Friday, March 21, 2008

All We Have To Do

Voltaire, one of the most prolific writers of the Enlightenment, wrote Candide, a story of a man who went through a lot of pain and trouble. On the backdrop are his friends, starting with Pangloss, his tutor who obstinately believes that everything is for the best. A parody of Leibniz, this well-loved classic is really a pessimistic attack against blind optimism, understandable only in an age ravaged by wars carried on in the name of religion and pride.

Augustine would have laughed, reading the Enneads at his deathbed during the Vandalic* siege of Hippo.

He was the optimist.

"You must have a vast and magnificent estate," said Candide to the Turk.

"I have only twenty acres," replied the old man; "I and my children cultivate them; our labour preserves us from three great evils--weariness, vice, and want."

Candide, on his way home, made profound reflections on the old man's conversation.

"This honest Turk," said he to Pangloss and Martin, "seems to be in a situation far preferable to that of the six kings with whom we had the honour of supping."

"Grandeur," said Pangloss, "is extremely dangerous according to the testimony of philosophers. For, in short, Eglon, King of Moab, was assassinated by Ehud; Absalom was hung by his hair, and pierced with three darts; King Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, was killed by Baasa; King Ela by Zimri; Ahaziah by Jehu; Athaliah by Jehoiada; the Kings Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, were led into captivity. You know how perished Croesus, Astyages, Darius, Dionysius of Syracuse, Pyrrhus, Perseus, Hannibal, Jugurtha, Ariovistus, Cæsar, Pompey, Nero, Otho, Vitellius, Domitian, Richard II. of England, Edward II., Henry VI., Richard III., Mary Stuart, Charles I., the three Henrys of France, the Emperor Henry IV.! You know----"

"I know also," said Candide, "that we must cultivate our garden."

"You are right," said Pangloss, "for when man was first placed in the Garden of Eden, he was put there _ut operaretur eum_, that he might cultivate it; which shows that man was not born to be idle."

"Let us work," said Martin, "without disputing; it is the only way to render life tolerable."


(Emphasis mine)

Monday, March 17, 2008

Searching for Wisdom

I found out how little we regard Philosophy.

Yesterday, I went to Powerbooks in MegaMall, and searched for the section on Philosophy. It was a big enough place with so many books - my kind of place. But, no Philosophy section. I would have given up already, after passing by the Classics Section (I thought, at least, the Dialogues would be there) and Psychology (well, in some National Book stores, they mix up Psych books and Philo books). Then, when I get to the Children Section (with a huge sign you cannot miss) to admire their collection of children's books, I saw a small unsigned rack that goes with the books of Occultism - Witchcraft, Ghosts, Kulam and Quabbalism. Then, I saw the eyes of Descartes peeping through Realism volume (Vol. 4 of about 10 encyclopedic collection of works from different Philosophy eras - costing 1,500 a piece). I found them at last. There were books about Locke, Spinoza, Leibniz, etc.

I found it odd though that Philosophy should be placed beside Occultism, unsigned (the sign nearest it says "CHILDREN'S BOOKS"), totally forgotten.

It's understandable though. So few would really look inside him/herself and ask for the meaning and purpose of life. So few would really challenge the prevailing view - the status quo of knowledge - to embrace truth cloaked with persecution and excommunion. So few would read a hundred or so pages a day from various disciplines - just so in the end, s/he would find the peace of his/her own soul. Finally, so few would raise their eyes from the world of material wealth, concerns, and anxieties - in order to contemplate on the ultimate questions of life, love, freedom, immortality, and God.

Although I find it more odd (curioser, says Alice) that one book of Philosophy costs 800 when all the author did was to compile the things written by other writers.


Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Battle Stations

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