Why do you want to be here:

General Ass kissing:

'Philosophy is, literally, the love of wisdom. I want to find out what that means, in terms of how we can understand the word "wisdom," in today's societies, and working toward an ultimately diverse conception of the word. The ideas of metaphysics as understanding the "true nature" of reality, as well as the implications of the suggestion posited, so far, have real implications and ramifications, in everyday life. Definitive answers to the questions of whether our actions are determined, whether we are free to choose, or any number of combinations of the two, will have vast impacts on the ways in which we handle questions ranging from abortion and capital punishment, to the methods by which we educate our children. Also, the nature of the materials we present, to them. A greater understanding of these matters helps us to better understand the world.'

Massive Attack - [Teardrop]--- And then, the school specific asskissing:

'I feel that, at Georgia State, I will have access to one of the fastest growing interdisciplinary groups available, today, as well as the flexibility to explore it. I want to work in the religious studies track, with focuses in Metaphysics and Comparative Religions, working toward a greater understanding of why religious and philosophical distinctions-- at least as they are found in the West-- tend to be normative. The tendency to call one understanding "right" and another "wrong" seems to pervade Western culture and, with as diverse a staff as is found in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department, I think that much headway can be made in understanding this question. I think that I have many perspectives from which to learn, and an interesting perspective to add, to this ongoing dialogue and discussion.'

Warren Zevon - [Lawyers, Guns and Money]--- And it's a good thing. They want a writing sample, no more than 4500 words. I wonder if something writeen previously is ok. I'll have to check requirements.

RazorBladeKisses - [No Strings Attached]--- God i'm tired... Off to finish this.

Well. Shit.

Dreams of driving this house, and all inside, which was also a floating city, far in the future, trying to steer clear of icebergs, through the edge of the universe, {crashing violently} into {and through} the internet, through the words on the screen, and into the Real World.

Today is going to be an interesting day.

{9.56amAni DiFranco - [Callous]--- R Thomas, tonight. Feel free. Off to work.}

Things tonight.

Building and weaving, and general hanging out, in the area of R Thomas. Lots of Coffee, conversation, and interesting company to be had. It's a beautiful thing.

And i'm off to change clothes, because work is now over. Back later.

Pale horse, Death, Hell, etc.

The Smiths - [Shakespeare's Sister]--- Do you know what i have to do, on a daily basis? I have to remind myself that this universe has something to offer, and that burning it to ash and cinders is only the viable option once everyone is "Complete." (Faith & The Muse - [The Burning Season]). And by that, i mean when all experience is understood and gained, when all that is left is stagnation. So.... Every few seconds, or so, i immolate the universe.

And i mean that. I remind myself, consciously, what i want, and toward what i am working. Oddly enough, it's the continual immolation and regeneration of the universe, of all creation, intentionally. Immanentizing the Eschaton, as i've said before. Problem being... that's my eschatalogical paradigm (i like big words ^_^), and not everyone agrees with it, by a long shot.... And that's where we hit an interesting paradox. Ready? Let's go.

My want is for everyone to fully act with intent and understanding of what makes them who they are. Simple, and unassuming, yes? Not quite. In so doing i am, as a matter of course, asking certain people to go against what drives them through the universe. (Carmina Burana - [Stetit Puella]). I am-- seemingly-- asking for the removal of faith, which necessarily demands ignorance of certain circumstances. One cannot question faith, or it is not faith. Faith can be tested, but only from outside. Therefore, my asking people to question, assail, understand motivations, and learn All Things As True is immediately slotted, for some, into a pre-existing category. And then they tell me to get me behind them, and most of the time i don't swing that way.

Republica - [Ready To Go]--- Anyway. It is, for many, an impasse. To make that step toward universal understanding, in which their faith, and that of everyone else they know, is, at once correct, incorrect, neither and Both, requires that one be willing to take that step. To be willing to take that step, one has to question one's faith. To question it, one has to-- many think, are told, and believe-- abandon it. I think we may be misunderstanding what God (however you perceive it to be) wants from us. I don't think that we are meant to be blind, and unknown, throughout the universe. I think we are meant to know everything, and not know anything, all at the same time. I think we are, ourselves, meant to Be Gods.

Voltaire - [Where's The Girl?]--- If God (see above caveat) is what God Is, then God Is. Set an experiement in motion and doesn't care, knew it all, and knew it All, immanent, transcendent, what the fuck ever. But let's address the side that pertains to Christ, and the Theist conception of God, at the moment, eh? Christian God is Omni-Predicate. We've talked about this, before, but let's go over it again, for the new folks: If God is Omniscient, that means it Knows Everything. (Louis Armstrong - [What a Wonderful World]). Omnipotent? Power over Everything. Omnipresent? Is Everywhere. Now i know you're saying to yourselves, "When the fuck is he going to get to the fucking point... Jeesus..." And the answer to that is Right Now:

If god is all of these things, then Everything in the universe is here because it's supposed to be here, and everything has happened because that's how it was supposed to happen. (The Dresden Dolls - [Girl Anachronism (Live)]). For Christians that means that Evil is necessary, and, technically, Good. That Satan is indispensible, and that everyone in the world is where they're supposed to be. That also means that they have No free will, which, it is clearly stated, in various apocryphal sections of their holy books, they do have. Paradox, eh?

Yes. If we have free will, then our actions are ungoverned, non-determined. Then how does god know? Ah. Here's where we have fun. How many of you have read Dune? Well, i don't fucking care, right now, so let me sum up (Chevelle - [Send the Pain Below]): When Paul Muad'Dib drank the water of life, he came to see everything as if from a great summit. All of the paths of life were laid out, before him, and all of the choices that could be made, and all of the outcomes that could happen, from them. What was not set out was a clear path through it, nor the paths of others. Choices and nodes/vortexes of uncertainty caused the future to be a roiling mass of probability, rather than a line of Past through Present to Future. All time was one, but so were all worlds, and possibilities.

The "X Factor," here (god i miss that comic; Polaris was awesome..), lays in Choice. (Moxy Früvous - [On Her Doorstep]). Will. Observation. Intent. See? Quantum Physics and Metaphysics do go together... I digress. This is God. All choices, all paths, all outcomes, and the infinte infinite branchings, into the now and the future, "And All that Could Have Been," all understood, with the only unknown, the only thing barring true omnipotence, and true omniscience being the contents of the hearts and minds of things. The choices they will make. Uncertainty. This is what i'm trying to tell you, here....

The Smiths - [Hand in Glove]--- That's really all i have to say, for now.... Again, feel free to challenge me on any of this... I need to work out the details.

Later