind as a spiritual combination). These examples are treated as metaphysics via Kant's Critique of Pure Reason.
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Rejections of metaphysics
. . . David Hume took a strong position, arguing that all genuine knowledge involves either mathematics or matters of fact and that metaphysics, which goes beyond these, is worthless. He concludes his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding with the statement:
If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.
Thirty-three years after Hume's Enquiry appeared,Immanuel Kant published his Critique of Pure Reason. Although he followed Hume in rejecting much of previous metaphysics, he [Kant] argued that there was still room for some synthetic a prioriknowledge, concerned with matters of fact yet obtainable independent of experience. These included fundamental structures of space, time, and causality. He also argued for the freedom of the will and the existence of "things in themselves", the ultimate (but unknowable) objects of experience.
Selected and edited from Wikipedia - metaphysics
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1456 hours. To me the soul is an example of Kant's "the existence of things in themselves". The heart and mind (both used spiritually here) also fit -- they are more than implied fundamental spiritual-like elements of being human and the heart and mind and soul are fundamental elements in our way of life.
I, the Amorella, find this an acceptable reference to metaphysical in terms of use of this blog which at most is an argument bordering on philosophical thought.
From my perspective the words are irrelevant. mh
Carol is on her walk at Heritage Park, you stopped to buy a McD diet Coke and cookies after dropping her off, and for a change, you are facing south-east with the picnic shelter to your right and the swings on the playground straight ahead. - Amorella
1604 hours. It is supposed to downpour in about an hour, but it is really comfortable with the cloudy skies. Why are words irrelevant Miss Havisham?
I normally do not deal with matters of the heartanmind unless or until they make an agreement first. I am not for bickering. I am not judge or jury. I will intervene when appropriate, arbitrator-like, much as the part Amorella is playing between us as you have noticed. One division is "Rules", a second division is "Guidance". - mh
1613 hours. I would have never come up with "Guidance". The division sounds didactic in nature. (I have to look this up to make sure of the specifics.)
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didactic - adjective - intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive: a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice. • in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as to treat someone in a patronizing way: slow-paced, didactic lecturing.
Selected and edited from the Oxford/American software
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Carol arrived and is now on page 122, Chapter 15 of Coben's Darkest Fear. The sprinkles have begun. You are somewhat embarrassed to admit you have to look up words that many people know and use. - Amorella
1637 hours. I know 'didactic' such as moral instruction, i.e. a lecture in the worst sense of the word lecture. I gave a lecture at least once a week for most of my career. I considered them imparting knowledge partly of the social dynamics of history/literature/grammar not moral instruction. It was (until recently) my assumption that is the kind of lecture I would expect from a soul -- a rather stern, berating one with several 'do nots' in it. (1646)
You considered the soul to be a force of moral instruction, such as a wise, old soul giving you private advice on how to avoid furthering a private dilemma in the still physically living heartanmind. mh
1652 hours. I don't know how we got in this topic but yes, I suppose. Although, when I think about it, that is probably what many people would expect a guardian angel to do. There are a lot of cultural sayings about souls.
Let's look at a list from online. mh
1707 hours. I'll check but I don't remember ever seeing such a list. I imagine there are a few like 'wise old soul'. ---- Here's what I have found initially. Old souls are generally considered wise people who supposedly have old souls in them. \This is an example of what I am not looking for.
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What Is An ‘Old Soul’?
On the simplest definition, old souls are people who have had many different lives. This is often regardless of if they can actively recall those previous incarnations of themselves or not.
If this applies to you, you’ve probably always felt like it was difficult to find people who really understood you. In the worst cases, you may have felt isolated or deeply lonely, while in more moderate cases you may remember just feeling somehow out of step with most of your friends, family or colleagues. This tends to happen because old souls feel a kind of disconnect from the material plane. Similarly, they have an innate level of understanding that is simply beyond most people.
You may sometimes meet a child who strikes you as an old soul. In this way, these children are typically quieter than average, more thoughtful and may come across as daydreamers. They need careful, attentive nurturing in order to adjust to the differences between themselves and their peers.
Whether you suspect that you or someone you love might be an old soul, it’s important to be aware that this offers many benefits. In addition, as we’ll discuss below, old souls can have incredibly fulfilling lives; it can just take a while to figure out what their purpose should be.
