Anchors Away

[00:00:00]hello everybody [00:00:07]yeah I know it's uh [00:00:11]I don't know it's a hard time on the [00:00:12]semester isn't it it's like the [00:00:15]rest and relaxation from the summer's

[00:00:18]gone now and so now I'm you know [00:00:20]everything is um nothing's really new [00:00:23]anymore it's just kind of like [00:00:25]tedious and yeah tiring [00:00:29]back to the routine yep and um then

[00:00:35]um yeah weather's changing which can be [00:00:37]nice but also [00:00:40]not you know [00:00:42]um anyway we're uh we're in the throes [00:00:46]of it so let's let's dive in because I

[00:00:47]got like more than I can cover [00:00:50]um [00:00:51]in an hour and 15 minutes [00:00:53]um we gotta start with a review uh so [00:00:56]we're on chapter five anchors which I'm

[00:00:59]calling Anchors Away [00:01:01]um [00:01:02]and uh covering the first principles of [00:01:05]philosophy [00:01:07]um so let's do a quick review

[00:01:10]um [00:01:11]so as I asked you to memorize that [00:01:14]definition of philosophy right [00:01:15]philosophy is a mode of discourse for [00:01:17]the sake of training the intellect what

[00:01:19]is the intellect [00:01:24]part of you that makes decisions [00:01:27]um by cultivating a desire for wisdom [00:01:30]truth and Justice through inspiration [00:01:35]um so we'll get to these things more in

[00:01:37]chapters eight nine ten [00:01:40]um and uh the rest of it's we're working [00:01:42]on [00:01:43]um then in chapter one [00:01:46]um you know we talked about systematic

[00:01:49]philosophical decision making and I gave [00:01:51]you this [00:01:52]um you know this series of concentric [00:01:55]circles on how we make decisions and so [00:01:59]you know we've got different decisions

[00:02:02]um if you've seen uh Office Space [00:02:05]I had an idea like that once okay it [00:02:08]comes up with this great idea he's like [00:02:09]I want to make a it was a jump [00:02:12]to conclusions Matt it'll be like a mat

[00:02:15]that you would put on the floor with [00:02:17]different conclusions on it that you [00:02:20]could jump to [00:02:23]anyway [00:02:24]um like we put different decisions out

[00:02:26]here that we can make [00:02:29]um and on the outside ring are things [00:02:32]like emotions [00:02:34]and states of mind right if we're [00:02:38]um if we're angry then that's likely to

[00:02:41]lead to certain kinds of decisions if [00:02:44]we're [00:02:45]um [00:02:47]um [00:02:49]tires that's going to lead to certain

[00:02:52]decisions if we're stoned that's going [00:02:54]to lead to certain kinds of decisions if [00:02:56]we're [00:02:57]intoxicated or [00:03:00]I don't know two different states of

[00:03:01]minds or different emotional states [00:03:03]right you're going to lead us to [00:03:05]different decisions but those are all [00:03:06]super temporary right you can be angry [00:03:08]one minute and then you can chill out

[00:03:10]the next and you can be intoxicated one [00:03:13]minute and that well not one minute but [00:03:14]then you know one time and then sober up [00:03:18]later whatever so these are incredibly [00:03:21]temporary and have a big impact on the

[00:03:24]decisions that we make in a particular [00:03:25]moment [00:03:27]um but you know they're so they have a [00:03:29]big impact but they have a big impact on [00:03:32]a temporary basis right they don't

[00:03:34]um we could say something like well I [00:03:36]wouldn't have done that if I wasn't [00:03:37]angry or I wouldn't have done that if I [00:03:39]wasn't sad or I wouldn't have done that [00:03:41]if I wasn't drunk right

[00:03:43]um it doesn't change fact that you did [00:03:45]it but [00:03:46]does uh you know at least helps us [00:03:49]understand how we make certain decisions [00:03:51]whereas there are those deeper things

[00:03:53]right like ontology which we haven't [00:03:55]even gotten to yet but the nature of [00:03:58]being what is what does it mean to be [00:04:02]um and uh which is you know a lot fewer [00:04:06]options in there there's like any number

[00:04:09]of emotions or states of Minds right [00:04:11]there's a whole lot of different ones [00:04:12]and they can have different you know [00:04:14]lead to different impacts but ontology [00:04:17]there aren't a lot of different options

[00:04:20]um for our how we understand the nature [00:04:23]of being [00:04:24]um even asking the question becomes [00:04:27]difficult but a small shift right a [00:04:30]small shift can have a big impact in our

[00:04:32]decision making how we make decisions [00:04:36]um and likewise on out the circle so [00:04:39]what's on the next rung of the circle [00:04:41]we did that in chapter two [00:04:45]remember

[00:05:03]yep [00:05:10]um whole branches of philosophy on [00:05:13]philosophy of language [00:05:16]um which you know aren't really [00:05:17]different from philosophy of how we know

[00:05:19]what we know I mean philosophy of [00:05:20]epistemology well we've studied you [00:05:23]can't really draw clear distinctions [00:05:24]between a lot of these things [00:05:26]um

[00:05:27]but you know if we have more information [00:05:30]than the people around us then that's [00:05:32]going to lead to different decisions [00:05:33]right there's sometimes we make [00:05:34]decisions it's like well if I'd have

[00:05:36]known this then [00:05:37]I would have made a different decision [00:05:39]right or if I'd have thought about this [00:05:40]then I would have made a different [00:05:42]decision right so how much we know

[00:05:45]um our levels of ignorance or levels of [00:05:48]knowledge rates and um Finance when I [00:05:51]was in Investment Banking call that [00:05:53]information asymmetry right you you [00:05:56]profit based on knowing more than the

[00:05:58]people around you [00:06:00]um anytime you buy a stock you're buying [00:06:02]it from somebody who's selling it right [00:06:04]so [00:06:06]um what determines whether somebody's

[00:06:07]buying or selling usually it has [00:06:09]something to do with one person knows [00:06:11]something the other person doesn't right [00:06:12]so there's some sort of information [00:06:13]asymmetry so that all falls under the

[00:06:16]epistemology too and has a big impact on [00:06:18]decision making so then it's you know [00:06:21]like how much do you know which is why [00:06:23]you go to college right so that you can [00:06:24]because knowledge is power and the more

[00:06:26]knowledge you have then the better [00:06:27]equipped you'll be able to make [00:06:31]um better decisions [00:06:33]um [00:06:33]and uh What uh what is the word

[00:06:36]epistemology means I [00:06:47]how do we know what we know yeah so [00:06:49]that's kind of the question behind it [00:06:50]how do we know what we know [00:06:53]um and what is the word itself

[00:06:56]so yeah so what does our knowledge stand [00:06:58]on right so [00:07:00]um and it comes from this desire for [00:07:02]philosophers to find something that's [00:07:04]really real what do we mean by really

[00:07:06]real what's real mean and philosophy [00:07:09]something that's unchanging right so you [00:07:12]want to [00:07:13]you want to start with something Rock [00:07:16]Solid something that you absolutely know

[00:07:18]is true and then you can deduce or make [00:07:21]logical conclusions you can build on [00:07:23]that right so if you have a firm [00:07:24]foundation something that's absolutely [00:07:26]Rock Solid

[00:07:28]um beyond all doubts [00:07:30]um [00:07:31]then what [00:07:33]um Descartes called indubitable [00:07:35]something you can't doubt something

[00:07:36]that's beyond all doubt something that's [00:07:37]unchanging and absolutely reliable then [00:07:40]you can build your whole system of [00:07:41]knowledge and learning on top of that [00:07:43]right but if you have if the foundation

[00:07:45]is bad you can build this beautiful [00:07:47]house but then you know the the Earth [00:07:50]shifts or flood comes and you know or [00:07:53]hurricane Ian comes and then it's like [00:07:55]you know no more house right so you want

[00:07:58]to build your house on some some firm [00:08:01]ground or something like that so [00:08:03]philosophers are always searching for [00:08:04]this what's really real something that's [00:08:06]that's

[00:08:07]um but [00:08:09]um [00:08:10]part of why you know I keep using this [00:08:13]image of an anchor [00:08:16]um and keep believing that I will

[00:08:18]eventually be able to draw a line that's [00:08:21]not too bad [00:08:22]um right the difference of an anchor is [00:08:25]that it performs a similar function what [00:08:27]we call in logic a homological function

[00:08:29]sort of the same logical function [00:08:33]um as the really real but right the [00:08:37]function of an anchor is to [00:08:40]be something firm right to keep you [00:08:42]locked in place and the better the

