This dude should have a PhD in straight f’en awesomeness. Indeed! @TheJoeySwoll on some philosophical type shizznit.
Archive for the ‘Philosophy’ category
Joey Swoll Speaks on What Matters
July 2, 2014To Conquer the Mind of a Stoic
August 6, 2013I have been learning about stoics and stoicism in an attempt to enlighten myself. Well, more so about people who are stoic, as stoicism centers on an educational system founded in Athens. In order to understand complex human relationships, we must not only study ourselves, we must study others.
Since I tend to be a very open person, sometimes I don’t understand people who aren’t like me. I may be the exact opposite of one with stoic traits. Stoics believe that the philosophy of moral and intelligent beings is conveyed through ethical behavior and not words.
Key words for the teachings of stoicism are: self-control; fortitude; ethics; morals; virtue; strength; and will. A stoical person chooses to endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining. This has been described as being free from passion, and may be seen as being unmoved by joy or grief.
Some of the more interesting things I read were published in “The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca: Essays and Letters by Lucius Annaeus Seneca.” He said that “it is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” I do totally agree with that. Our mind is our most powerful weapon!
When is it ok to be conquered? Humans need to be weak sometimes. How does one conquer the mind of a stoic when the book is sealed shut? If we lock our mind to all, can we be happy? When should we be strong? When is it ok and acceptable to be weak?
Seneca also said that “one of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” This seems to go against the traits of a stoic? To be understood, parts of us must be symbolically and even physically conquered. But yes… that quote does reflect the essence of true friendship.
I am still learning about stoics. I do have much to learn. They are not like me. I believe in connection at the deepest level. Without real, intimate, and heartfelt connection how can we live? How can we be touched and touch others? Maybe I’ll never understand human books which intend to remain closed?
The most intelligent things that Seneca said was “if you wish to be loved, love.” He said that “true happiness is… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” Human relationships are complex. Learning is always the best step in successfully connecting with others.
Da Vinci and His Insatiable Need
July 28, 2013I can still remember the day that I stood in front of the Mona Lisa. It was 1993 and I had never seen the work of a master artist up close. It was amazing to think that I stood in front of a work created by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 1500s. One of the best museums I have ever visited was the Musée du Louvre in Paris. I was just a girl then and I would appreciate the history so much more today. At the time, I couldn’t even understand why I couldn’t use a flash to take a photograph of Da Vinci’s iconic image?
Da Vinci was such an amazing person. Aside from his works of art he was very inquisitive and loved to learn about how things functioned. Of course this fascination inspired his works, but his interests seemed to go further than basic curiosity. I admire his studies of the human body. His intricate pieces appear to jump off of the paper. They are alive in some strange way.
This afternoon I watched a fabulous special on KNME. It was titled “Da Vinci: The Lost Treasure.” In the documentary, Fiona Bruce “uncovers the story of Leonardo Da Vinci.” He was “considered to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived” and has been called an “enigmatic genius.” He was very enigmatic. I believe that much of the mystery surrounding this man was lost when he passed away.
In the documentary hosted by Fiona she traveled to New York to see a “lost” painting. The painting is believed to be an original Da Vinci piece. Conservation specialists revealed techniques used to examine the painting and it was very interesting. With infrared imaging they were able to look under layers of paint to reveal draft designs. This is something a copycat would not have done and is considered a primary reason this painting is genuine.
I knew some things about Leonardo, but there were a few interesting things I did not know. I learned that at 13 years old, he moved to Florence as an apprentice to a master artist. At 13? Wow! It was awesome to learn that “he kept a notebook always dangling from his belt.” His mind moved so fast that “he became notorious for not finishing his works.” I couldn’t believe that by the age of 20 he became an official part of the Florentine Painters! Makes me feel like I’m wasting my life away.
My favorite part of the documentary discussed how fascinated Da Vinci was with the human body. He mapped the geometry of the human body. The artist was so intrigued by the architecture of the physique that he practiced dissection in local hospitals. This helped him understand and chart the human body to see how it functioned. He compared the inner workings of the body to nature (i.e. the lungs to a branches of a tree or to a river). This sounds somewhat along the lines of the Doctrine of Signatures with regard to symbolism and shapes.
This doctrine is philosophical and is tied to herbs, plants and their medicinal uses. Though the Signatura Rerum or Signature of All Things was not published until 1621, the concepts were studied by several people in 16th century Europe. Studies along these lines went back even further to the Romans and Greeks. Da Vinci was so in tune with symbolism which I find awesome! This leads me to believe that this doctrine was of interest to him? Most scientists write off the Doctrine of Signatures, but I believe.
