I have now got the book “What is called thinking” by Martin Heidegger despite my qualms about his political history.I know he wrote it in German and hence a translation may give a different meaning so maybe my thoughts are not sensible….and my first thoughts are………….. it is fascinating title.He is looking at an activity that we humans do.He is asking what it is we do when we say we think.So before I read it I am putting a few reflections.Thinking means standing back,waiting and reflecting.Often we do things because our parents did or our friends.Then sometimes we wonder about our life,we pause and try to examine how we are living.Or we could be solving an intellectual problem.Some things like quadratic equations can be solved by a formula.And many people are happy just to perform this rote activity But even though its math,you are not thinking when you do that.And I have an intuition that we avoid thinking much of the time because we step outside our automatic patterns.I once read an article that says depression comes on us when we face a problem at the unconscious level.The tiredness,slowness and painful feelings make us withdraw and that gives our minds time to reflect.So there must also be unconscious thinking.Maybe that other mind uses images as in dreams.And we all know that “sleeping” on a problem often produces a solution.Thinking may not be verbal all of the time.And we must have something to think about.We must be participating in the world of Others.Language comes via others.We are part of a society…at first just a few family members.But our tongue is shared with many people.And when we think in words,those words came before us and go on after us.
Related articles
- Martin Heidegger – Leon (talonsphilosophy.wordpress.com)
- Thinking is a lonely business (thefword.org.uk)
- Adorno on Heidegger (leiterreports.typepad.com)
- Dasein, The Second Coming and The Nature of God: High Gravity Pt. 2 (Heidegger) (garretmenges.wordpress.com)
- The Process of Art and Ideas (digitalmediatheory.wordpress.com)
- Humans, Machines, but do Plants have souls? (digitalmediatheory.wordpress.com)
- Thinking on Thursday about: (thedawnmcmillan.com)
Principle: “question everything”
This action manifests for self in a state of liberty from conformity.
And by what principles do we decide how to answer?
Your own.
But where do we get them from?Hitler’s were not good ones,for example!
Observe nature and you can build personal principles based on what you see in nature.
I don’t agree with that…
Worked for Heraclitus, Aristotle and Leonardo da Vinci… works for me too.
I see… what do you mean by Nature? Tidal waves,volcanoes,
hurricanes?
Nature = plants, animals, rocks, forces, stars, atoms…
Heraclitus: “Strife is Justice” meaning that strife is a natural aspect of nature, including human history, and through strife things move, change and exist. Peace is a human delusion, so is balance.
Thank you.It seems to be failing humanity so far…. and you think it’s unneccessary for us to think?
I shall have to think about that,whatever “thinking ” means.
Perhaps if you say what is the oppposite of your belief it may help me?
Thinking is good, which is why I suggest the individual questions everything, everything they see, hear and read, to their own beliefs, behaviors and experiences.
Accepting a claim without question as true is ignorance.
Yes,I agree entirely…we must not simply believe what suits our desires and wishes but look at the larger whole..I like your blog,by the way.I took a look.
I am glad you liked my blog, thanks for visiting.
I shall be back
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