[00:08:44]anchor the stronger the anchor the [00:08:46]better it'll do but you also have to tie [00:08:48]yourself to that anchor we'll get to [00:08:50]that later in the semester right that [00:08:52]need to tie yourself to it

[00:08:56]um [00:08:57]and um [00:08:59]and the other thing is about it it can [00:09:01]move right you can you can change your [00:09:04]anchor you're gonna you can't change you

[00:09:06]can move your anchor right so then like [00:09:08]one thing at one point can be an anchor [00:09:11]that grounds your perspective and your [00:09:13]understanding of the world and then you [00:09:14]learn more or you want to see things

[00:09:16]from A New Perspective then that's [00:09:17]something that can be moved right [00:09:20]particularly as we grow older as we [00:09:22]learn more as we mature those sort of [00:09:24]things

[00:09:25]um [00:09:27]cool [00:09:28]so in this chapter is called anchors [00:09:30]away so maybe inside of where we're [00:09:33]going

[00:09:34]um on um Monday we talked about [00:09:38]um death right philosophy only begins [00:09:41]with a meaningful reflection on the [00:09:42]reality of death was the main point of [00:09:45]that chapter and so we talked about

[00:09:49]existentialism right it's only when we [00:09:51]talked about the Buddha the Buddha [00:09:52]sitting there and it's only when he [00:09:54]reflected on the reality of death and [00:09:57]the Injustice in the world and in fact

[00:09:59]the sort of the meaningless and [00:10:01]pointlessness of res of uh existence [00:10:04]it's only then that he realized well [00:10:07]life is meaningless and pointless if I'm [00:10:09]sitting here not doing anything right

[00:10:12]but if I get up and I make my life [00:10:13]meaningful if I take care of people you [00:10:16]know I mean like nursing I mean that's [00:10:18]what right every day is Meaningful [00:10:20]because like you're literally taking

[00:10:21]care of people right you're literally [00:10:24]taking care of people every day then [00:10:26]every day is Meaningful which then makes [00:10:27]life itself meaningful right it's [00:10:30]probably part of why you went into

[00:10:32]nursing I assume [00:10:34]um I would do it except I don't like [00:10:38]touching people or like fluids like [00:10:42]bottle like we're old people or sick [00:10:44]people or I don't like any part of that

[00:10:47]yeah but I'm so happy that people are [00:10:49]doing it we need people to do it um [00:10:51]thank you for doing it uh and I'm glad [00:10:54]it's on me [00:10:55]um

[00:10:56]all right so that's uh existentialism [00:11:00]um which kind of brings us up to well [00:11:02]let's do a couple more things on this um [00:11:05]systematic philosophy I don't even [00:11:06]remember how much of this we filled out

[00:11:08]did we fill out all of it [00:11:10]um there was one ring that we did one [00:11:14]ring that we didn't fill out [00:11:15]um [00:11:18]okay I may be the one we're doing now so

[00:11:21]what's on the next string did we get [00:11:22]that far okay so logic and desire and [00:11:26]well that can't see it all um [00:11:29]logic and desire [00:11:31]um and we'll come back to these often

[00:11:35]um [00:11:36]and I already have covered them with [00:11:39]some frequency right so we talked about [00:11:41]the allegory the Chariots you know the [00:11:44]tripartite soul that we have this

[00:11:47]um the charioteers that's intellect the [00:11:50]one that makes decisions and it's trying [00:11:52]to make decisions based on either [00:11:54]logical deduction [00:11:56]um what do you know and how you know how

[00:11:58]do you make good decisions logic's got [00:12:00]to be a part of that or do we follow [00:12:02]your desire right do you do what you [00:12:04]want to do [00:12:06]um that sort of thing

[00:12:07]um or can you find something you know [00:12:10]like nursing honestly right so like [00:12:13]logically I know that nursing is a good [00:12:16]thing logically I know that it's got [00:12:18]existential purpose it's got meaning all

[00:12:20]those things all those good reasons to [00:12:22]it right personally I have no desire to [00:12:25]do any part of it right all of it is uh [00:12:28]just seems icky to me right [00:12:31]um and I wouldn't enjoy any of it so

[00:12:34]then would I have a meaningful life if I [00:12:36]were nurse sure but would it be [00:12:39]fulfilling life happy life would I be a [00:12:42]good nurse probably not I mean if like [00:12:45]if your nurse doesn't want to be a nurse

[00:12:48]probably not going to enjoy that [00:12:50]experience right so [00:12:52]um so like finding something where your [00:12:55]logic and desire align right I mean you [00:12:59]want to do you want to be a nurse right

[00:13:01]you have a desire to be a nurse I hope [00:13:03]right yeah yeah okay not every day I get [00:13:07]it but um [00:13:08]but uh but most days hopefully right you [00:13:12]have that desire and so then it's

[00:13:13]meeting that logical you can feel good [00:13:16]about it at the end of the day but it's [00:13:17]also satisfying your desires in the [00:13:19]moments and fulfilling in those [00:13:21]day-to-day basis right what about on the

[00:13:24]bottom part here [00:13:26]we put something else there [00:13:29]um Aesthetics it's not something that [00:13:35]um we'll talk a whole lot about [00:13:37]unfortunately it's one of those things

[00:13:38]I'd like to cover more maybe we'll get [00:13:40]to it a bit more when we get to [00:13:42]something that Socrates talks a lot [00:13:44]about Aesthetics what is Aesthetics [00:13:46]sense of beauty and Harmony right so

[00:13:50]then like I mean we make decisions based [00:13:54]on things that are beautiful right [00:13:56]things that we are drawn to things that [00:13:58]we're attracted to things that we like [00:14:00]right things that

[00:14:02]um we listen to music because of the [00:14:04]Harmony and the aesthetic value when the [00:14:06]you know Nature has its own you know [00:14:09]aesthetic value too and those sort of [00:14:11]things right so we we do things based on

[00:14:13]logic and desire and Aesthetics so all [00:14:17]these kind of belong in this ring but [00:14:19]this ring we haven't done yet [00:14:20]is that right okay then um this is [00:14:24]actually what we're doing today

[00:14:26]um [00:14:26]so this ring [00:14:28]um [00:14:28]is where we put the first principles of [00:14:33]philosophy uh and there's three of them

[00:14:36]um [00:14:39]um [00:14:40]no particular order but anthropology [00:14:46]um [00:14:48]anthropology can mean different things

[00:14:50]we could say I usually just call it [00:14:52]anthropology but more specifically we [00:14:54]might say philosophical [00:14:57]anthropology the professors in the [00:15:00]anthropology department would probably

[00:15:02]prefer that I put that distinction there [00:15:04]right because anthropology has a [00:15:07]discipline in the academy usually means [00:15:09]studying cultures and studying people [00:15:11]that are here and now right studying

[00:15:13]different people in the world different [00:15:15]cultures you know study of human culture [00:15:18]human beings here and now [00:15:21]um so sort of a social science more more [00:15:23]or less philosophical anthropology is

[00:15:26]asking that question the question that's [00:15:28]um [00:15:29]that defines this course right the title [00:15:31]of this course philosophy of human [00:15:33]nature philosophy of human person right

[00:15:35]what does it mean to be human that is [00:15:37]philosophical anthropology so [00:15:40]uh at least according to the course [00:15:41]catalog that's what this course is all [00:15:43]about right

[00:15:45]um is centered on philosophical [00:15:46]anthropology and it is to a large extent [00:15:48]the way I'm teaching it we're definitely [00:15:50]going through that lens more than any [00:15:53]other but I'm also trying to teach you

[00:15:54]how philosophical anthropology fits into [00:15:57]the whole schema of [00:15:59]um systematic philosophy writ large so [00:16:02]philosophical anthropology [00:16:06]um

[00:16:07]uh and as I've said right every [00:16:12]um every branch of philosophy has a [00:16:14]question behind it right some sort of [00:16:17]question that drives it and here we [00:16:21]could put a few questions or different

[00:16:23]ways of asking a question such as [00:16:25][Music] [00:16:25]um [00:16:27]uh what does it mean [00:16:31]to be human

[00:16:34]right or [00:16:37]who am I [00:16:40]right who am I what does it mean to be [00:16:43]human what is what is a human [00:16:45]person what's the nature of human person

[00:16:49]um this uh word anthropos means human [00:16:53]that's just what it means [00:16:55]um so the study of humans what does it [00:16:57]mean to be human [00:16:59]um

[00:17:00]and uh another first principle of [00:17:03]philosophy [00:17:05]um is uh [00:17:07]cosmology [00:17:11]so the study of the

