Society is not a collection of individuals but is a system of containers.
Non-philosophical forms of inquiry are intellectual endeavors constituted by certain basic assumptions. A scientific form of inquiry assumes that the world is an ordered whole and that we can, through reason, acquire knowledge of this whole. The world of science is governed by laws that define causal effects that are measurable and perceivable by humans.
Reality may be a rainbow but it is the case that humans reason from within container like boundaries; thus we are always within a container. However, the trick is to enlarge our containers and thereby gain a more universal perspective. We must find a means to examine our assumptions. Each container is constructed with its own assumptions. That is why philosophy is so useful. It is a container within the largest container, or at least Philosophy likes to think so.
By reading backward we get a sense of the universal and the relative, the essential and the arbitrary. We can form the basis of reading critically with questions to act as our guide to understanding. We can learn to see beyond the surface appearance. We can learn to stop our general practice of sleep reading. We have learned in our schooling to sleep read, sleep listen, and to become apathetic regarding all things intellectual. By reading backwards we can begin to comprehend the irrational assumptions of our superficial consumer culture.
so be a good container in the system and be filled with propaganda and communal lies to further the ends of the collective… er wait, fill yourself with ct and be a good… er maybe, your bad assumptions have led you to misery, but follow this scripture, this church… er this plan…
Coberst, this is somewhat metaphorically abstract. If by reading backwards, do you mean deconstructing language back to it’s basic application? I agree our educational system needs to be re-evaluated. I think all of the negativism we are witnessing is due people’s lost faith in society. Where they may express such thoughts at sites like these, they still follow societal guidlines. A lot of what is filling our containers is peverse is hollow and meaningless. That being said, I still don’t want everyone thinking alike. This world needs artists, scientists, philosophers, doctors, clergy, farmers…etc. Hopefully common sense thinking will overcome pseudo rationalization and get back on track.
Reading backwards means to read past history. By reading history and moving steadly further in the past one can begin to evaluate what is valuable and what is transient.
I do not want you to think that I am asking everyone to think alike. I want everyone to begin to be self-reliant especially intellectually.
Ok, I agree we need to learn from the past. I am assuming you think it needs theological and secular balance to make it viable. Our cookie cutter form of education definetly needs to be dealt with to help people to become self-reliant in an intellecutal manner.