Which topic(s) seem(s) most basic to you?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of what topics are considered most basic or fundamental in understanding the world. Participants explore various subjects, including philosophy, spirituality, and the nature of existence, while expressing their opinions on the poll options provided.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a preference for multiple topics, suggesting that all listed options are appealing or equally basic.
  • One participant argues that there is no basic topic or fundamental vocabulary, indicating a belief in the complexity of the subject matter.
  • Another participant notes the absence of certain fundamental concepts from the poll, such as truth and identity, and emphasizes the depth of these topics.
  • A participant highlights the philosophical controversy between Materialism and Idealism, explaining both perspectives on the nature of reality.
  • There is a suggestion that the term "spirituality" may be more appropriate than "religion" in the context of the discussion.
  • One participant reflects on the nature of belief and knowledge, proposing that both religion and searching can be seen as attitudes that challenge the notion of fundamental understanding.
  • Another participant mentions the diversity of votes, indicating that no single topic gained a significant majority, which may suggest a lack of consensus on what is considered basic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on which topics are most basic, as multiple competing views remain, with some expressing agreement on the appeal of various topics while others challenge the idea of fundamental topics altogether.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express concerns about the limitations of the poll options and the inherent challenges in categorizing topics as basic or fundamental.

which topic(s) seem(s) most basic to you?

  • origin of the universe, of existence, of everything

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • man thinking, and how brain works

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • the sense of it all, the plan, the outcome of everything

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • life, what does "beeing a living thing" mean in its essence, the sense of life, why are we here

    Votes: 5 50.0%
  • the essence of it all

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • paradoxies, infinity(~ties), "nothing", the incomprehensive

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • the real nature of matter, of energy, of spacetime, unified force-theory GUT, new scientific results

    Votes: 7 70.0%
  • is world an illusion, is there a way out of confusion, can we know anything

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • sort facts from belief, learn about unknown world, depict/state mankinds situation in relation to th

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • religion stands above all, or/and, searching is the destination

    Votes: 4 40.0%

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .
roeighty
..multiples allowed..
vote for whatever choice mentions "your" topic!
try to really choose the MOST basic..

[added Thursday, 4/3/2003:]
. . . . more votes needed! . .

(a tendency is about to show up..
..newbies, any?)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Weeeelll, I vote for all of the above, none of the above, and neither. They all just look so appealing. Give me a hint, which one do you like the best?
 
wuliheron, you could pick all of the choices!

I chose "how the brain works", "religion", "study of matter", and "sort facts..."
 
I chose every topic you listed because there is no basic topic, no fundamental vocabulary.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I agree with the other members here.

roeighty, good job with this poll, you seem to have covered all of the most basic teachings - and I can't choose between them.
 
Well, I didn't include the paradox one, but everything else...
 
[added Thursday, 4/3/2003:]
. . . . more votes needed! . .

(a tendency is about to show up..]
 
wuliheron, you could pick all of the choices!

That's holistic thinking for you. :0)

There are several notable basics missing though. A quick study of western and eastern thought gives you more basics. Off the top of my head truth, identity, inquery, and classical logic in general. Paralogic, Context, attitude, and the rest of Asian thought in general. There are tremendous depths to be plumbed in these, yet I don't know of a single book that puts them all into perspective and shows how they are related.
 
I viewed poll resultes. Instead of a tendency showing up, diversity ruled because no topic had the minimum of 20 percent of the votes. Perhaps all the choices lack something...
 
  • #10
i chose the illusion of existence one, once you accept the futility of trying to prove you or anything else exists then it is really quite simple.
 
  • #11
Some of this topics are in a way appealing, but I won't consider any of these as "fundamental".

A fundamental issue in philosophy is that of the controverse between Materialism and Idealism.

For those who do not know the controverse, let me briefly explain the two positions.

Materialism goes from the perspective that there is in primary instance a material world which can in principle be known (but not in an absolute sense), and that mind is a secondary entity which is derived from the material world.

Idealism goes from the perspective that in first instance there is Mind, and that the material world only exists in secondary instance.

So the controverse is about what is the world about in first instance: Matter or Mind?
 
  • #12
Religion or Spirituality

You'd do better to use the word "spirituality" rather than "religion" in your query, as the former seems "open-ended seeking" to me while the latter is "solidified 'knowing' ".

I would have voted for it then.
 
  • #13
to M Gaspar, and others who complain about the coherencies of the choices offered..

i had originally twentythree points to the favored question:
which topic(s) seem(s) most basic to you to understanding world?

i mashed 23 down to ten. that's why i wrote: vote whatever your topic's mentionned..

in this special case, - religion or searching is the way -, i saw both as attitudes, that in their either way deny or refute or at least consider less basic the meaning of knowledge than that of belief (in getting along with world).
they do have sth in common. "searching as its destination" can be looked upon as a religion.. both somehow see no use or no aim or no need or no success or no procedure or even no sense at all in riding on fundamentals.

.. i could have listed "belief" and "spirit(uality)" in this choice aswell.. alas!.. :)

to all:
of course i'll state on this, but only, when there'll be no more votes coming in, which since the re-animation isn't the case yet..


..and, besides, any poll of this kind will in some aspect be wrong. there's no way to avoid this.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
No complaints

I wasn't "complaining". Thanks for the poll.
 

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