[00:17:13]Cosmos now Cosmos means [00:17:16]um Cosmos means world right in Greek uh [00:17:20]just means World [00:17:22]um [00:17:23]now

[00:17:25]um [00:17:28]two quick points one is that [00:17:31]um I am the center of the world [00:17:35][Music] [00:17:39]I am though right I'm also the center of

[00:17:42]the universe [00:17:44]what do you think of that Lonnie [00:17:47]glad to know me I'm the center of the [00:17:49]universe right [00:17:51]um but what does it mean to be in the

[00:17:53]center [00:17:54]what does the word Center mean [00:17:59]Center is equidistant from all the [00:18:01]points on the outside of it right center [00:18:03]of a circle is equidistant from all the

[00:18:05]points on the circumference [00:18:07]the universe extends infinitely that [00:18:10]direction [00:18:11]infinitely that direction infinitely [00:18:13]that direction simply that direction

[00:18:15]inflate every direction around me right [00:18:18]therefore I am the center of the [00:18:20]universe [00:18:23]follow [00:18:25]what so is Zach right Zach is a

[00:18:28]different Center I mean it's infinite [00:18:29]right so if the universe is infinite [00:18:32]then [00:18:34]there's got to be an infinite number of [00:18:36]centers right so every point is the

[00:18:38]center of the universe [00:18:40]because the universe extends equidistant [00:18:42]infinitely in every direction right [00:18:46]um so I am the center of the universe I [00:18:49]am also the center of the world but the

[00:18:52]world means something very different [00:18:53]than Universe right world does not mean [00:18:56]Earth I'm not the center of the earth if [00:18:58]I were the center of the earth I would [00:18:59]be all burned up right or I'd be yeah if

[00:19:03]I were at this interpreter [00:19:04]I'm not the center of the earth right [00:19:06]I'm not the center of Pittsburgh state [00:19:09]I'm not the center of Fitchburg I'm not [00:19:11]the center of I'm not even in the center

[00:19:12]of the room right but I still aim to [00:19:15]send I'm always the center of the world [00:19:17]because World means the world around me [00:19:20]right Patrick is in my world welcome to [00:19:23]my world Patrick right but I'm also in

[00:19:26]your world right so your world your [00:19:29]world follows you around wherever you go [00:19:31]right you're always the Center of Your [00:19:33]World so this morning when you got out [00:19:34]of bed you were the center of the world

[00:19:36]but I don't know if there was anybody [00:19:38]else in your world at that time [00:19:41]um wasn't a mine but right [00:19:44]um cows and things were the center of my [00:19:45]world this morning

[00:19:47]um [00:19:48]but uh right but then when did you go [00:19:50]through your day then other people enter [00:19:52]and exit your world right as you [00:19:54]encounter other people but you're always

[00:19:55]the Center of Your World right so Cosmos [00:19:58]means World [00:20:01]um so another way of asking this right [00:20:03]some question behind this might be [00:20:06]um where

[00:20:08]m i [00:20:12]um [00:20:13]some of the questions between these two [00:20:16]kind of you know blur like if I'm [00:20:19]talking about Abby like Abby's in my

[00:20:22]world but Abby's also a human person so [00:20:25]when I ask about [00:20:26]markers or tables or you know coffee [00:20:30]mugs or something that's different than [00:20:32]asking about Abby because Abby's not an

[00:20:34]object like those others but as a human [00:20:36]person right so then the lines between [00:20:39]these even though Abby is in my world [00:20:41]and I'm in Abby's world [00:20:43]um

[00:20:44]you know you get what I'm saying right [00:20:46]so there's there's a lot of blur between [00:20:48]these [00:20:50]um [00:20:51]cosmology we can also take much more

[00:20:53]broadly [00:20:55]um and literally the entire science [00:20:58]department all the scientists at [00:21:00]Fitchburg States all science falls under [00:21:04]pretty much all yeah I mean all natural

[00:21:06]science all physical science all those [00:21:08]fall under cosmology the study of the [00:21:10]world around us right study of nature [00:21:12]the study of biology the study of [00:21:15]ecology the study of

[00:21:17]um all the Sciences chemistry and [00:21:19]everything they would all fall under [00:21:20]cosmology where are we [00:21:23]um there's another way [00:21:24]um

[00:21:25]yeah if we could ask these questions [00:21:28]in the plural they maybe take on a very [00:21:30]different meaning who are [00:21:32]we right where [00:21:38]are

[00:21:40]we [00:21:42]um [00:21:43]on the one hand the same question on the [00:21:45]hand a different uh question and then [00:21:48]the last of these first principles of

[00:21:50]philosophy uh goes by a lot of different [00:21:52]names but we're just going to call it [00:21:54]existentialism [00:21:57]right which we covered on [00:22:00]um

[00:22:02]Monday [00:22:04]um and the question behind [00:22:06]existentialism is why am I here [00:22:14]right what is my [00:22:21]or hour

[00:22:22]or the [00:22:25]um [00:22:26]meaning [00:22:28]purpose [00:22:31]of life

[00:22:33]or existence [00:22:35]existence is probably better right [00:22:38]um so that's where we get the word [00:22:40]existentialism what does it mean to [00:22:41]exist why we exist why is there anything

[00:22:43]why is there something rather than [00:22:45]nothing why are we all different so [00:22:48]what's the point right all those kind of [00:22:50]questions that the Buddha [00:22:52]um you know asked when he was sitting

[00:22:54]starving to death underneath that tree [00:22:56]what's the point why is there right [00:23:00]um [00:23:01]a couple of things to point out [00:23:03]um or to emphasize I guess

[00:23:06]um is that you know more than any other [00:23:10]rings on the circle perhaps there's [00:23:12]definitely no lines between these right [00:23:15]there's no [00:23:17]um you literally can't answer the

[00:23:19]question who am I if you don't know [00:23:21]where you are or why you're here right [00:23:23]you can't answer the question why am I [00:23:26]here if you don't know who you are [00:23:28]right you can't answer any of these ques

[00:23:31]why am I here if you don't know where [00:23:33]here is right with this world around you [00:23:35]means or what these other people around [00:23:37]you [00:23:38]um you know how to think about them or

[00:23:40]how to right so you literally can't [00:23:42]answer any one of the questions without [00:23:44]answering all three right [00:23:47]um it's not like we could which is why I [00:23:48]teach the course this way right I mean

[00:23:50]you can't just say hey let's just do [00:23:52]philosophical anthropology for a [00:23:53]semester and ignore these other [00:23:55]questions you can't right you can look [00:23:58]at all these questions through one lens

[00:24:00]or another right maybe put an emphasis [00:24:02]on one one question which is what I'm [00:24:04]doing but you can't answer any of the [00:24:06]questions without answering all three [00:24:08]make sense

[00:24:12]um [00:24:12]cool [00:24:14]um [00:24:15]any questions [00:24:17]this is more than a review right is this

[00:24:20]review [00:24:21]plus but um brings us up to speeds [00:24:26]um [00:24:27]okay no questions then we'll move on to [00:24:30]next section

[00:24:33]um metanarrative [00:24:37]I really like that [00:24:39]title [00:24:40]um but um so a meta narrative [00:24:44]um anybody familiar with that term

[00:24:46]metanarrative you heard that term before [00:24:49]um [00:24:51]particular uh [00:24:54]philosophical 20th century philosophical [00:24:56]term

[00:24:57]um anytime we tell [00:24:59]um so history right history is always [00:25:04]um [00:25:05]is always first and foremost a story [00:25:08]right so the stories that we tell

[00:25:11]um how we tell the history the stories [00:25:13]that we tell in histories right every [00:25:16]story has a meaning or a purpose so you [00:25:18]leave out some details and you include [00:25:21]other details right when we talk about

[00:25:24]the story of Rosa Parks sitting down on [00:25:26]a bus right we don't talk about what she [00:25:29]ate for breakfast that morning right we [00:25:31]don't talk about [00:25:33]um

[00:25:34]uh you know there's a lot of things that [00:25:36]we don't include [00:25:37]um [00:25:38]but so right so the way that we tell the [00:25:41]stories and

[00:25:42]um the stories that we choose to tell [00:25:44]and the stories that we choose to leave [00:25:46]out right have a big impact on how we [00:25:49]understand history right so there's a [00:25:52]lot of power and sort of how we name

[00:25:54]those how we tell those stories [00:25:56]um and so metanarrative just means right [00:26:00]so we're going to tell a big story a big [00:26:02]history story and don't want to get [00:26:05]don't want to get confused and think

