Philosophers Egge
Another Secret I shall shew you, you must prepare Argentum vivum by mortifying it with the vapour of Tin for Pearls, and with the vapour of Lead for the Stone Iberus; then let it be ground with desiccating things, and Attramentis, and the like, as is said, and let there be an assation: Then let there be a sublimation * if for Pearles twelve times; if for rednesse one and twenty times, until the humidity within it be totally corrupted. Nor is it possible, that its humidity be separated by vapour, as the fore-said oyl; because its vehemently mixed with its dry parts; nor doth it constitute,as in the foresaid metals. In this Chapter you may be deceived, unlesse you distinguish of the signification of the words. It's now high time I involve the third Chapter: that you acquire the Calx, the * Calx of the body, {* Al. Clavem operis.} which you intend, the body is calcined, when it is appodiated, i.e. that the humour in it may be corrupted by salt, and with salt Armoniack and vinegar, and sometimes with burning things, and with Sulphur and Arsnick: and sometimes bodies are fed with Argentum vivum, and sublimated from them, until they remain putred. The claves of the Art are congelation, resolution, inceration, proportion; and another way purification, distillation, separation, calcination and fixation, and then you may acquiesce.
Friar Bacon ,,,, Roger i.e.
"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know. And in knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all."
"He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have"
"The unexamined life is not worth living"
"The qualities which a man seeks in his beloved are those characteristics of his own soul, whether he knows it or not."
"You are providing for your disciples a show of wisdom without the reality. For, acquiring by your means much information unaided by instruction, they will appear to possess much knowledge, while, in fact, they will, for the most part, know nothing at all; and, moreover, be disagreeable people to deal with, as having become wise in their own conceit, instead of truly wise."
"If a rich man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it."
"I was afraid that by observing objects with my eyes and trying to comprehend them with each of my other senses I might blind my soul altogether."
"Whenever, therefore, people are deceived and form opinions wide of the truth, it is clear that the error has slid into their minds through the medium of certain resemblances to that truth."
"But already it is time to depart, for me to die, for you to go on living; which of us takes the better course, is concealed from anyone except God."
Socrates (469-399 BC)
Consider the following paired sets of propositions, in which Standard English alternates with English-Prime (E-Prime):
lA. The electron is a wave.
lB. The electron appears as a wave when measured with instrument-l.
2A. The electron is a particle.
2B. The electron appears as a particle when measured with instrument-2.
3A. John is lethargic and unhappy.
3B. John appears lethargic and unhappy in the office.
4A. John is bright and cheerful.
4B. John appears bright and cheerful on holiday at the beach.
5A. This is the knife the first man used to stab the second man.
5B. The first man appeared to stab the second man with what looked like a knife to me.
6A. The car involved in the hit-and-run accident was a blue Ford.
6B. In memory, I think I recall the car involved in the hit-and-run accident as a blue Ford.
7A. This is a fascist idea.
7B. This seems like a fascist idea to me.
8A. Beethoven is better than Mozart.
8B. In my present mixed state of musical education and ignorance, Beethoven seems better to me than Mozart.
9A. That is a sexist movie.
9B. That seems like a sexist movie to me.
10A. The fetus is a person.
10B. In my system of metaphysics, I classify the fetus as a person.
Robert Anton Wilson
Originally posted by Bosse de NageA good example of what happens when philosophy runs amok and philosophers build their metaphysical/epistemic systems based on preferred conclusions rather than allow the conclusions to follow from a reasonable system.
Consider the following paired sets of propositions, in which Standard English alternates with English-Prime (E-Prime):
lA. The electron is a wave.
lB. The electron appears as a wave when measured with instrument-l.
2A. The electron is a particle.
2B. The electron appears as a particle when measured with instrument-2.
3A. John is leth ...[text shortened]... on.
10B. In my system of metaphysics, I classify the fetus as a person.
Robert Anton Wilson
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One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we've developed to a very high level is the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything.
- Malcolm Muggeridge
All nature has a feeling
All nature has a feeling: woods, fields, brooks
Are life eternal: and in silence they
Speak happiness beyond the reach of books;
There's nothing mortal in them; their decay
Is the green life of change; to pass away
And come again in blooms revivified.
Its birth was heaven, eternal it its stay,
And with the sun and moon shall still abide
Beneath their day and night and heaven wide.
John Clare