From: joedees@bellsouth.net
Date: Wed Jan 02 2002 - 21:32:46 MST
On 2 Jan 2002 at 15:12, Bill Roh wrote:
Remember the reasoning in John Barth's THE END OF THE ROAD:
1) Nothing has intrinsic value.
2) The reasons for which people attribute value to things are always
ultimately irrational.
3) There is, therefore, no ultimate "reason" for valuing anything,
including life itself.
4) Living is action. There's no final reason for action.
However, suicide's an action, too, so...
5) There's no final reason for living (or for suicide).
> I can agree to a point that the "Apathy" description could be polished up, but
> I disagree with Mark regarding the "meme of Nihilism". Nihilism can be a road
> to greatness as it teaches that nothing is true - a step that sometimes needs
> to be taken if you come from the position that there are moral and religious
> truths. Most of us accept many nihilist ideas but instead of leading to
> meaningless - it has led to self assignment of meaning and purpose. It has
> opened doors.
>
> I like the first part though. Sorry I don't have a replacement to offer.
>
> Bill
>
> David McFadzean wrote:
>
> > Forwarded with permission. What do you think of the current description of
> > the Apathy sin and what do you think of Mark's suggested revision?
> >
> > David
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Mark Matthews" <mark@smartmark.net>
> > To: <david@lucifer.com>
> > Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 10:43 AM
> > Subject: Greetings
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > I like your site. The graphic design is very good
> > > and the content is excellent. Thanks for the links.
> > >
> > > One criticism, you listed "Apathy" as a sin, but
> > > I was left to wonder why. "There can be no logical
> > > argument against apathy. If you don't care about
> > > anything then that is pretty much the end of the
> > > story. If you don't care about leading a meaningless
> > > life, then surely apathy is the key."
> > >
> > > Sorry, that did not make any sense to me. Here is
> > > how I would describe it - The opposite of love
> > > is not hate, for these are but expressions of the
> > > same emotion, where as apathy is the absence
> > > of either. It is the meme of Nihilism which would
> > > make meaninglessness a virtue and passion a
> > > vice.
> > >
> > >
> > > /mark
> > >
> > >
>
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