[00:26:07]that we're telling like all the details [00:26:09]or that we're gonna know like all the [00:26:11]details and we could tell this story in [00:26:13]a different way [00:26:14]um but this is just the story that we're

[00:26:17]going to tell trying to get [00:26:19]um a few hundred years of philosophy [00:26:21]wrapped up in one nice little story [00:26:24]right that helps us to understand the [00:26:26]first principles of philosophy

[00:26:29]um and this sort of quest or pursuit to [00:26:32]understand [00:26:33]the real and the problems [00:26:37]um [00:26:37]with doing that

[00:26:39]um so [00:26:41]um story goes something like this so [00:26:43]there's this um kit named Renee [00:26:46]Descartes and uh Renee Descartes [00:26:50]um he grew up in a particular households

[00:26:53]um which um [00:26:55]basically he was taught a lot of things [00:26:57]especially religious teachings and a lot [00:27:00]of things his parents taught him [00:27:03]um that

[00:27:04]turned out not to be true right he grew [00:27:07]up kind of like I did and then read the [00:27:09]Bible and then learned all these things [00:27:10]that he had been taught when he was a [00:27:12]kid by his parents

[00:27:15]um and other things weren't true and [00:27:18]that's bothered him right and he was [00:27:21]like well what is true right I want to [00:27:23]start over I want to find [00:27:26]um I want to find some real basis

[00:27:28]something like what can I [00:27:30]I want to start from scratch right sort [00:27:33]of starting from first principles first [00:27:35]principles means right starting from [00:27:37]scratch so we can't answer any of these

[00:27:41]questions if we don't know who we are [00:27:43]right or another way of asking this [00:27:45]question [00:27:46]um if [00:27:49]if epistemology the question as Zach

[00:27:51]said right is um how do we know [00:27:57]what we know [00:28:01]right then philosophical anthropology is [00:28:05]asking [00:28:07]what is this

[00:28:11]nowhere [00:28:15]right what do we mean by nowhere we [00:28:17]can't be knowledge [00:28:19]can't know anything if there's no knower [00:28:21]right and nowhere is knowledge is known

[00:28:24]by a knower so we have to kind of [00:28:26]investigate find out what is this knower [00:28:28]right and so Descartes was [00:28:31]um [00:28:32]uh I mean he was a phenomenologist and

[00:28:36]um yeah I think it's fair to call him a [00:28:38]phenomenologist trying to think about [00:28:40]um you know how do we know what we know [00:28:42]and he said [00:28:44]um you know like what do we mean by

[00:28:47]real y'all seen The Matrix [00:28:51]just a couple who's seen The Matrix [00:28:54]okay all right so um uh so you know [00:28:57]there's uh the scene where um so for [00:29:00]those of you who haven't seen The Matrix

[00:29:01]you see the Matrix [00:29:03]um but uh the original one right [00:29:05]um but uh in The Matrix right he's um [00:29:09]they're in these pods right um they're [00:29:12]prisoners and uh prisoners in the cave

[00:29:14]prisoners in these pods and they have [00:29:17]these things going into their these um [00:29:20]whatever you call rods going into their [00:29:24]brains that send electrical signals into [00:29:27]their brains right so then

[00:29:29]um I mean as we went through in chapter [00:29:31]three right when you see something if [00:29:34]you see the marker then lights coming [00:29:36]off of the lights [00:29:38]um out of the light bulbs hitting the

[00:29:39]marker some of it's absorbed by the [00:29:41]marker some of it then reflects into [00:29:42]your eyes those photons excite the rods [00:29:47]and cones which then send electrical [00:29:49]impulses to your visual cortex right

[00:29:52]through axons and dendrites which then [00:29:54]um creates or there's this emergent [00:29:58]phenomenon that we we call an image [00:30:01]right and that image is produced by our [00:30:03]minds we talked about like the rope and

[00:30:05]the snake right the snake is something [00:30:07]created by your mind it may have [00:30:08]originated in this glimpse of a rope [00:30:11]that you saw on the ground but [00:30:13]nonetheless the snake is definitely made

[00:30:15]by your mind right or [00:30:17]um the keys and no keys and those sort [00:30:19]of those examples that I gave earlier [00:30:21]right um [00:30:23]so Descartes knew all this too uh

[00:30:26]actually [00:30:27]um and uh said all right so it's my [00:30:30]brain telling me that there's a marker [00:30:33]here my brain telling me that you know I [00:30:35]see what I see and sometimes my eyes

[00:30:37]deceive me and sometimes you know and so [00:30:40]if I know that if I know that [00:30:43]um right that what I see is this [00:30:48]conscious right everything we did on [00:30:50]Monday right that there's this conscious

[00:30:52]eye [00:30:56]which is perceiving phenomena [00:31:01]which are produced by that conscious eye [00:31:03]right and then so the question shoot [00:31:07]I'm out of space

[00:31:09]um then the question is is there any [00:31:12]correspondence between that and the [00:31:14]sensible [00:31:17]um world right the cosmos the world [00:31:19]around me is there any correspondence or

[00:31:22]correlation between that outside world [00:31:25]and this phenomena that's created in my [00:31:27]eye we know that When We're Dreaming [00:31:28]there's not right When We're Dreaming we [00:31:31]but when We're Dreaming we don't know

[00:31:33]We're Dreaming right we only know that [00:31:34]we're dreaming after we wake up and so [00:31:36]in The Matrix um [00:31:38]there's a scene right Neo gets out of [00:31:41]the Matrix uh and then he's in the real

[00:31:43]world and all that kind of stuff and [00:31:45]then [00:31:46]um the first time he goes into the what [00:31:48]they call the constructs rates where [00:31:51]um

[00:31:53]um more if he's just trying to explain [00:31:54]to him what the Matrix is and he plugs [00:31:56]them into the machine again and [00:31:59]um and he said you know so you're saying [00:32:01]right now we're in a computer program

[00:32:03]right they're actually laying in their [00:32:05]chairs right but they're plugged into [00:32:07]the Matrix or the major or the computer [00:32:09]is plugged into them right they're in a [00:32:11]virtual reality and um but he says

[00:32:15]um Neo says something like um are you [00:32:18]telling me none of this is real like [00:32:19]none of this is real and Morpheus says [00:32:22]what is what do you mean by real how do [00:32:25]you define real

[00:32:27]if you're talking about what you can [00:32:28]feel what you can smell what you can [00:32:31]taste and see then real is simply [00:32:33]electrical signals interpreted by your [00:32:35]brain

[00:32:37]hey if real is what you can see what you [00:32:40]can taste what you can touch what you [00:32:42]can smell [00:32:43]I'm gonna leave one out and see taste [00:32:45]touch smell Pier right then

[00:32:49]um then all of these things are just [00:32:51]phenomena right which are produced by [00:32:54]your brain and perceived by this [00:32:56]conscious eye and so as long as this is [00:32:59]happening you don't know whether you're

[00:33:01]awake or asleep you don't know whether [00:33:03]that is phenomena that you're seeing [00:33:06]hearing tasting smelling feeling all [00:33:09]those kind of things you don't know [00:33:10]whether they correspond to

[00:33:12]something outside or not right so [00:33:16]um [00:33:17]makes sense right should be review of [00:33:20]what we've done over the past few [00:33:22]um over the past few chapters

[00:33:24]um [00:33:25]and uh so Descartes was like well how do [00:33:29]we know then how do we know how do we [00:33:31]know anything but Descartes actually so [00:33:32]the Matrix is

[00:33:34]um The Matrix is based on a lot of [00:33:36]philosophy but part of the Matrix [00:33:38]philosophy is built on um Descartes [00:33:41]um High pot or idea of like a brain and [00:33:44]a bat maybe I'm just a brain and a vat

[00:33:46]right just like a brain and a jar [00:33:49]and like if if you're just a brain in a [00:33:52]jar right and somebody's like poking it [00:33:54]with uh electric like stimulating the [00:33:57]electrical impulses right in the same

[00:33:59]way that neurons fire right if you're if [00:34:02]you've got all that neural activity [00:34:04]that's going on in your brain and it's [00:34:07]exactly the same as when your brain is [00:34:09]in your head then how would you know if

[00:34:12]you have a body or not right [00:34:14]um so this was Descartes [00:34:16]um it's called the brain in a vat just [00:34:18]sort of um thought experiment [00:34:21]um

[00:34:22]how do you know so how do you know so he [00:34:23]doubted everything [00:34:25]um Descartes [00:34:27]um was sort of a radical skeptic [00:34:32]radical skepticism