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1810 hours. I cannot find anything online that fits the context of the question, 'What are the characteristics of the soul?' Anyone can look them up. Therefore, I am returning to Wikipedia for my response.
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Soul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The soul, in many religious, philosophical, and mythological traditions, is the incorporeal essence of a living being. Soul or psyche (Ancient Greek: ψυχή psūkhḗ, of ψύχειν psū́khein, "to breathe") comprises the mental abilities of a living being: reason, character, feeling, consciousness, memory, perception, thinking, etc. Depending on the philosophical system, a soul can either be mortal or immortal. In Judeo-Christianity, only human beings have immortal souls (although immortality is disputed within Judaism and the concept of immortality may have been influenced by Plato). For example, the Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas attributed "soul" (anima) to all organisms but argued that only human souls are immortal.
Other religions (most notably Hinduism and Jainism) hold that all living things from the smallest bacterium to the largest of mammals are the souls themselves (Atman, jiva) and have their physical representative (the body) in the world. The actual self is the soul, while the body is only a mechanism to experience the karma of that life. Thus if we see a tiger then there is a self-conscious identity residing in it (the soul), and a physical representative (the whole body of the tiger, which is observable) in the world. Some teach that even non-biological entities (such as rivers and mountains) possess souls. This belief is called animism. Greek philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, understood that the soul (ψυχή psūchê) must have a logical faculty, the exercise of which was the most divine of human actions. At his defense trial, Socrates even summarized his teaching as nothing other than an exhortation for his fellow Athenians to excel in matters of the psyche since all bodily goods are dependent on such excellence (Apology 30a–b).
Selected and edited from Wikipedia
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1817 hours. From the Wikipedia definition above what would you, Miss Havisham, agree with relative to the context of this project?
Drop the material below and I will edit it in the context of this project. - mh
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* Soul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[The] Soul comprises [selected] mental abilities of a living being: reason, character, feeling, consciousness, memory, perception, thinking, etc.
The actual self is [within] the soul, while the body is a mechanism to experience the karma of that life.
Greek philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, understood that the soul (ψυχή psūchê) must have a logical faculty, the exercise of which was the most divine of human actions.
In metaphysics, the concept of "Soul" may be equated with that of "Mind" in order to refer to the consciousness and intellect of the individual.
Selected and edited from Wikipedia by Miss Havisham
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1834 hours. Interesting and unexpected.
Post. - Amorella
The Thesis:
2227 hours. Miss Havisham, "why do you say 'selected' mental abilities" above?
I added 'selected' because the heartanmind have selected (unconsciously) what they find necessary to take with them. The key word is necessary because the spiritual heart and mind take what they 'honest are' and 'not a penny more or less' (figuratively of course).
2237 hours. By the same token, "Why do you keep 'the soul (ψυχή psūchê) must have a logical faculty, the exercise of which was the most divine of human actions.'"?
I keep the logical faculty because otherwise how could I be translated (in context) by Amorella. Your basic question has to do with using the words "most divine" of human actions. You are concerned that I am stepping beyond the bounds of this project and referencing G-D, but I am agreeing that one of the best elements of being human is having both a heart and a mind (reasonableness). Again, otherwise this project could not exist within our own context. mh
2249 hours. Thank you for the clarity in your response, Miss Havisham. I cannot, at this time, find argument against it.
This is a reminder, orndorff, that you, by necessity of your humanitycannot ever come to an honest conclusion that your heartanmind actually witnessed an authentic spiritual Angel whereas your soul, Miss Havisham, is convinced the AN-EL is indeed an authentic 'Spiritual Sign Post', as it were, because she visited the Site of the AN-EL with your heartanmind intact. - Amorella
2303 hours. Without full reasoning I cannot accept that what I thought I felt was a spiritual reality because I am a spiritual and a physical being. This is not a matter of 'having faith' for me. It is not in my nature to accept something such as this without question. I am an agnostic. I cannot deny and will not deny what I am. It is not morally right for G-D, if G-D exists, to deny me my own truth-of-being-what-I-am. Even my soul understands my position at least while consciously being alive.
I would not accept this project if this spiritual struggle were not honest and true. - mh
Post. - Amorella
