Philosophy

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http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm

[Merryprankster]

My philosophy revolves around copious amounts of mind altering chemicals.

[GeneChing]

Applying Kung Fu in life. READ Kung Fu: A Physical Discipline and a Philosophical Journey by Xueyuan Yangchen

[Lucky Bamboo]

"Some have told me it is just human limits we put on ourself for no reason. "

No reason? I think it is fairly straightforward to prove this wrong. For instance, if we want to call it "morality," in other words, right and wrong behavior, then, for one, it is not uniquely human. Humans are, after all, social animals. And, if morality is pretty much right and wrong behavior within the context of society then morality is a survival adaptation for animals that life in social groups. Chimpanzees, Orcas, Wolves....all have social structures in which a sense of behavior or right and wrong within that structure is evident. So how does this develop? It is likely because when the welfare of one individual within a group depends upon the other (the definition of society) a sense of reciprocity and justice will develop. Organized religions, with their creation myths, pretty much usurped this morality. In other words, as human societies grew from smaller groups of hunter-gatherers into larder agricultural societies, there was a necessity to police behavior indirectly. Religions and gods (the watchful eye in the sky) were useful for this purpose. Why humans have a penchant to create gods is another topic but stems from the instinct to personify what we fear. Assuming intent or agency in inanimate natural phenomena likely was selected for as it would have kept our primitive ancestors alive. For example, if you assume the rustling of the grass is a lion, you survive whether you are wrong or not. As an instinct we personify what we fear. The earliest gods were volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. that we had to appease. It's no accident our holidays also fall on important seasonal and agricultural phenomena. The earliest myths were the personification of the movements of celestial bodies. The origin of things we take for granted fascinates me.