[00:34:35]like all good philosophers are [00:34:37]um radically skeptical of everything and [00:34:41]um then basically wanted to doubts [00:34:44]everything that was his [00:34:47]thing right doubts everything

[00:34:51]why well if you want to if you doubt [00:34:55]everything even doubted the existence of [00:34:57]his own body doubt everything right if [00:35:00]you doubt everything [00:35:02]um then maybe he thought you can find

[00:35:04]the real you can get down to something [00:35:07]that can't be doubted right he was on a [00:35:09]search to find something [00:35:12]indubitable [00:35:16]a funny word but indubitable not in

[00:35:19]meaning not [00:35:21]able meaning able [00:35:23]um not able to be dubious not able to be [00:35:26]doubted right not doubtable undoubtable [00:35:29]Beyond

[00:35:31]doubt [00:35:35]right so [00:35:37]um [00:35:38]so this is basically what he is how his [00:35:41]logic went right so I can doubt

[00:35:45]um I can doubt I can definitely doubt [00:35:47]that Austin exists right maybe Austin I [00:35:51]mean I barely even know Austin didn't [00:35:53]even know you you know until recently so [00:35:57]you know it's not hard to imagine that

[00:35:59]some um some smart programmer just [00:36:02]programmed you right uh and they don't [00:36:05]have to program your whole life they [00:36:06]just program these interactions whenever [00:36:08]you're in my world right

[00:36:10]um [00:36:12]I don't know yeah sometimes I feel like [00:36:14]um [00:36:15]um that I'm just an MPC in somebody [00:36:17]else's game you know

[00:36:19]um yeah something I think about all the [00:36:21]time is Elon Musk actually said once [00:36:23]that he's like [00:36:24]more than sure that we're probably [00:36:26]already in some type of virtual reality

[00:36:29]and it would just be no way of us [00:36:30]knowing [00:36:31]I mean it's true [00:36:34]yeah [00:36:36]yeah

[00:36:37]um yeah we can do a quick pause uh [00:36:39]actually it's pretty closely related but [00:36:41]there's a um [00:36:43]there's a [00:36:45]bus drum I'm not sure if it's an M or an

[00:36:48]N [00:36:49]um I think it's an M but Nick bostrom's [00:36:52]uh um philosopher [00:36:54]um and um [00:36:56]yeah uh

[00:36:59]a logic experiment called Sim Theory [00:37:03]um that's what you're talking about [00:37:04]that's what Elon Musk is referring to [00:37:07]um and uh it's very very simple logic [00:37:10]very simple logic uh

[00:37:13]freaking is really simple [00:37:16]um logic [00:37:17]um it only has a couple of [00:37:20]um [00:37:21]only has a couple of points first one is

[00:37:25]um [00:37:27]um [00:37:28]do you imagine [00:37:31]that it is possible [00:37:34]that one day

[00:37:36]at some point in the future [00:37:39]humans will develop a computer [00:37:41]with enough processing power to simulate [00:37:45]reality [00:37:46]right a virtual reality

[00:37:49]that's way better than the virtual [00:37:50]reality we have now right now you get [00:37:53]into virtual reality and you know that [00:37:54]you're in virtual reality but is it [00:37:56]possible that the computer could develop

[00:37:58]a virtual reality where the NPCs are so [00:38:00]real that you can't tell the difference [00:38:02]between NPCs and other players right so [00:38:07]AIS that are past the you know [00:38:11]um

[00:38:12]what's that test gone [00:38:15]anyway [00:38:16]um [00:38:17]great [00:38:18]so that's that's the first one do you

[00:38:20]think [00:38:21]is possible how many people say yes that [00:38:23]it's possible that you think one day [00:38:25]humans can have the possibility of [00:38:28]creating a computer powerful with enough

[00:38:30]processing power anybody say no [00:38:35]anybody doubt it [00:38:37]it's okay if you do okay that's the [00:38:40]first principle [00:38:41]um

[00:38:42]so one [00:38:44]um [00:38:45]possibility [00:38:49]of simulation [00:38:52]simulated reality

[00:38:55]second one [00:38:59]second one is do you think humans will [00:39:03]do that do you think humans if they had [00:39:06]the capability of simulating reality [00:39:09]right do you think any human

[00:39:12]would do it [00:39:14]anybody doubt it [00:39:16]right so [00:39:18]um [00:39:20]uh would they

[00:39:25]um that's it that's the whole [00:39:28]that's that's premise one [00:39:30]premise two [00:39:32]the conclusion is [00:39:35]um if if he asks and if he asks then the

[00:39:38]conclusion [00:39:42]is that there's a [00:39:44]99.99 percent [00:39:48]possibility [00:39:49]that we're living in one of those

[00:39:51]simulations [00:39:58]um [00:39:59]why why such a high number [00:40:04]why not [00:40:06]a very low number would they if you

[00:40:08]think they would do it would you think [00:40:10]they would do it only once [00:40:13]if they did it only once if there's some [00:40:16]possibility that one day in the future [00:40:18]somebody will develop a computer with

[00:40:21]enough processing power to simulate [00:40:23]reality and they do it once [00:40:25]then there's a 50 percent chance that [00:40:28]we're living in that [00:40:29]reality

[00:40:33]if they do it twice there's a 33 percent [00:40:36]chance that we're living in the real [00:40:38]world right uh 77 67 chance that we're [00:40:42]living in one of the simulations [00:40:44]if they do it you think they do it a

[00:40:46]hundred times [00:40:48]then there's a one percent chance for [00:40:50]living in the real world that's what I [00:40:51]think Elon Musk was talking about right [00:40:53]this is right on this is right on what

[00:40:55]Descartes was saying right so radically [00:40:58]skeptical doubting everything doubting [00:41:01]the existence of the world doubting [00:41:03]rights Descartes would be like yeah you [00:41:06]know I already said that right it said

[00:41:07]that hundreds of years ago Boston was [00:41:09]just updating it but it's not really [00:41:11]that different than what a cart said [00:41:14]um [00:41:15]just with some more numbers I guess

[00:41:18]um and uh [00:41:21]but then he he's he came to this is what [00:41:23]Descartes said and I'm gonna run out of [00:41:25]time so fast [00:41:26]um

[00:41:27]a uh it was one thing he said can't be [00:41:30]doubted actually my Lisa [00:41:33]one thing he said can't be doubted one [00:41:35]thing that's beyond [00:41:37]all doubt right

[00:41:41]um see if we can get the logic here [00:41:44]quick [00:41:46]um [00:41:48]I can doubt [00:41:52]um the world

[00:41:56]right the reality of the world I can [00:41:58]doubt [00:42:02]even the um [00:42:05]my own body [00:42:08]right but I cannot doubt

[00:42:17]this is might be unsatisfying I cannot [00:42:19]doubt that I am [00:42:25]doubting [00:42:28]super unsatisfying isn't it but [00:42:31]I don't know I cannot doubt that I am

[00:42:33]doubting right so that's the one thing [00:42:36]after all this works right Descartes [00:42:38]that was his conclusion I cannot doubt [00:42:40]that I am doubting [00:42:42]right

[00:42:43]um [00:42:44]it doesn't sound like a big Insight [00:42:46]right I cannot doubt that I am doubting [00:42:48]a doubt everything else except for that [00:42:52]um and then from there this is the basis

[00:42:54]this is the the really real thing the [00:42:57]unchanging thing [00:42:59]um that that he said he found right so [00:43:01]then I cannot doubt that I am doubting [00:43:05]um

[00:43:08]and then from this right you just kind [00:43:11]of like builds a couple of steps I think [00:43:13]these are pretty small steps that we can [00:43:14]take here [00:43:15]um

[00:43:16]therefore [00:43:18]um I think [00:43:20]therefore [00:43:24]I am I was gonna play the Billy eilish [00:43:26]song before but I forgot

[00:43:28]um [00:43:31]I think therefore I am [00:43:34]um [00:43:35]kojito [00:43:38]ergo

[00:43:41]soon [00:43:43]kojito I think [00:43:46]ergo [00:43:47]therefore soon I am right therefore I [00:43:51]think therefore I am

[00:43:54]um [00:43:55]yay [00:43:58]philosophy is fixed [00:44:00]philosophy solved [00:44:02]all these philosophers in history of the

[00:44:04]world been trying to find what's really [00:44:07]real this one thing [00:44:10]does beyond all doubts this one thing [00:44:12]that never changes this one thing that [00:44:15]can be the firm basis from which to

[00:44:18]build our entire system of knowing and [00:44:21]here it is Descartes found it [00:44:25]what do you think [00:44:32]just like that I can doubt the world I [00:44:34]can doubt my own body I can doubt

