Greats in Brief

Here I am not giving actual quotations of great thinkers but paraphrasing their essential message as I have understood it. Of course I may be wrong. But this exercise will open a dialogue about the great thinkers. Today I have not given the names of corresponding thinkers so that you can guess for a while. In next post I will give the names for all paraphrases.  

1) No experience is organized without ideas that are beyond experience. The configuration of such ideas is universal for all humans. Knowledge of original things in them-selves is impossible. Humanly knowable Self is part of the phenomenal world. When one acts from unconditional sense of duty, one transcends the phenomenal world & become an uncaused cause of his action, a Free Agent    

2) World is God’s becoming from idea into reality. You have to recognize what role you are playing in the big story, so that you find your life worth living. We can contemplatively derive the process of unfolding of cosmic spirit in terms of thesis, anti-thesis & synthesis & come to know why various phases were necessary in evolution & history.   

3) Productivity ameliorates conflict but conflict impedes productivity therefore take side which will release productivity. One struggle between the ruling & ruled class is perpetually going on. But there is also a struggle between outdated ruling class & emergent & relatively liberating ruling class. Working class must recognize the juncture of transition & ally with the liberating ruling class.  

4) As long as ‘You’ are there ‘It’ is not.

5) If you love yourself as you are, your selfishness will become less and less stupid & you will find yourself more & more lovable.

6) Irrationals have no right to benefit at the cost of the Rational

7) All metaphysics derives from figurative use of language taken literally. Recognize the figurative use & get into Reality.

8) Authenticity is the only value but it is impossible due to the very nature of our being. What we can get rid off is the false seriousness that we are wearing.

9) It is the lack of exuberance imposed by non-violence that makes us ignoble

10) Worth knowledge is fallible, but continuing refutation goes on making it truer.

11) Factual correctness is valuable in so far as actions emerging out it are fulfilling themselves.

12) The equilibrium of anarchy leads to State. Cost of all-pervading State leads to its failure.  Ideals of way-of-life communes need individual’s right to leave. All this implies minimal State, protecting the freedoms.

13) Forcing solutions without change in hearts is useless. You can bring about change in hearts by your readiness to suffer until all see the truth by themselves.

14) Shift the focus of Reason from faculty of individual to quality of communication. Everyone must be committed to Comprehensibility, factual correctness, normative Justification & honesty of feeling.

15) All suffering is generated by seeking permanence. Stop seeking permanence & suffering will vanish.

16) Nature makes freedom possible. Freedom makes nature meaningful.

17) People tend to enjoy themselves rather than work. Society has to keep them unhappy so that they work. We can do nothing about this.

18) Choose such distribution which is best for the lowest & then don’t bother about steepness of inequqlity on the higher side