Quote from: Sailor_Saturn on November 09, 2011, 10:56:28 PM
Zenda, just because you follow a philosophy which asserts that all views on a subject are equally worthy of consideration doesn't mean that anyone who thinks that is bogus is just closed-minded. A Confucian scholar would say you're simply refusing to rectify the names, and that your way of thinking only generates chaos and strife. They would respond to your assertion that they are conditioned to give definite meanings to everything by saying that you're conditioned to never give definite meanings to anything. In essence, they would assert that you're as conditioned as they and just aren't admitting it, instead choosing to give yourself the title "free-thinker".
Basically, they'd scream "Things are real! They have meanings and form!" and bang a teacup against the table until you admitted that there was a teacup and a table.
Not that I can't sympathize with your way of thinking. I'm particularly amused by Zhuangzi in his responses to common Confucian critiques of Taoism. But in the case of words, there are a limited number of contexts to which they can be properly applied. Jacelyn has it backwards. Possible meanings and thoughts are infinite, the words through which these things can be expressed are finite. Language is a limiting factor, like it or not.
Kia Ora Sailor S,

Thanks for your interesting response....However before I continue I would like to point out "Closed Minded" was your choice of 'words' ...A 'condition mind' in how I used the term as nothing to do with the narrow closed minded nature of a 'bigot'...I was simply stating the obvious[for those who have an understanding of Buddhism and Dependent Origination/Arising ]...
"All phenomena in the world comes into being because of 'causes' and 'conditions' without them no phenomena would appear in this world and no phenomena could 'exist' in this world...Nothing has an independent existence of it's own !" All phenomena arises from causes and conditions...All phenomena disappears due to causes and conditions... Causes and conditions themselves are phenomena and they arise from other causes and conditions...What is a cause here may be seen as a phenomena there or as a condition else where...

Slightly off topic but what the hell...............
When it come to the table and teacup and differences in philosophical 'thought'... Through observation meditation 'I' [in the conventional form] like Jacelyn am fully 'aware' of this 'conditioned' state of mind...
Things are thoughts and thoughts are things, and when it comes to the table and teacup yes they exist as a table and teacup [by name/label only], and 'only' from the observer's side...
Without the observer observing and mentally labeling, would there still be a table and teacup ? Or just material, pieces of wood and bits of clay/china ?[even to imagine this there as to be imagination which arises in the observer etc].... To say yes, then one would have to explain how they can exist as a table and teacup[from their own side] when no one is 'observing' them...
The table and teacup's existence 'depends' on the 'conditioned thoughts' that 'arise' in the observer's 'conditioned' mind...
Free standing- unobserved, the table and teacup don't exist on their own, how can they ?
From what I gather Jacelyn's not only well educated [like yourself and many others who have joined the debate] but it would seem she is also an 'experienced' meditator-hence her approach to this topic...
I on the other hand don't have a way with words, my vocabulary is limited [even for a native English speaker] I have what you would call a 'simple' contented mind,
'I' like to 'think' free from clutter...

Back to topic...
Why do some M2Fs men act like gay men? Because of cause and condition
Metta Zenda