[00:44:36]everything [00:44:37]but I can't doubt that I'm doubting [00:44:40]he's not wrong on that right so if I [00:44:42]doubt that I I doubt that my body is [00:44:45]here but I can't doubt that there's

[00:44:47]somebody that's doubting and that [00:44:49]doubting person the one that's doubting [00:44:51]is the eye [00:44:55]right [00:44:57]now yeah so the one that's doubting is

[00:44:59]this [00:45:00]that's who I am who am I I'm the one [00:45:03]that's doubting that I'm doubting [00:45:05]everything right I'm the big doubter and [00:45:08]because I'm doubting because I so you

[00:45:11]could say I think therefore I mean he [00:45:12]did say I think therefore I am but [00:45:14]before that he said I doubt [00:45:17]right therefore I am [00:45:20]right because I'm doubting

[00:45:22]I exist he um his whole brain in a bat [00:45:25]thing he was like suppose like how did I [00:45:28]get to be a brain in a bat with somebody [00:45:30]poking and prodding right how did I get [00:45:32]to be in this simulation right there

[00:45:34]must be a creator of the simulation [00:45:37]um [00:45:37]yeah exactly his thought [00:45:40]um in his three meditations his [00:45:42]meditations on first principles right

[00:45:45]um Descartes that's that's the title of [00:45:47]this book for meditations on first [00:45:49]principles [00:45:50]um [00:45:51]and uh those chapters first three

[00:45:54]meditations follow the meditate the the [00:45:57]principles that we're going on right now [00:45:58]right so [00:46:00]um he began with the self right so um he [00:46:04]wanted to put his anchor or the real uh

[00:46:08]in that [00:46:10]shoot now I wish I hadn't raced it [00:46:12]um but in that philosophical [00:46:14]anthropology right so we've got [00:46:15]anthropology

[00:46:19]um cosmology [00:46:21]and existentialism [00:46:27]and so Descartes basically wanted to put [00:46:30]his we're just gonna [00:46:33]stop calling it the real and start

[00:46:35]calling it an anchor right [00:46:37]um [00:46:38]but he [00:46:39]he thought it was more than an anchor he [00:46:41]thought it was really real right so I

[00:46:43]think therefore I am beyond all doubts [00:46:47]um [00:46:48]philosophy solved now we can move on and [00:46:51]do something else with our time right [00:46:54]Descartes fixed a lot of people thought

[00:46:56]Descartes fixed it Descartes had a [00:46:58]pretty big impact on the world a whole [00:46:59]lot of people followed Descartes [00:47:01]everybody listened to Descartes um fed [00:47:04]into their world view really pretty well

[00:47:07]um and uh was convincing to a lot of [00:47:10]people for a long time [00:47:13]um until this guy came around [00:47:16]um this guy uh David Hume Scottish [00:47:20]philosopher came around and he said

[00:47:25]um no that's not right that's uh yeah uh [00:47:30]uh nope [00:47:32]nope [00:47:35]it's wrong [00:47:37]um

[00:47:40]he had a lot of really good reasons but [00:47:42]one of them [00:47:45]um see if it can [00:47:47]how can I follow this right so I think [00:47:50]right therefore I am but what is

[00:47:54]thinking to be conscious to be thinking [00:47:56]you have to be thinking something right [00:47:59]so there has to be some content right [00:48:01]you have to be conscious of some [00:48:04]particular phenomena so if you say I

[00:48:07]doubt right therefore I am doubting [00:48:10]therefore there's an existence of this [00:48:12]eye that is doubting right I think [00:48:15]therefore I am this doubter is the one [00:48:18]that's doubting well that's definitely

[00:48:20]true right I doubt therefore you can't [00:48:24]doubt the fact that you're doubting [00:48:26]when you're doubting [00:48:29]well what happened when you stop [00:48:31]doubting

[00:48:33]you're no longer the doubter [00:48:35]right in fact I doubt that I'm doubting [00:48:39]I doubt that I exist therefore I exist [00:48:44]now all of a sudden I exist and don't [00:48:46]doubt that I exist anymore then you're

[00:48:48]not the doubter anymore right so [00:48:51]um be following [00:48:53]Descartes I mean uh Hume said [00:48:56]um to be a human person is you can't [00:48:59]reduce it to just this right Descartes

[00:49:02]wanted to reduce it to just this I think [00:49:05]therefore I am but they but Hume was [00:49:08]like wait a second this the phenomena [00:49:11]this content of your mind that's also [00:49:13]created by your mind right that's also

[00:49:16]who you are you're not just [00:49:19]like think about it like this [00:49:21]um when you're dreaming right when [00:49:24]you're dreaming [00:49:25]you're seeing a dream right you're

[00:49:27]hearing a dream you're feeling a dream [00:49:29]you're experiencing a dream right you're [00:49:32]like uh you're like a viewer of your [00:49:35]dreams right somebody who experiences [00:49:37]your dreams who's the producer

[00:49:40]who makes these dreams [00:49:42]creates the dreams [00:49:48]your mind [00:49:49]yeah you right you're not just the [00:49:52]viewer you're also the Creator so you're

[00:49:55]both sides of it right you're the one [00:49:58]that's viewing they're conscious of the [00:50:00]phenomena but the phenomena is also it [00:50:04]it exists [00:50:06]as you right

[00:50:10]is this familiar [00:50:18]did this on [00:50:20]Monday [00:50:21]right [00:50:23]um

[00:50:24]other folks who are coming around along [00:50:26]saying [00:50:28]um right that there's some self [00:50:32]right some I [00:50:35]that is always the same right some I

[00:50:38]that exists this I right that is I think [00:50:43]therefore I am well what about when [00:50:46]you're not thinking what about when [00:50:48]you're in a state of deep sleep if [00:50:49]you're in a state of deep sleep are you

[00:50:51]thinking [00:50:54]no does that mean you don't exist [00:51:03]does it [00:51:10]what exists if you're in a coma what [00:51:14]exists when you're in a state of deep

[00:51:15]sleep [00:51:19]yeah but your body still exists after [00:51:21]you're dead [00:51:22]move your conscience [00:51:25]but the conscience you're not conscious

[00:51:29]when you're unconscious right so there's [00:51:32]no content of the Consciousness so [00:51:34]you're not aware that you're conscious [00:51:36]and you're not conscious because you're [00:51:38]not conscious of anything there's no

[00:51:40]brain activity right [00:51:44]so do you exist [00:51:48]well [00:51:49]Hume said no right Jim said no to exist [00:51:54]is this right this is who I am who I am

[00:51:57]at any given moment is [00:52:00]being conscious with some phenomena [00:52:02]right being conscious of some phenomena [00:52:04]whatever I'm thinking that's that's who [00:52:07]I am I am this right I'm irreducible to

[00:52:10]anything other than this right you can't [00:52:13]have [00:52:14]you can't have a phenomena if there's [00:52:16]nothing conscious of the phenomena right [00:52:18]because the what is the definition of

[00:52:20]phenomenon [00:52:23]definitely told you to memorize this [00:52:25]right what's the definition of a [00:52:26]phenomenon [00:52:27]from chapter three

[00:52:33]that we should abuse to the conscious [00:52:35]mind [00:52:46]that which appears to the conscious mind [00:52:47]so [00:52:49]right that's exactly that right the

[00:52:52]phenomena is that which appears to the [00:52:54]conscious mind but where's that [00:52:55]phenomena come from [00:52:58]where does it exist where does the [00:53:00]phenomena exist

[00:53:02]up here and where is it created up here [00:53:06]by whom you right so then how do you [00:53:10]know that you're not [00:53:12]just this right [00:53:15]um okay let's do something

[00:53:17]um [00:53:18]different because I I uh feel like I'm [00:53:20]caught in a loop [00:53:22]um [00:53:23]uh

[00:53:25]yeah so um [00:53:30]let's do um let me ask one of those [00:53:32]super annoying [00:53:34]um [00:53:35]philosopher questions one of the those

[00:53:38]questions that [00:53:40]when most people think about philosophy [00:53:42]they think about the questions like this [00:53:45]um [00:53:49]does a river

[00:53:53]exist [00:53:58]does a river exist [00:54:04]have you ever seen a river [00:54:06]so does the river exist [00:54:09]I like to think so why because you've

[00:54:11]seen it right what is it that you saw [00:54:13]when you saw a river [00:54:15]water so [00:54:18]um was it still water [00:54:20]so water that's moving right so then is