It was so depressing to see paintings like the huge image of the Last Supper in a state of deterioration. Accoring to Fiona’s research, it is about 20 percent of what it use to be. She called the painting “a ghost” of what it once was. This is apparently because Da Vinci chose to paint with oil paints on dry plaster, which is not how a fresco should be painted.
I learned so much from this documentary. It would be a dream come true for me to visit an archive holding the original sketch books of this master artist. It is so amazing how the human mind can continuously seek knowledge, yet never satiate the need for or hunger for more. Sometimes I feel rather “Da Vinci” in that respect.
Define and Attain Happiness
June 26, 2013Have you ever thought about what makes you really happy? As humans, we need to be happy sometimes. We deserve to feel genuine happiness, but what is happiness? Is it a smile? A thought? Laughter? Can it be bottled or made? Defined? Extracted? Invented? Analyzed? These are tough questions to answer.
New Webster’s Dictionary defines happiness as a “feeling of joy or pleasure.” According to the dictionary, the word happiness is a noun. So in that case, is happiness a thing? If happiness is a thing, maybe we can just buy some? I think not. How does the word “feeling” come into play in that definition? The word feeling is a verb tied to an emotional state. That kind of washes up the noun right?
Another online source says “happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.” That seems like a better, still not perfect definition. Can we even define the word happiness? Maybe it’s something we just can’t explain. Maybe it is something we can only feel?
For years psychologists, biologists, philosophers, and religious groups have attempted to understand what allows us to attain happiness. Maybe this is why we have such an ambiguous definition and understanding of happiness? In my humble opinion, the study of happiness should actually be cross-discipline. I believe happiness comes from the mind, heart and spirit. There should be a Doctrine of Happiness which incorporates all three.
For about 15 years, “positive psychologists” have been striving to understand happiness. Positive psychologists believe happiness is fundamentally important, and this contemporary branch of psychology has made efforts to understand the science of happiness. The psychological theory behind positive psychology includes things like pleasure, strength and talents. These are then tied to positive experiences and relationships. These psychologists also recognize that there are two sides to every coin with regard to the human condition. Maybe harnessing negative thoughts and emotions in useful ways works best? For instance, I write what I see as some my best poetry when I am upset.
So what makes me happy? Things that feed or replenish my mind, heart, and spirit make me happy. Intellectual, intimate and spiritual connection to humans who care to connect with me brings me happiness. I like to give of myself and help others. Seeing my son and those I care about smile because of my actions makes me happy. Making others feel good, brings me feelings of warmth, purpose, and happiness.
Maybe you should think about what makes you really happy? Each of us deserves and needs to be happy. It is possible that all the dissertations in the world will never pinpoint a definition of happiness. It does include smiling, pleasure and good thoughts. If it could be extracted and bottled, I would be rich. What it comes down to is simple. Happiness is a choice. When it rains, we can be riddled with misery or we can choose to be happy even in the face of adversity. We must choose to take control and understand that we all deserve to be happy.
Laura Cereta: My Renaissance Hero
December 15, 2012An Italian named Laura Cereta was an intellectual woman ahead of her time. She is my hero because she pushed it to the limit. Cereta insisted on having intellectual conversations with both men and women during a time when women we not supposed to do so.
She was a writer who lived from 1469–1499, and was a well known humanist and feminist of the Renaissance Period. How sad that she died younger than I. I would love to locate the archive where her original writings can be found- if not, I guess a secondary source in the form of a book would do. Most of her writing was in the form of personal letters to scholarly men. There must be a private collection of her original works somewhere?
The subject of her letters, many of which she published on her own in a book included: enlightenment; war; death; fate; and the oppression of married women. Check out this awesome letter I found online. Of course~ an archivist would need to verify the accuracy of this internet source.
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Laura Cereta’s “Letter to Bibulus Sempronius”
You [Bibulus] brashly and publicly not merely wonder but indeed lament that I am said to possess as fine a mind as nature ever bestowed upon the most learned man. You seem to think so learned a woman has scarcely before been seen in the world. You are wrong …. for you have ceased to be a living man, but become animated stone; having rejected the studies which make men wise, you rot in torpid leisure. The explanation is clear: women have been able by nature to be exceptional, but have chosen lesser goals. For some women are concerned with parting their hair correctly, adorning themselves with lovely dresses, … or standing at mirrors to smear their lovely faces. But those in whom a deeper integrity yearns for virtue, restrain from the start their youthful souls, reflect on higher things, harden the body with sobriety and trials, and curb their tongues, open their ears, compose their thoughts in wakeful hours, their minds in contemplation to letters bonded to righteousness. For knowledge is not given as a gift, but [is gained] with diligence. Nature has generously lavished its gifts upon all people, opening to all the doors of choice through which reason sends envoys to the will …. You pretend that I alone am admirable because of the good fortune of my intellect. But I, compared to other women who have won splendid renown, am but a little mousling.
