13 June 2013
Discussed Text: David Foster Wallace, "This Is Water"
After discussing DFW’s This is Water, our class began a discussion on open-mindedness: mainly, to what extent can we be open and does everything actually happen for a reason? Unfortunately, due to some time constraint we weren’t able to completely address the issue and I think some of us, including me, weren’t able to formulate their own ideas with regards to the topic.
Like what DFW already said, everybody falls prey to their own biases. It’s not necessarily something that we choose, though. It could be something that is inherent and imbued within us by nature or by nurture; that is, it could be some outside element that influences us to think or feel a certain way towards something e.g. culture, religion, experience, etc. This creates in us a sort of “default natural setting”, as DFW put it, that makes us view reality in a certain manner without really considering what is.
I view reality as a single solitary piece of diamond: there is only one reality but there are many facets to it. Sometimes what we think is cannot be seen on the surface by other people because it is the side of reality that we choose to look at; that is, there is only one reality but we choose what we make of it.
And I think that’s where open-mindedness comes in. It’s the ability and decision to not only look at a single facet of this reality but to attempt at observing this diamond in its entirety, to understand that each facet has its own beauty and appeal to people, and to choose which facet or image is most appealing and “most rational” to us.
This choice doesn’t mean that any other view is wrong or inferior compared to our own. It just means that our manner of thinking is different from theirs and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think this difference brings about more opportunities to be more open-minded. As we open up to the thoughts and views of others, we get to see a better view of reality.
Causality, or the attribution of an event to a cause, depends on that choice: the choice to consider and weigh in on the reality that is presented to us. Everything will happen for a reason if we consider that it does.
This, I gather, is the true power of the human mind and what makes us above all animals: our ability to make rational and conscious decisions and thoughts as opposed to always involuntarily going with our gut and instincts.
I found this “meme” on the image sharing site, Imgur, and I think it goes well with the discussion during the last class. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?
Is reality subjective? If it is, then I reckon that the best response is to be open-minded about other people's views.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't there also such a thing as universal reality?
Can truth also be subjective?
Well, I leave this to Prof Garcia to elucidate.
Eve Avila
Philo 101A
I love the description of reality as a diamond with different facets. It describes precisely the complexity and beauty of reality or life itself.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to Ms.Avila's question about subjective truth, I would just like to suggest that for me, truth is an ambiguous term, bound by different language, culture, and perception. Truth itself does not change, but our perception causes us to alter our beliefs, thus we are creating our own set of "truths", building up our "individual reality".
Wai Yiu So PH101 A
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there's such a thing universal reality but I think we choose how we feel/think/respond to it since we we will always have our own biases towards *it*.
ReplyDeleteThis reality, which was pointed out to me by a friend a while ago, of us always being burdened by our biases made me realize something: can we actually ever be truly open-minded?
My position is that we could try and attempt to the best of our ability, with as much consideration as we can muster, but we can never actually be *completely* open-minded.
Again, what do you think?
Patrick Bulaon
PH 101 C