[00:54:23]the river the water [00:54:27]I mean water is [00:54:34]like a card [00:54:39]oh my God [00:54:44]okay so if you uh if you bought a car we

[00:54:48]could shift the car instead of river if [00:54:49]you want [00:54:51]um if you bought a car on Amazon right [00:54:55]um a Maserati or something [00:54:57]um and uh it arrives in I don't know

[00:55:00]let's say like 2 000 cardboard boxes [00:55:05]is that a car [00:55:08]you gotta build this kind of a big deal [00:55:10]though isn't it right so or um let's say [00:55:15]um let's say we take um Parker and

[00:55:18]put them into a blender [00:55:21]sorry Parker [00:55:25]um [00:55:25]they'd still be there right all the [00:55:27]parts are still there

[00:55:30]still be Barker like I didn't do [00:55:32]anything part I just Blended them a [00:55:34]little bit right you know so [00:55:38]you still be Parker [00:55:40]so I mean it's more than so yeah I get

[00:55:43]what you're saying right but then what [00:55:44]is the what is the river right so if the [00:55:47]river when you're seeing the river [00:55:48]you're seeing the water but the water [00:55:50]changes every moment doesn't it the

[00:55:52]water that you see here right if you're [00:55:55]standing here right and you see this [00:55:58]water molecule [00:56:00]right as soon as you see it it's gone [00:56:03]right it's like constantly going and

[00:56:06]then there's like another water molecule [00:56:08]replacing it right so then the water [00:56:11]molecules are constantly [00:56:13]coming and going right so then I'm not [00:56:17]saying the water doesn't exist I mean

[00:56:19]the water exists right you can drink it [00:56:21]you can see it you can feel it you can [00:56:24]touch it right water exists does the [00:56:26]water in the river exist yes [00:56:28]no doubt about that but does the river

[00:56:31]exist [00:56:34]are we still saying yes [00:56:38]what do you think Zach [00:56:41]so what is the river then [00:56:55]uh no Austin

[00:57:03]so the body of the watch so the form of [00:57:06]the body of the water so like the the [00:57:08]like where it is like the banks of it or [00:57:10]the shape of it [00:57:13]okay but over time as the water is going

[00:57:17]through doesn't it change the shape of [00:57:19]the river like it's um I mean the banks [00:57:22]of the river is made of sand and dirt [00:57:24]and things like that and plants and [00:57:27]trees that grow and die and get washed

[00:57:29]away in floods and that sort of thing [00:57:32]right so the banks of the river shift [00:57:34]and move [00:57:35]right what are you gonna say [00:57:47]I guess like

[00:57:49]see a picture of where you're like oh [00:57:51]that's a river run something else [00:57:54]yeah [00:57:56]so I mean it's a it's it's a word right [00:58:00]it exists as a rational entity

[00:58:03]we could say that right the river exists [00:58:06]as a rational entity and [00:58:09]um in the case of a picture right it [00:58:11]also exists as an image [00:58:14]um maybe I don't know we'll hold off on

[00:58:16]that one but um but what are we gonna [00:58:17]say [00:58:20]sure yeah so then [00:58:23]how do I [00:58:25]um right so the four ways of knowing

[00:58:27]sensible [00:58:30]sensible knowing what did I call it [00:58:32]sensual sensible [00:58:34]um sensual that's right yeah sensual [00:58:38]um

[00:58:41]rational [00:58:44]intellectual [00:58:48]uh imaginative [00:58:52]so the question is [00:58:55]um right so I can rationally know a

[00:58:59]river right a river can exist as a word [00:59:02]what's the definition of rational [00:59:04]knowing what makes some rational knowing [00:59:06]rational Parker [00:59:10]rational knowing is anything that what

[00:59:14]anything that we put into words or [00:59:16]numbers so river is a word right so we [00:59:19]can we know the words [00:59:21]um could we have a definite that's what [00:59:22]you're saying right we could look up a

[00:59:24]definition of the word definition of a [00:59:26]river that would that would fall here [00:59:28]right the word River the definition of [00:59:32]it [00:59:32]all those follow under

[00:59:35]um so when I say does a river exist you [00:59:38]could say Well it exists rationally [00:59:40]right we already did this with Santa [00:59:42]Claus right we said did Santa Claus [00:59:44]exist and I said yeah Santa Claus exists

[00:59:46]as a rational entity right for sure [00:59:50]um if that wasn't the case then you [00:59:52]couldn't distinguish between Santa and [00:59:54]Rudolph right but Santa and Rudolph [00:59:57]aren't the same thing how do we know

[00:59:59]when [01:00:00]uh [01:00:02]did I give you this to exist means to [01:00:05]stand out [01:00:08]right X meaning out and

[01:00:12]uh this is from X is theory [01:00:19]to stand out right so Santa stands out [01:00:22]from Rudolph so they exist right do they [01:00:26]exist as [01:00:27]sensible things that you can see taste

[01:00:32]touch smell here all those kind of [01:00:34]things Abby's saying yes [01:00:39]okay but what are you seeing until [01:00:41]you're isn't it the water right but the [01:00:45]water is right so the no doubt about the

[01:00:48]water the water exists as a sensible [01:00:50]thing [01:00:51]right but does the river exist as a [01:00:54]sensible thing [01:00:57]word I respect it

[01:01:00]okay [01:01:09]so we made the word River to be like [01:01:11]yeah [01:01:12]body of water that ecosystem [01:01:14]but is it a body of water because you

[01:01:18]know um I mean it is a the water in that [01:01:22]body is constantly changing the water [01:01:25]that makes up the river would it still [01:01:27]be a river if it didn't have any water [01:01:30]so the white but the water that's in the

[01:01:33]river is constantly changing it's never [01:01:35]the same [01:01:42]River okay [01:01:46]I I think so [01:01:50]I expect that you're not backing down

[01:01:54]I'm gonna make another analogy [01:01:59]that's like say [01:02:00]we're talking about like this class [01:02:02]instead of the river [01:02:04]and it's like rationally you can think

[01:02:07]about this class but this class does [01:02:10]like exist [01:02:11]and you can Define but whatever this [01:02:14]class is but I can't [01:02:16]you know touch the class right or

[01:02:23]someone in there [01:02:27]in that table or something like that but [01:02:29]is that kind of what you're saying [01:02:30]absolutely yeah yep or we could ask like [01:02:33]does Fitchburg State exist right

[01:02:37]does Fitchburg State exists well [01:02:40]this is Fitchburg State right I mean [01:02:42]this table is Fitchburg State is it not [01:02:45]but if this table didn't exist Fitchburg [01:02:48]State would still exist

[01:02:49]right or Fitchburg State sold this table [01:02:52]it would still be Fitchburg State just [01:02:54]when the table wouldn't be anymore right [01:02:58]yeah I'm probably that's probably a more [01:03:01]dangerous way to go but yeah you're

[01:03:02]right you got it right so then maybe [01:03:06]um [01:03:07]it's a little bit of a trick question [01:03:09]all right uh [01:03:11]uh I mean it's a get you think question

[01:03:13]so does a river exist a better question [01:03:16]would be [01:03:18]a much better question would be how [01:03:22]does a river exist right so we could say [01:03:24]the river exists rationally and I think

[01:03:27]this is exactly what you're saying right [01:03:28]the river exists as a word that we made [01:03:31]up in order to point to a particular set [01:03:34]of circumstances so that we can say hey [01:03:36]let's have lunch by the river we know

[01:03:39]what we're talking about right [01:03:41]um and so [01:03:43]um [01:03:45]right but the but that exists as a [01:03:49]rational entity which is different than

[01:03:51]as a [01:03:52]sensible entity right the sensible [01:03:56]entity is made up of its atoms the [01:03:58]molecules and atoms that make it up [01:04:03]right so it doesn't exist

[01:04:06]here [01:04:08]you still want to say yeah [01:04:11]okay [01:04:13]um [01:04:14]does it exist as an image yeah I think

[01:04:18]so right you can have a an image of a [01:04:21]river even in your head right the image [01:04:23]of the river in your head though [01:04:25]if you think of a river in your head it [01:04:28]doesn't make your ears wet right it

[01:04:31]doesn't make right it doesn't [01:04:34]um so the river that you that's in your [01:04:37]imagination is not wet right it doesn't [01:04:39]have water in it what were you gonna say [01:04:41]Patrick

[01:04:43]no okay yeah [01:04:46]ourselves I didn't even get to con I [01:04:48]didn't even get I didn't even get [01:04:49]halfway through the chapter [01:04:51]um

[01:04:52]but but I'm not done yet [01:04:55]um okay uh where's all this going [01:04:59]um what David Hume said David Hume said [01:05:02]that [01:05:03]um

