photo credit: Jake Myers
Is there moral goodness, what is goodness to you?
Tough question to answer, but I’d have to approach it by saying that everything can be broken down to selfishness or selflessness, with the latter being my definition of “moral goodness”. Selfishness when considered in its pure form is really the source of all human problems we experience today. I’m not really religious, but it’s interesting that all seven deadly sins (greed, gluttony, ect) are all rooted in deep selfishness. So living a selfless life means that you work to better the whole vs. just the individual piece. It’s the path of immortality, because the whole will live on long after the individual dies.
Do you worry about the heat death of the universe?
Yea definitely sometimes, but there’s no good reason to ever worry about things you can’t change. You know? Plus if this universe is just one of many (multiverse theory I think it’s called), then it’s really not the “end”.
Do think other animals can be considered conscious creatures?
Definitely. I think you can call anything that actively tries to stay alive as “conscious”. Rocks might move via the tectonic plates, but they’re not aware they’re moving and won’t “do” anything or react when they are headed towards a giant lava pool or whatever. A plant that’s sitting on top of that rock might not be able to escape the pool either (because they aren’t that mobile), but they’ll definitely react to the heat and do everything possible to protect itself in the interim. That’s consciousness, in my opinion. A plant might even release seeds that can escape the general area and continue on life elsewhere. A mobile animal (like ourselves) would observe and feel the heat of the lava pool, and will move in the other direction towards safety.
Do you think anything is absolute? If so, what?
Honestly, I would say “no” but that in it of itself is an absolute statement. I guess I would have to say “maybe”, which is me basically trying to say “no”. One of my favorite movie quotes is when Obi-Wan tells Anakin that “Only a Sith deals in Absolutes”.
What is time? What is Macaroni Time?
Time is infinite which means that – mathematically – any section of time, including Macaroni Time, is infinite as well.
Like Sartre, do you consider contemplation a luxury?
Yes, I would agree with this view. “Luxury” really just means having an abundance of something, including time and options. If you have neither time nor options, you won’t be contemplating anything, as you only have a single option and must do it right away. So being in a position to think and ponder a number of alternatives can definitely be considered a luxury. Being able to contemplate this question is a luxury, haha.
Are you afraid that everything will happen?
Everything is the only thing that happens all the time. So no.
