The Philosophy of Robert I (or Trying to Figure Out What Is the Right Thing To Do)
The difference between "Wants" and "Needs"
Every human being has wants and needs. Wants and needs are essential to existing as a human being. Lacking either wants or needs results in the negation of humanity.
"Needs" are what the body requires to survive. A human being's 'needs' are simple: food, water, and shelter. The body requires nothing else to survive. Anything you can think of that the physical body requires to survive will fit into one of these three categories. Deal with it.
Any form of nourishment the body requires comes from either food or water. Every form of protection the body requires is a type of shelter.
"Wants" are what the mind requires to survive. No one knows exactly what the mind is*, but we do know it exists. It manifest itself as 'wants.' Wants are quite literally infinite. Until we (us, me, you, Ithe author assumes and audience, though there not necessarily need be one for the purpose of this work) have done everything there possibly could be to do (or that we could possibly desire to do) then we will always have more wants.
A physical body can survive without the mind. Given food, water, and shelter the physical body will survive until one of these things is removed for one reason or another.** However, that which survives is NOT a human being. It lacks one of the essentials of humanity; that is, the mind as manifested by wants.
There is no evidence of a mind without a physical body, though this does not necessarily mean that the mind cannot survive without the body. Science will one day answer this question, but it's not necessary at present. Whether or not the mind survives without the physical body is not important. What is important is that one realize how the two interact. The body is the means to achieving the ends of the mind via by fulfilling the minds wants.
If a mind were to survive without a physical body it would not be a human being. To be a human being one has to be able to pursue one's wants through physical action; that is, by the use of the physical body. If a way is ever discovered to fulfill wants without the use of the physical body then, and assuming the mind can survive without it, then and only then will mind be enough to constitute a human being.***
The question 'why?' is probably coming up at this point. Why are wants and needs both necessary to being a human being. That goes into what it means to be human. The simple answer is that to be human means 'to have wants and needs.' But why? What is it about wants and needs that makes them so damned important?
These questions will probably be addressed in The Philosophy of Robert II.
*This isn't to say that one day we won't, or that one of today's current theories about what the mind is won't be proved true. It just means that we haven't done that yet, though the evidence does, in this man's opinion, show that the mind is not as simple a mechanism as some physical scientist seem to think.
**Yes, even so called 'natural' death is a result of the body failing to have the type or types of these needs in the moment they are required. Think Terry Shiavo. The physical body survived as long as it had food, water, and shelter. As soon as one was removed, the physical body failed to survive.
***I do not see any way that a body without a mind could be considered a human being.
The difference between "Wants" and "Needs"
Every human being has wants and needs. Wants and needs are essential to existing as a human being. Lacking either wants or needs results in the negation of humanity.
"Needs" are what the body requires to survive. A human being's 'needs' are simple: food, water, and shelter. The body requires nothing else to survive. Anything you can think of that the physical body requires to survive will fit into one of these three categories. Deal with it.
Any form of nourishment the body requires comes from either food or water. Every form of protection the body requires is a type of shelter.
"Wants" are what the mind requires to survive. No one knows exactly what the mind is*, but we do know it exists. It manifest itself as 'wants.' Wants are quite literally infinite. Until we (us, me, you, Ithe author assumes and audience, though there not necessarily need be one for the purpose of this work) have done everything there possibly could be to do (or that we could possibly desire to do) then we will always have more wants.
A physical body can survive without the mind. Given food, water, and shelter the physical body will survive until one of these things is removed for one reason or another.** However, that which survives is NOT a human being. It lacks one of the essentials of humanity; that is, the mind as manifested by wants.
There is no evidence of a mind without a physical body, though this does not necessarily mean that the mind cannot survive without the body. Science will one day answer this question, but it's not necessary at present. Whether or not the mind survives without the physical body is not important. What is important is that one realize how the two interact. The body is the means to achieving the ends of the mind via by fulfilling the minds wants.
If a mind were to survive without a physical body it would not be a human being. To be a human being one has to be able to pursue one's wants through physical action; that is, by the use of the physical body. If a way is ever discovered to fulfill wants without the use of the physical body then, and assuming the mind can survive without it, then and only then will mind be enough to constitute a human being.***
The question 'why?' is probably coming up at this point. Why are wants and needs both necessary to being a human being. That goes into what it means to be human. The simple answer is that to be human means 'to have wants and needs.' But why? What is it about wants and needs that makes them so damned important?
These questions will probably be addressed in The Philosophy of Robert II.
*This isn't to say that one day we won't, or that one of today's current theories about what the mind is won't be proved true. It just means that we haven't done that yet, though the evidence does, in this man's opinion, show that the mind is not as simple a mechanism as some physical scientist seem to think.
**Yes, even so called 'natural' death is a result of the body failing to have the type or types of these needs in the moment they are required. Think Terry Shiavo. The physical body survived as long as it had food, water, and shelter. As soon as one was removed, the physical body failed to survive.
***I do not see any way that a body without a mind could be considered a human being.
Wow! that's some food for thought this morning
Seems like all my friends are doin' some serious deep thinking this weekend for some reason...must be something in the air!!