Politablog

This question of the week is philosophical in nature; it can cause headaches and one to resort to existentialism.

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“Each of us puts in common his person and his whole power under the supreme direction of the general will” (Rousseau, p. 425).  What is in the best interest of society and who will lead the general will has been debated throughout the history of civilization. Jean-Jacques Rousseau added to the debate by defining the general will and noting examples when variations of the general will can occur.

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Existentialism is the philosophy of existence; asking the question ‘why do humans exist?’ And existentialism critiques how humans conduct their lives.  These questions of existence and being are the focus of the philosophies of Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger.  Many philosophers have written and studied existence, but existentialism framed existence into ones own being.

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Throughout the course of human history many individuals have come forth claiming to know the truth about life.  They claim to know why we are here, what our end goals are and where we are ultimately heading.  The philosopher George Wilhelm Hegel (1770-1831) is one of those people. “Freedom is for itself the goal to be achieved and the only goal of Spirit” (Hegel, 22). Hegel saw human development through history which was guided to freedom through Spirit, in doing so he identified the importance of individuals, the role of the State and the role of freedom.

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The philosophical arguments that Wittgenstein discusses are based in the subtleties of language.  He illustrates his point by using language games.  These games are used to make the argument that the philosophical problems that philosophers spend their time attempting to solve are superfluous. The problems they are attempting to solve are unnecessary because when one properly analyzes the language used in these problems they realize that there are no problems. The problems that were thought to exist are just the result of linguistic confusion, mostly dealing with the metaphysical world.

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“What I have done is to show that it is possible for the way the universe began to be determined by the laws of science. In that case, it would not be necessary to appeal to God to decide how the universe began. This doesn’t prove that there is no God, only that God is not necessary” (Stephen Hawking, www.woopidoo.com). Humans have always questioned their existence and questioned whether or not there is a God.  Pragmatism is a philosophical ideology that stresses importance in the rational and empirical world.  Charles Sanders Peirce argues that because we can perceive of God a being like God must exist. “I cannot think a thing is black if there is no such thing to be seen as black,” (Peirce, p. 378). Peirce wrote these words in reference to the existence of God.

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The snow has fallen and the daylight has broken through.  Early in the morning we arise, travel for many miles, and hike for many more; all in search of perfection.  It is because of this endless search for perfection that we exist.  We are united as one! The skiers who ski the double-black diamond.  Skiism is an ideology of pride, work and dedication.  We accept the power of the mountain above us, and realize that our brothers who forsake the mountain need our help.
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