400 Year Old Archive: Secrets of the Vatican
January 31, 2012
Clip taken from a section of a document in the Trial of Galileo (1633). The document is in the Vatican's Secret Archive- Clip taken from Vatican’s Secret Archives turn 400 years old- http://www.romereports.com/
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Today is the birthday of the Vatican’s Secret Archive, which dates back to January 31, 1612. The archive is full of amazing documents. Despite the colorful comments that can be found tied to the fact that the archive remains “secret,” this archive houses some of the most fascinating documents in the world. Documents in the archive have been made available with the pre-approval of authorities (of course) to academics and historians over the years. My guess would be that preference is given to scholars whom convey a positive image of the church. There are more than 50 miles of shelves in this archive. The records contained in the archives span 12 centuries of history. As an archivist who loves history, science, and the stars, my favorite documents housed in the archive would likely be those associated with the Trial of Galileo. He was a bit of a thorn in the side of the Roman Inquisition, and details of his 1633 trial are among the “secrets” this archive keeps. Galileo Galilei battled with the Catholic Church until his death in 1642. The church did not like him mainly because he was against the Aristotelian theory of the universe, and he favored astronomy and the Copernican theory. Artists have rendered interpretations (in various media) of his inquisition for centuries. It is a very interesting case! When you get a chance, check out this video footage about the anniversary of the archive at http://youtu.be/8naSnSysKmg.
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Clip taken from a document is in the Vatican's Secret Archive- Clip taken from Vatican’s Secret Archives turn 400 years old- http://www.romereports.com/
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*****Coat of Arms of the Holy See***** Is this a cryptogram? Things that come to mind... There are two keys- number 11? Why is one key gold and the other silver? The keys would open seperate doors, yet they are bound together by the handle and in the center (with a cross). I see the number 3 repeated 4 times in the crown. That equals 12. There were 12 Apostles. There were also several 12th-century Roman Catholic Church Councils. 12 is a symbol of cosmic order. "Europe's Apostasy and Idolatry The Flag: Do we see an 'ecclesiastical Babylon' in Europe? The European Union (EU) flag comprises 12 golden stars on a blue background. Officially it is claimed that the circle of 12 stars represents 'solidarity and harmony between the peoples of Europe', the number 12 denoting 'perfection, completeness and unity' (in the Bible, 12 denotes 'governmental perfection')."
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Vatican’s Secret Archives turn 400 years old
Originally published online on 1.31.2012 by http://www.romereports.com/
Within the walls of Vatican City is stored one of the most important treasures in the world, the Vatican’s Secret Archives.
Only a limited number of people can access documents kept here by the Catholic Church. It’s free to gain access, but only academics and historians are allowed and they must request authorization from the Vatican.
In 1810, Napoleon Bonaparte took over 3,000 documents to Paris. After his fall from power, the files over time made their way back to the Vatican. Although during these transfers, many valuable documents were lost, some of which were from the fifth century.
Today, 400 years after its creation, the archive has over 50 miles of shelving, filled with books, papal bulls, decrees and encyclicals that cover twelve centuries of history. Among its corridors, one can find documents like the parchment of acquittal of Clement V to the Templars, from August of the year 1308, and details from the trial of Galileo, as well as the request for a marriage annulment by England’s King Henry VIII.
To celebrate it’s 400th anniversary, the exhibition “Lux in Arcana” has been created. From March to September, visitors to Rome can find 100 documents from the Vatican’s Secret Archives on display in the Capitoline Museums.
Vatican’s Secret Archives turn 400 years old
http://www.romereports.com/palio/vatican%27s-secret-archives-turns-400-years-old-english-5959.html
Connectedness: The Mortal Weakness of Captain America
August 14, 2011I can hear the shallow critics chastising Captain America. It is funny how a large part of the target audience for that movie in all likelihood didn’t get it. Taking things at face value is a mistake in my opinion, but maybe I am over analytical (to deep for my own good), and already six feet under! As the only woman in my household (other than a female Siamese cat and a female Teacup Chihuahua), I was out voted on our last trip to the movies. I wanted to see the new Harry Potter, but my son insisted I tag along to go see the first avenger in action. I’ll admit that I was not thrilled to buy that ticket, but I was pleasantly surprised. I love it when directors, writers, and Hollywood glams, do an excellent job conveying cliché ideas. You know- the cliché movie scripts with heroes, villains and lovely women? But in this one, I saw something more. Captain America: The First Avenger was a refreshing story about connectedness.
