What's Your Philosophy?

[MaybeJake]

If you have one, that is, what is it? Mine is, so far, existential nihilism. Though on some days I won't admit to the nihilism part. And some days I lean more toward absurdism (one of my favorite books is Camus' The Stranger) than existentialism. I see no inherent meaning or value in life, and thus life and everything that comes with it means only what I choose to believe. Only has the value that I invest in it. Many days, I don't see the point of investing it with any of either, but c'est la vie.

Any other existentialists in here? Or nihilists? Absurdists? Any rationalists? Materialists? Bueller? Bueller?

And why is your philosophy so awesome for you? What grabs you about it? What don't the hoi polloi understand about it that you do?

Let's swap philosophies and get this party started!


MJ

[suzifrommd]

I'm a confident agnostic. I believe that no only do I not know whether God exists, but that it is unknowable, because if there is a God, they could easily make it so that it appears they do not exist.

That being said, if God does exist, omnipotent and omniscient, and lets horrible things like war and disease and torture go on when they could just stop it all, then they're not someone I really want to get to know.

In fact, I plan to vote against them in the next election... 

As for praying, I do it frequently and find it helps immeasurably. Since I'm not sure about God, I pray to my inner strength. That means I can only pray for things I can get from inside myself, usually strength, courage, understanding, or personal peace.

[Anatta]

Kia Ora Maybejake,

My philosophy/ies flow/s like this:

I'm an atheist in that I don't recognise an absolute personal deity  ...But  I'm not philosophically atheistic  because I don't deny ultimate reality 

I tend to just go with the flow of what's happening (life)    and not take  my 'self's interaction with/in life too seriously  (the self just being the psycho-physical phenomena that comes together to create the illusion of something solid-like an ever-present permanent fixture that thinks feels and  react to the external environment)...

There are billions of meanings to/of life, so one can take their pick of meanings....However for my "not so serious" self  the 'purpose' of (my) life is the pursuit of happiness  and true lasting happiness only comes when those around  can share in this happiness-which in turn motivates 'me' to help others find happiness...

Obtaining  'awareness' of the workings of this psycho-physical phenomena called the self is the key which can help to 'manipulate' these five aggregates that make up the self   1=form 2=consciousness(conventional mind) 3=sensation 4=perception 5= habitual tendencies ...

So in a nutshell...

My philosophy is to "Just Go With The Flow Of Life" with the intention of "Doing No Harm" and just enjoy it ! 

"Don't Take Life Too Seriously!" (if one does then the universal law of cause, condition and effect comes into play and ones 'selected' level of seriousness will continue...

I know that some who read this will  and what a load of crap...And my answer to this is "Crap is better out than in" and if you ask anyone whose suffered from constipation they would whole heartedly agree   

Metta Zenda 

[androgynouspainter26]

I'm an optimistic humanist, though this is by no means the "best of all possible worlds".  When I finally came to the realization that existence is nothing more than a spontaneous phenomenon, I also realized just how improbable existence is; there is so much beauty in the world, and I marvel in it. 

In the words of Diana Nyad, ""I can stand at the beach's edge with the most devout Christian, Jew, Buddhist, go on down the line, and weep with the beauty of this universe and be moved by all of humanity. All the billions of people who have lived before us, who have loved and hurt and suffered."  I'm a humanist, and rather than believe in god, I believe in mankind and our intelligence, power, and achievement.

[Anatta]

I'm an optimistic humanist, though this is by no means the "best of all possible worlds".  When I finally came to the realization that existence is nothing more than a spontaneous phenomenon, I also realized just how improbable existence is; there is so much beauty in the world, and I marvel in it. 

In the words of Diana Nyad, ""I can stand at the beach's edge with the most devout Christian, Jew, Buddhist, go on down the line, and weep with the beauty of this universe and be moved by all of humanity. All the billions of people who have lived before us, who have loved and hurt and suffered."  I'm a humanist, and rather than believe in god, I believe in mankind and our intelligence, power, and achievement.

Kia Ora A,

If a Buddhist was 'devout' (showing a deep commitment towards the Dharma.) there would be no place in the scheme of things for any creator god-there is no first cause when it comes to the Buddha's Dharma..

It's funny how many people in the West equate Buddhism with Theism...Apart from the 'training tool gods' ( mind "visualisation" gods used as motivational tools in some schools of Buddhists) Buddhism is non theistic...

Perhaps Diana is not familiar with the Buddha Dharma...

"BTW I should point out that this is how the Dharma presents itself to the the five aggregates that represents this being called "I" but other Buddhists might not interpret the Dharma this way, they may choose to see things differently-in a god-centric way-so each to their own..."

Metta Zenda

[androgynouspainter26]

I'm familiar with the Buddhist faith, and I say faith just because it's a convenient word to use.  She used the word devout, but devout does not necessarily apply to theism.  My ex us a devout vegetarian, I'm a devout jew, though I don't believe in god.  I'm devoted to the principals of the culture.  I actually edited the quote-if I had listed the last sentence, you'd have had a field day.  Look:

I can stand at the beach's edge with the most devout Christian, Jew, Buddhist, go on down the line, and weep with the beauty of this universe and be moved by all of humanity — all the billions of people who have lived before us, who have loved and hurt.  So to me, my definition of God is humanity and is the love of humanity."

Yeah.  I know.

[Tossu-sama]

Well... I'm an atheist with a pessimistically realistic outlook on life. I guess I'm somewhat misanthropic as well since I think this world would've been way better without humans.

[MindyD]

I'm some form of modern moral hedonist.

I believe that the only meaning in life comes from joy; sexual pleasure being a major part of it.
I find violence abhorrent and am a practicing pacifist.
I think it's the duty of those who do/have done well to help those less fortunate than themselves.
I believe in going out of your way, when you are able to, and help them as well. Even if it's just buying an extra cheese burger and giving it to the bum out side your building. The little acts build up, especially if everyone does them.

[Jill F]

I got mine from Spinal Tap, believe it or not.

Try to have a good time all of the time.

Because I believe in that bus that almost hit me once.  You don't know how much time you have, so you might as well try to pack in as much happy as humanly possible.  I'm just getting started, as apparently I had no idea what happy even was until this year.

[LordKAT]

Give aid if you can but,.....first do no harm.