My contributions to this forum are original; i.e. stem from my very own reasoning? - I know…it’s merely “reinventing the wheel”, but nevertheless it’s original enough! Because: I don’t believe that a philosopher’s earlier discovery of a cognition (philosophical insight) offsets the same cognition at a later stage of time. In contrary, I think it rather confirms and reinforces the Truth of the matter. Under philosophers there’s no tacit competition, for every one has his/her own conceptual string of reasoning. It’s for that reason that I refuse to study other philosophers. I fear, by doing that, to forfeit the source of my inherited reasoning potential. I derive great contentment from fulfillment of my inherited True Needs, unique abilities and talents. Thus, I care about maintaining, protecting this (beautiful garden) quality of life. I agree… that newer revelations cannot reinforce older philosophical truths, all of the time. >>> Otherwise it would extinct philosophical progress. Yet, I like to believe that there exist isolated cases of “supreme state of art” at which a cognition achieved the ultimate level of logical correctness. There’s is no substitute for top quality, at least not, until a superior cognition evolves. For that reason I was always in favor that philosophers co-operate with one another, as to establish a philosophical guide or manifesto (forget the past misapplications of the term). Each endorsed, philosophically and logically correct cognition is then cataloged and subject to supplementation. (All laws are!) In this way we are able to achieve concerted progress. It’s gets us nowhere, when each of us fiddles on his own… For us thinkers, philosophical pondering is (stimulating), challenging, hard work. Ultimately, our philosophical pondering serves the one and only purpose > to improve our quality of lives for all of us. jjj
Let me get this straight; you don’t want to read other philosphers, but you want to team up with them to develop “a philosophical guide or manifesto”. I don’t get it. How can people collaborate if they don’t know what the other guys’ ideas are?
We have to learn to co-operate with each other… the nice way; i.e. without that "brown stuff’…
We have to stop insulting each other in one form or another…
We need to try to resolve the problem… so that it we can benefit from it the practical way. It’s hard enough. It’s the only way to progress. There are not too many of us around. We cannot afford to waste our resources. Do you agree? jjj
Agreed. Allow me to restate my question then-
I don’t understand; you state you don’t want to read other philosphers for fear of it corrupting your mind, or hindering an original thought (something along those lines), but you want to team up with them to develop “a philosophical guide or manifesto”. I don’t understand how people can collaborate if they don’t know what the other collaborator’s ideas are. Who’s ideas are supposed to be the foundation of this maifesto?
I start to like you tune…
Each of the members would contribute to their best abilities. I suppose a moderator/manager would have to administrate the incomming contributions. Each of us would receive progress report. Finally a democratic vote would validate the proposed logically correct, philosophical guideline. Gradually we could catalog a great number of gained philosophical insight and later on solicit public support.
Does it make sense?
I just made it up very quickly… jjj
JJJ-
I understand how the committee would work, and essentially, you are describing how legal instituitions, democratic gov’t and corporations make decisions. But JJJ, do you understand that by reading other philosphers, you are essentially creating your own committe of people, and then voting for yourself as to what course of action is correct? You yourself are arguing for the collaboration of knowledge, in order to seek truth, but don’t seem to be heeding your own advice (which is what I have found so frustrating in dealing with you). Seeking truth, or good guidelines is precisely what reading the ancient philosphers and present philosphers allows you to do! All philosphers are part of a committee already; they exchange their ideas through reading eachother’s books, and then the committee, or subject of Philosophy itself progresses. The only way to grow philosophically is to read other philosphers. No matter how smart anyone is, they do not know everything, nor can they see all problems from every angle. All I am trying to say JJJ, is that you would probably learn a lot from reading other philosphers. Some of your beliefs will be strengthened, and others will have to be forfeited, but it will make for progress.
I hope my point is coming across as positvely as possible.
Studying other philosophers will going to block my source of reasoning… I will become lazy and merely repeat other philosopher’s reasoning. I know myself too good. I need to be free and on my own to solve a problem logically correct. Only then I can through it in the common basket. That’s how I deal with problems. I don’t go around, depending on other people’s opinions… I do my own reasoning.
This way I was able to sort out (but really) my philosophical quandaries.
Doesn’t matter, each of us has his ways to deal with it. Important is that we get effective results on the end of the day… jjj
PS. You see like this we getting along…
I have to disagree. Studying other philosophers will force you to take a long and hard look at what you believe, and then force you to decide whether or not you are correct. If you never explore the idea that you could be wrong, you will never know if you were right. Don’t limit yourself JJJ, there is more to this world than what you can offer yourself.
I understand what mean, but you see my entrenched pattern delivered my philosophical development and the quality of life I now enjoy. I cannot imagine how I could possibly gain greater benefits? There are several logically correct ways to get to Rom; mine is definitely one of them! That will do me, thanks. 
jjj
JJJ-
You can’t justify your philosphy by stating that because it has worked for you, it is therefore right. By doing so, you’re committing the logical fallacy of begging the question. You’re essentially claiming you’re right because you say you’re right. Imagine this scenario: suppose I ask a mass muderer, who is also a rapist and thief to justify why his philosophy on life is correct. He agrees and says, “well, I’ve had a great life, therefore it must be a good philosophy on how to lead a successful life.” Do you see how your reasoning can be used to defend anything? That’s why it’s a logical fallacy. I am in no way trying to compare your life to that of a criminal, and I suspect that you have had a fulfilling life, but in order to justify your philosphy, you need to have a better answer than simply “because it worked for me”.
