Planning a philosophical life  

What I would like for my life

1. I would like to be happy — or at least not unhappy.

2. I would like life to have genuine meaning — some point — an object which makes taking action worthwhile, sincerely worthwhile.

3. I would like to feel free of constraints: moral, social, economic, political

 

My situation in the world

1. Any sense of meaning must come from within me. It must not be derived from the world beyond me, although it may be stimulated by it.

2. No desire based on objects of the world can have any meaning.

3. I am part of the world.

4. The world is both beyond me and separate to me.

5. The world is that which contains me and that which is the same as me.

6. I am conscious of the world. The world is not directly conscious of me.

 

Love as a pointer

1. I experience love. The world merely includes love as a quality.

2. Love is the only abiding quality with sustained meaning.

3. Love comes form within me and yet gives meaning to the world beyond me.

4. Love can be sincerely felt.

5. Love is the only worthwhile meaning.

 

A structural difficulty

1. Most things which, at one time, seem to have meaning, at a later time, can seem meaningless.

 

Psychological difficulties

1. Judging means closing off the world of change. But how can we be wise if we are unable to judge?

2. Suppressing words and thoughts. This must be balanced with our heart and our faith with self.

3. We must understand that allowing the political life to affect our thinking misdirects us.

 

How to move towards action

1. Understand there are two categories: things-we-do, things-we-do-with-our-heart.

2. Try to increase those things-we-do-with-our-heart to encompass the things-we-do.

3. Do not be fearful of things that life entails.

 

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