The story line starts with the Nazi invasion of Norway in 1942. The Nazi were interested in stealing a blue tesseract (prism cube), for the special powers it housed. America is prompted to create a super-soldier for enhanced defense against Red Skull, Adolf Hitler’s ruthless agent. Chris Evans, plays the role of Captain America. He starts off as Steve Rogers, a 90 pound asthmatic from Brooklyn. Though he is dedicated to becoming a solider, he is the last person that the military wants to accept into service (WWII). He is continually denied for health reasons. He is also shunned by shallow women, who prefer the company of his handsome, and well built friend (already in the military). He does not appear to care. As a patriot, he is connected to his goal. At last a scientist, Dr. Abraham Erskine (played by Stanley Tucci) swoops him up at a conference on the future of technology. The scientist listens in on the potential soldier, because he sees something far more than physical in him. Because of Dr. Erskine, Rogers is accepted into a special program with the military. The program is looking to create a new kind of soldier using the injection treatment of an extraordinary serum.
It is during his training to become a super-soldier that Rogers meets, and is enthralled by Agent Peggy Carter (played by Hayley Atwell). She is beautifully captivating in the movie with red lips, sharp shooting, perfect hair and perfect heart. Within two specific instances, Agent Carter falls in love with the mind and spirit of a man. In one scene, Colonel Chester Phillips (played by Tommy Lee Jones) tells the soldiers to fight to get a flag off a flagpole, and then offers a reward of traveling with Agent Carter. Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter watch all men but one combat to take the flag. The colonel laughs and says that not one person had successfully taken that flag down in 17 years. The soldiers start to walk away. Just then, Rogers walks right up to the pole (as his colonel yells for him to fall back) to pull a metal pin out of the bottom. To the amazement of all, the pole drops to the floor and he gets the flag, then gets into the truck with Agent Carter. Witnessing his smarts, Agent Carter is impressed.
The second scene that takes Agent Carter’s breath away is when he displays relentless courage. Colonel Phillips begins to doubt Dr. Erskine with regard to selecting Rogers to become the super-soldier, and decides to test the soldiers. He tells Agent Carter that nice people don’t win wars. Colonel Phillips reaches for a grenade, says “this is what wins wars,” and then throws the grenade near the soldiers. All of the stereotypically brave men run and hide, while Rogers yells “run” and cradles the bomb to shield others from the explosion. The patriotically courageous act, again wins him major points with the woman. In his series about the Ancient Greeks, Dr. Boeree (a noted researcher) addresses this idea. Plato (Aristocles) was a philosophy student of the infamous Socrates. Plato believed that the phenomenal world strove to be “ideal, perfect, and complete.” If that is the case than it is true that ideals are a force which we draw motivation from. Plato believed that our souls were drawn to good, and the ideal.
Of course you know how the rest of the story goes. Captain America does get the girl. He gets the girl much sooner than most watching that movie would think. Captain America actually gets the girl as Steve Rogers, in his unclouded form. Dr. Boeree also distinguished three levels of pleasure in his studies on the Ancient Greeks. The first two were physical pleasure (sexual connections), and esthetic/sensuous pleasure (admiring beauty, marital connections). Plato believed the highest level of pleasure was attained through the pleasures of the mind. That given, it makes sense that the agent and the captain experienced a unique connectedness. In his paper, Dr. Boeree says “the example would be platonic love, intellectual love for another person unsullied by physical involvement.” Sadly, the two never have the chance to become lovers.
Steve Rogers is transformed into Captain America, and then he is whisked away to promote war bonds in Italy (1943). It turned out the reason that Dr. Erskine selected Rogers, was because the serum would “enhance” whatever was already within a person. If you were bad, it made you worse, and if you were good, it made you better. Captain America ends up having to crash his plane into the Arctic at the end of the movie. He talks to Agent Carter over the radio while together they descend. They discuss “waiting for the right person,” as they realize it will be the last time they will ever communicate. He makes sure to set up a date to take the agent out to dance, though they both know it will never happen. He misses that date after waking up in New York from a 70 year long deep sleep, looking not a day older than he remembers. He notes that he missed his date.
Agent Carter fell for Captain America before he was a captain. In her eyes, he was simply Steve Rogers. This intelligent being was capable of capturing her psyche, making her heartbeats skip, and was able to halt an evil empire with realness. At first glance, one could not unveil the mortal weakness of Captain America.
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Captain America: The First Avenger (Movie Trailer)
http://captainamerica.marvel.com/
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Another interesting look at the idea of mind-body connection:
Mind, Body Connection with Deepak Chopra – CBS News Video
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6406365n
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