Which ones is more tempting, Knowledge or Ignorance?

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
21

Just for clarification, by the second part of your statement do you mean to say that the people who seek knowledge in such matters will suffer as a result of their knowledge, or that they will become aware of their own suffering?

In my personal opinion a person should seek to be aware that suffering does occur beyond the scope of our personal interaction, but should not take great pains to immerse themselves in the suffering of others. Simply having knowledge of their pain is normally enough to allow one to empathize, and this ability to associate with anothers’ pain contributes to a healthy understanding of the self as well as identifying yourself to that person as a human who feels for their dilemma.

22

I remember reading a book when I was younger about a civilization whom lived without war, sickness, or lack of love…who were comforted by warmth, food, and all material things imaginable…but through their existance each citizen in turn had to go deep into the sewers where a child lay chained, broken, cold, starved and wretchedly sick but never dying and continue to do the worst things to this child as if it were some ritual that would prevent the civilization above from ever experiencing such things and before the citizen left they looked into the childs eyes and said “Id rather be me then you.” and the child replied “Id rather be neither of us.”

~JL