To>>>Mathew E,
Yes, I agree, you need a better answer. Now, I only worry that my personal success, the one I mention here (because I cannot “all” details) is not good enough or substantiated… Well, lets see how we go.
- I worked hard to recognize my inherited positive and negative pre-dispositions. 2) I then succeeded to partly to control, partly to dismantle the few negative ones.
- I then discovered and developed my unique abilities and talents. (A long process …that was!) Also I sorted out my needs from wants & wishes and
- Next, I sorted out my needs from wants & wishes and I prioritized my unique abilities and talents.
- In the meantime I studied and became a certified accountant at the Handelskammer, Duesseldorf, Germany (Chambers of Trade & Commerce)
- I then made an apprenticeship and became certified baker & pastry cook in Hannover, Germany (and suffered two years of German Army life!)
- Then “happened something” (non of y.b.) what brought me to Sydney. There I owened an operated 3 (three) cake and bread shops… for 22 years…
After closing my businesses I helped my Chinese friend Tim in his computer shop and learnt “to do without need for computer service” for the rest of my life… - …living down under, in the ol’ Americas I enjoy not only materialistic, but more importantly>>philosophical contentment and quality of life.
- Apropos…“partner relationship”: There too, I had my share of joys and frustrations. Yet, after two more “apprenticeships” in this department I finally got my act together, by meeting up with the most wonderful lady in the world…
Now even all our relatives reckon that we have the best relationship of them all!
I think I have to stop “showing off.”…now! I now really worry that you are going to burn off every of my claims… Please don’t do it, because I swear to you that everything I wrote above is true!
Proof? All I possibly can do is: Show you my websites: prservice.com Show you my two trade certificates. Show you my German Army letter of conduct. What else? >> Confess my sins?.. Amen jjj
Please, now publish you career... for us all and me! :blush:JJJ wrote-
I agree that knowing yourself is paramount to leading a happy life. I also think it is vital to make a conscious effort to subdue negative inclinations and foster strengths. I know how much you are opposed to reading the books of others, but you may thoroughly enjoy a book entitled The Four Agreements. It’s a shame, but the author’s name eludes me at the moment. It’s a very easy read, only about 100 pages. The book doesn’t necessarily deal with the themes you mention above, but combined with them it would make for quite a practical guide on how to lead a happy and successful life. Seriously, it is a great book, you should take a look at it.
I have no intention or desire to discredit the history of your life. I hope you have had as happy of a life as you claim. I think the advice you give above is very helpful and practical; it is also in line with modern day psychology and self-help. But, there is also more good advice out there than just what you can provide JJJ 
. Instead of sheltering yourself from the advice and experience of others, you can conglomerate them into one, more encompassing guide to success. I don’t disagree with all of your views (some I have, not really this one per se), but I do disagree with not being open-minded and trying to learn from the works of others. You stated previously that you are worried that by reading others you will curb your own creativity. Have you ever thought of trying to tackle this problem first hand instead of trying to run away from it?
As far as my career goes, I’m only 23, so it hasn’t gone very far . After 3 long years at junior college, I transferred to San Diego State, where I’m majoring in Communication and Philosophy. I’ll be graduating in a year, and I have not decided what I really plan to do (in your terminology, I haven’t found my unique talents and abilites). I am contemplating law school or a master’s in Philosophy, in which case I would attempt to go into teaching. I’ve worked as a waiter in a restaurant for the past 4 years, and I have to say, I’m getting awfully tired of it. But it’s a loop a must jump through in order to pay for school. I often find myself being torn between pursuing material wealth, or pursuing serenity. My parents fell on some hard times a few years back, and I would loev for nothing more than to retire them. Unfortunately, I cannot do this on a professor’s wage. Anyhow, I’m always faithful that everthing will work out in the end (sorry for the cliche), and mostly take one day at a time.
I was just was given the sack… (but you are welcome to write to me in private: jdrinda@hotmail.com (or just enter: drinda into search engine)
I think we came to quite a good understanding and I learnt to appreciate your criticism. It helps me to close the “holes” in my philosophical guidance… and philosophy. It’s strange, you know… that my true contentment and quality of life makes me sooo complacent? I have almost no wishes for betterment left? This has not been always like that, but my philosophy had everything to do with it. So, I must have done something right! Perhaps that’s good enough, not only for me?
I was almost praying for an Ultimatum of Russian Roulette... I gratefully accept the former. Here it is for all of you to enjoy: Adios Muchachos!
One final message: I am glad that you all as well found your quality of life or please keep up the good work and look for it until you find it. It's worth your while and affords!
Love & Adios to you all from jjj
Hi jjj,
I am writing to offer you an ultimatum regarding your posts here on ILP.com. As you have read in my post to you on the forums, I do not think your posts are adding anything to the ILP.com community except aggravation and nonsense. Your posts are either too cryptic for us to decipher or just sheer rubbish; my guess is the latter. You post far too many new topics and say very little in them. You do not contribute to other forums and are basically ruining the quality of posts we like to foster here on ILP. Your arrogant and conceited style, for whatever reason you have them, are just not suited here.
So your ultimatum is this. Either completely change your attitude on this board and start posting well written, coherent posts which actually have something to offer and are not preaching or I will simply ban you from the forums. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but I have to look out for the board as well as for the members and I don't think you are adding anything to this community. Perhaps you should try your luck elsewhere.
Many Thanks
Beneven towards the end, he had a flare for the dramatics