Philosophy and Mysticism

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
1

Philosophy was/is a product of Mysticism.

Before the advent of “Philosophy” there were still wise men before. Mysticism is the core of Philosophy, the root. Because Mysticism represents “the unknown”. It represents “the world” outside humanity and modernity. Mysticism therefore represents degrees of Objectivity.

The natural, instinctive, reflex to Mysticism is to project what is known, into the unknown. Thus Mysticism also spawned the first forms of spirituality and religion. People saw ‘gods’ in forces they didn’t understand, could not predict, nor recognize.

“The Great Mystery” represents the biggest, most profound, and deepest questions of human capacity. Thus Philosophers represent the ones who seek-out such questions and answers, attempting to solve, or simply explore, the unknown regions of existence. In the 21st Century, much of the ‘known’ has replaced the unknown. Science fills in the gaps, with evidence, empiricism, and recorded knowledge, information. Most of humanity dwells within the interior of knowledge, where things and daily life are relatively ‘safe’. Sociology represents ‘knowing’ the average human mind and person, thus creating forms of peace throughout society, co-existence. People feel safe and secure after a certain degree of knowledge has been reached and solidified.

However Mysticism (Philosophy) still remains today, and will always, because there will always be Unexplored areas of existence, as existence is infinite. It is a natural cognitive reaction to ‘reduce’ the unknown into something knowable. Thus the advent of Literacy has ascribed names, terms, and words to unknown phenomenon. An attempt to make the unknown, knowable.

Within these reactions, unknowns conjure, represent, and trigger Fear emotions, Doubt. Fear subsides when the unknown is rendered known. Thus the first inclinations and history of Mysticism (Philosophy) represent those ancient interactions with Fear, Doubt, and over time, rendering them into ‘safer’ phenomenon. Today the results of Mysticism are separated into Science and Religion. Science concerns itself with the known. Religion concerns itself with the unknown (the godly).

2

Nope.

I view ‘Philosophy-proper’ as the inherent drive for “continuous improvements” and human beings has been engaged in this drive since its emergence.
Continuous improvements has to be done wisely, thus wisdom and Philosophy.

What is philosophy in modern times is the bastardization of Philosophy-proper.

To ensure “continuous improvements” i.e. Philosophy-proper humans need to know [Science]

Science: 1. From Middle English science, scyence, borrowed from Old French science, escience, from Latin scientia (“knowledge”), from sciens, the present participle stem of scire (“to know”).

In addition to Science, Philosophy-proper rely on many other knowledge tools, logic, ethics, metaphysics, aesthetics, epistemology, etc.

Mysticism is an extreme form of ‘to know’ of the unknown that is not fully supported with empirical evidence, thus supernatural and ending up with speculations, illusions and the impossibles.

When rhetoric is used to link to the unknown, anything goes.
Example the groundless impossible-to-be-real-God is reified as real.
This God deliver through a messenger a holy book with full of evil elements.
Believers as a divine duty kill and oppress non-believer in conformance to God’s command.
Thus mysticism is responsible for all the terrible religious-related evils and violence around the world.

What drives mysticism [fantasy] as an utility is due to existential psychological factors.

3

Yes.

“Continuous improvement” is humanitarian clap-trap. You are a Humanist and believer of Abrahamic, judaeo-christian “philosophies”. Those are not Philosophy proper.

Your focus is on Humanity, what is already known. You probably have little to no awareness of the Unknown. Thus you cannot call yourself a philosopher in any meaningful sense.

Since your premise is false and wrong, I don’t need to listen to the rest of your Humanitarian propaganda.

4

You are babbling and cursing.

Philosophically, for continuous improvement sake, do you have any justified arguments to the points I raised?

5

“No” is not an argument. It’s a dismissal.

You are intellectually dishonest. And I have no intention of engaging with intellectually dishonest people.

Here’s a free lesson for you, for your future.

Next time you ever say “No” to a Philosopher, proceed to explain, in detail, why and how. Otherwise you will not be taken seriously.

6

Concerning the topic of Mysticism, in the ancient era, much was unknown, but now in the modern era, much has become known.

3000 or 5000 or 10000 years ago, humanity could not compare to today. What the wisest and most intelligent men knew before, was minuscule compared to what is known by lesser men today. There have been many paradigm shifts and revolutions of thought, across the ages. The average has increased, despite the lowest points. Thus moderns will be quick to say that “mysticism is outdated, a relic of the past”. But this is not quite true. Rather, what is unknown today, has shifted further and further away. As above, it’s easily seen, that modern minds are focused on “The Human”, humanity, and humanism. Humans still believe they are center of the world, and of existence. The old ego-centricism has not died, and probably never will. Because it is a progression of thought and philosophy, to leave the inner-spaces of the mind, and to turn the introspective viewpoint (pointing inward) outward.

Philosophy begins when a mind, who is willing to explore with courage, begins to look outward. Outside of humanity. Outside of the modern world. Outside of civilization. Outside of comfort zones. “Outside of the box”. Outside of the slave-institutions deeply embedded within humanity. Outside the laws, outside the limits, of what is known to common people. Because common people, as many “thinkers” on this forum, have a common knowledge and common sense. Their ‘knowledge’ reflects averages. Thus while many visitors come to this forum seeking wisdom, rare wisdom, what is unknown, they will leave dissatisfied after encountering, one after one, the common rabble of ideas. People do not think unique nor interesting thoughts. People don’t have anything “new” to say. Because most of it has been said already, 100 years ago, 500 years ago, 1000 years ago, and culture has declined to repeat itself again and again, using changed words and switched labels. The packaging has changed, but the content has not.

This is how the great Philosophers come about, by offering wisdom, rare knowledge, and unique perspectives that demonstrate their communion and relationship with the Unknown (with Mysticism). This is what is meant by The Great Mystery (of Life).

7

Urwrong … your last post … such brutal … naked … honesty … what a treat!

An echo of what I just posted in another thread … how encouraging … thanks … oops! my post is an echo of yours that is.

The potency of fear may well be shrinking … more and more people may actually voluntarily walk into the darkness … the unknown … despite the ‘known’ perils of such a journey.