The existence of a self is responsible for every aspect of humanity beyond instinct: thought, emotions, and logic. Three hundred and seventy years ago, René Descartes came to the conclusion: “I think therefore I am.” He reached this through a series of several meditations and as a result he discovered this self. This complex subject extends beyond the physical brain into how and why we as humans think and act the way we do. I agree with Descartes and his methodology by which we know a self exists. Indeed, there is a self: an entity that fills the nonphysical space of the brain, it is the reason each human is a unique individual and has allowed for society to grow past the prehistoric ages. The self is the foundation of one’s existence: it
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Robert Thurman, a professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University is one critic of Descartes. In “Wisdom” from his book Infinite Life, he challenges the existence of the self, writing “that self is only a pretend self, it looks real, it doesn’t really exist” (Thurman). Instead, he promotes a united society that is focused on selflessness and the needs of others rather than vanity. He continues on the topic of selflessness and counters the existence of self by explaining that “the only thing that’s frightened by the word ‘selflessness’ is the artificially constructed, unreal, and unrealistic self” (Thurman). Thurman promotes this idealistic, selfless world as the key to happiness. However, he fails to recognize that these Buddhist teachings are very rooted in emotions. He writes: “if you are selfless, then your suffering is your partner’s suffering” (Thurman). If there is no self, where does that emotion originate? Humanity without the self is merely a society of …show more content…
The goddess Philosophy only works towards questioning Descartes thought process. For example, when Descartes exclaims “I think therefore I am,” Philosophy responds with “how do you know?” (Kolak). Kolak relentlessly interrogates Descartes. He does not effectively disprove Descartes’ discovery of the self.
I believe that a truly self-less world would entail a dull, meaningless society – a world full of machines who are only focused on survival. In our world, humans are motivated not by the need to survive but by the nonphysical, unique self. With a self, we are given an individual, significant purpose. Whether it be to expand resource production or to save a life, the self is responsible for our emotion and logic. It is responsible for our functioning society.
Your thoughts, your emotions, your reasoning are all pieces of evidence that point toward the existence of a self. I believe that the self is the reason each human is a unique individual. Descartes “rightly concludes that his essence consists only in his being a thinking thing” and thus, I conclude that my essence also derives from my internal self – my thought, my emotion, and my logic. Society as we know it would not exist without the existence of a self. It has allowed for unlimited advancement, beyond our basic needs, and a long and interesting history. Your self is your key to
Robert Thurman, a professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University is one critic of Descartes. In “Wisdom” from his book Infinite Life, he challenges the existence of the self, writing “that self is only a pretend self, it looks real, it doesn’t really exist” (Thurman). Instead, he promotes a united society that is focused on selflessness and the needs of others rather than vanity. He continues on the topic of selflessness and counters the existence of self by explaining that “the only thing that’s frightened by the word ‘selflessness’ is the artificially constructed, unreal, and unrealistic self” (Thurman). Thurman promotes this idealistic, selfless world as the key to happiness. However, he fails to recognize that these Buddhist teachings are very rooted in emotions. He writes: “if you are selfless, then your suffering is your partner’s suffering” (Thurman). If there is no self, where does that emotion originate? Humanity without the self is merely a society of …show more content…
The goddess Philosophy only works towards questioning Descartes thought process. For example, when Descartes exclaims “I think therefore I am,” Philosophy responds with “how do you know?” (Kolak). Kolak relentlessly interrogates Descartes. He does not effectively disprove Descartes’ discovery of the self.
I believe that a truly self-less world would entail a dull, meaningless society – a world full of machines who are only focused on survival. In our world, humans are motivated not by the need to survive but by the nonphysical, unique self. With a self, we are given an individual, significant purpose. Whether it be to expand resource production or to save a life, the self is responsible for our emotion and logic. It is responsible for our functioning society.
Your thoughts, your emotions, your reasoning are all pieces of evidence that point toward the existence of a self. I believe that the self is the reason each human is a unique individual. Descartes “rightly concludes that his essence consists only in his being a thinking thing” and thus, I conclude that my essence also derives from my internal self – my thought, my emotion, and my logic. Society as we know it would not exist without the existence of a self. It has allowed for unlimited advancement, beyond our basic needs, and a long and interesting history. Your self is your key to