[01:05:04]he said this is all yeah can't [01:05:07]I mean um Descartes whatever wrong [01:05:11]um [01:05:12]I think therefore I am sure [01:05:16]um but who is this I David Hume said

[01:05:19]um [01:05:21]who is this eye right so wait let me go [01:05:23]back to here [01:05:25]um [01:05:26]right this is what I am right I am this

[01:05:31]this [01:05:32]um conscious entity which only exists as [01:05:36]a perceiver of phenomena which my mind [01:05:40]is creating and those phenomena are [01:05:42]changing constantly at every moment

[01:05:45]right and so [01:05:48]um the um [01:05:49]the person like the [01:05:52]um the five day old [01:05:55]Brad rights and the five-year-old brat

[01:05:59]and the 25 year old Brad I mean what do [01:06:03]they have in common right there's [01:06:07]um [01:06:07]uh [01:06:09]I mean my body

[01:06:11]is different cells of my body are [01:06:14]different my hair is different my [01:06:16]everything's different right it's the [01:06:20]cell the blood cells in my body are [01:06:22]different what about my thoughts the

[01:06:24]content of my thoughts are different [01:06:25]right [01:06:27]um what is the same what are the things [01:06:29]that are the same [01:06:32]have the same DNA true

[01:06:35]right so [01:06:38]so if you want to say [01:06:40]you know but that doesn't have so much [01:06:42]to do with thinking right so I have the [01:06:44]same DNA

[01:06:46]right true [01:06:51]so this is more what is DNA right [01:06:58]what's DNA like if we say I have the [01:07:00]same DNA like if we think about DNA yeah [01:07:04]the same

[01:07:07]year right it's true right so you have [01:07:10]copies of the same DNA but the cells [01:07:13]the actual diionucleic acid are [01:07:17]different right but they're exact copies [01:07:20]hopefully exact copies of that right if

[01:07:23]they're slightly different then we call [01:07:24]that cancer or something like that right [01:07:26]but um but yeah so even the DNA [01:07:31]they're copies they are cops so then if [01:07:33]we say the information right the order

[01:07:37]or the information the arrangement then [01:07:40]isn't that [01:07:41]like this right so I exist as a rational [01:07:44]entity but the actual physical [01:07:48]cells are constantly changing right or

[01:07:52]the um the thoughts I mean [01:07:55]um [01:07:56]Patrick what's your favorite movie [01:08:00]just pick a favorite one favorite movie [01:08:04]okay and when you are um five

[01:08:08]was that your favorite movie [01:08:10]no so you know our tastes change our [01:08:14]preferences change what we write [01:08:17]um how we understand ourselves change [01:08:21]um

[01:08:23]there are some other things that are the [01:08:25]same or some other things they're saying [01:08:28]Lonnie [01:08:31]true yeah so I call her [01:08:34]um eye color doesn't change which is

[01:08:37]then still [01:08:38]um and there are some [01:08:40]um yep I was gonna say that isn't [01:08:43]necessarily true my little brother used [01:08:45]to have very blue eyes

[01:08:52]so eye color can change [01:08:55]um but it's not it doesn't it usually [01:08:57]stays pretty close to the same yeah [01:08:59]there are some things that don't really [01:09:02]change though yeah

[01:09:05]well your experience is I mean so [01:09:16]like [01:09:18]so you mean the memories then right I [01:09:20]guess so then memories right so memories [01:09:24]fall under here right imaginative

[01:09:28]um includes [01:09:30]um memories [01:09:32]foreign [01:09:36]memories dreams and images [01:09:39]and shadows which we'll get to later but

[01:09:41]memories is an important one right to [01:09:43]include in there [01:09:45]um but let's say uh so your memory of [01:09:49]when you were five your memory of those [01:09:51]you know your house and your dog and

[01:09:53]your family and all those kind of things [01:09:54]that's part of what makes you you right [01:09:56]it's part of who I am are these memories [01:09:59]but what if you [01:10:02]um what if you got in a car accident and

[01:10:04]you got a bad concussion and you got [01:10:06]amnesia and [01:10:08]um and didn't know your name or the [01:10:11]people around you forgot all those [01:10:13]memories is something that happens

[01:10:16]is it far-fetched [01:10:18]it's a thing right so if you didn't [01:10:21]remember anything about yourself [01:10:24]would you still be you [01:10:26]did if you lost all those memories

[01:10:31]you think you're still you [01:10:39]baby I'm different but the memory of [01:10:42]what other people know about me still [01:10:45]exist okay so then the relationships [01:10:48]outside of yourself right so your your

[01:10:51]mom's still your mom your dad's still [01:10:52]your dad your you know family still your [01:10:55]family right so even if you forget them [01:10:57]they're not gonna forget you right and [01:11:00]so those that's another thing I was

[01:11:02]thinking right relationships rights are [01:11:04]still there [01:11:06]um then that's true right [01:11:08]um but as far as everything else right [01:11:12]who what makes me me all those kind of

[01:11:14]things doesn't it change like really [01:11:17]constantly you know [01:11:21]yeah and I think that's what Hume was [01:11:23]saying too is that you know there's [01:11:25]something empowering here right

[01:11:27]something liberating is that I whoever I [01:11:30]am I'm Different I get to create myself [01:11:34]I get to remake myself right I get to [01:11:37]Define myself and so [01:11:39]I have bad memories in fact you know

[01:11:41]when we talk about psychological trauma [01:11:43]and that sort of stuff a lot of [01:11:44]psychological trauma PTSD PTSD is this [01:11:48]actually right so some trauma happens [01:11:50]and then somebody gets caught in a loop

[01:11:52]and they can't get this thing out of [01:11:54]their minds right they keep reliving [01:11:56]that moment and they get caught in these [01:11:58]Loops right [01:12:00]um and then so

[01:12:02]um Psychotherapy and things are an [01:12:04]attempt to try and get us out of those [01:12:05]Loops to try and help us to remake [01:12:08]ourselves and to get past those sort of [01:12:10]moments or identities

[01:12:13]um [01:12:14]wow I am out of time I got two minutes [01:12:17]left hold on give me these two minutes [01:12:19]um but let me think about how to like [01:12:20]end this in two minutes

[01:12:23]um [01:12:23]so uh one of the points that's one of [01:12:26]the [01:12:28]points that uh is important to mention [01:12:31]here right is that this River example

[01:12:34]hopefully you got the river example [01:12:35]right that the water is constantly [01:12:37]changing and so the river exists as a [01:12:41]rational entity as a name and a set of [01:12:44]events but the but the content of it is

[01:12:47]constantly changing second after site [01:12:49]right you can never step in the same [01:12:51]river twice as another philosopher [01:12:53]heraclitus said right [01:12:56]um and what Hume is basically saying is

[01:12:58]that to be me what it what do we mean by [01:13:00]a human person right philosophical [01:13:02]anthropology that's first of the um [01:13:06]first principles of philosophy [01:13:08]um

[01:13:09]that I right is basically just a stream [01:13:14]right stream just like this but I stream [01:13:17]of conscious events [01:13:23]right the content of the of what I'm [01:13:27]thinking changes every moment the

[01:13:29]phenomena changes every moment and as [01:13:32]the content of my what I'm thinking [01:13:34]changes so does the I right so the [01:13:37]knower is constantly changes every time [01:13:40]um so that question what does it mean to

[01:13:42]be a knower what is the knower right the [01:13:44]knower is the one that knows this [01:13:46]knowledge and as the knowledge changes [01:13:47]so too does the knower right so you [01:13:50]can't have one without the other it's

[01:13:52]sort of irreducible to this Loop right [01:13:55]the conscious I or here we could say the [01:13:58]knower and the [01:14:01]um phenomena or the knowledge right you [01:14:05]can't have one without the other there's

[01:14:06]no knowledge if there's no knower and [01:14:08]there's no knower if they don't know [01:14:09]anything right so the nowhere changes [01:14:12]every time the knowledge changes and so [01:14:15]that's what it means is to be in a state

[01:14:17]of constant change we're just sort of [01:14:19]these bundles of perception that move [01:14:21]through life and this endless stream of [01:14:24]Consciousness that we like to imagine [01:14:28]um has some sort of consistent eye or

[01:14:30]enduring eye that thinks therefore we [01:14:34]are the way that Descartes said but [01:14:36]dahim said [01:14:38]and hopefully that makes sense [01:14:41]why

[01:14:42]okay [01:14:44]uh have a good weekend I'll see you all [01:14:46]on Monday