Analysis of Deciphering Quotes - Assignment Example

?Deciphering Quotes Lao-tzu: “throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice and people will do the right thing, throw away industry and profit and there won’t be any thieves.” This quotation does not seem to make sense on first reading but after a time of reflection it begins to reveal a deeper meaning than the surface contradictions. Lao-Tzu seems to be saying that because of certain lofty ideas, the naturally good qualities of human beings are being stunted or corrupted. The suggestion that holiness and wisdom make people unhappy does not mean that these are bad qualities in themselves, but perhaps that they are ideals which people strive for and can never reach. This eternal failure depresses people. The whole area of morality and justice involves official laws and courts, which can constrain people with more and more detailed prohibitions. Perhaps officialdom brings out the worst in people, and laws which are intended to be helpful are often used as weapons for people to humiliate and punish each other in public, rather than sorting out their differences in an informal discussion. The last statement about industry and profit is a very good one for our present times because it highlights the danger that comes when people build up huge amounts of wealth and possessions. This enrages people who are poor, and encourages them to steal from the rich, because the gap between rich and poor is so extreme. It seems that Lao-tzu recommends a quiet and modest life, in which each person lives by his or her own conscience, looking after self and others in a gentle way, rather than chasing after high ideals or great wealth which do not make people happy. 2 Plato: “The prison house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world according to my poor belief, which at your desire, I have expressed whether rightly or wrongly God knows.” In this quotation Plato explains the true meaning of his famous allegory of the cave. He has just been describing a “prison house” which is a cave in which human being are chained facing one wall, unable to see each other, or look in any other direction except at the wall in front of them. This makes me think of the way that many people have very fixed ideas about things, and can only see one perspective. In this allegory, however, the intention is not to point out the error of one particular way of thinking, but instead Plato wants us to think about the limitations of human understanding in general. The prisoners can only see shadows which are reflected on the wall, because they are physically constrained to do so. This is an analogy for the way that human beings are forced to apprehend the world through their physical senses. They see some of the attributes of things in the world around them, but they cannot see others, for example the naked eye cannot see microscopic creatures or distant planets, but these objects do exist. The notion of the “ascent of the soul into the intellectual world”, which Plato represents as a journey out of the cave and its shadows into the full light and space of the world outside, shows the huge benefit that people gain when they use their mental faculties to complement the partial understanding that they gain from their senses. In a way this journey of the soul is a definition of philosophy, and an encouragement for students of Plato to step outside the purely physical dimension and think about higher things. 3 Aristotle: “The study of humankind requires awareness of people’s differences of background, education, habit, temperament, and other similar factors.” Aristotle is making a very important point about human nature, which is the great diversity that exists in society. It may be that Aristotle is arguing against the kind of philosophy that generalizes about human beings, as if they were all the same, or as if there is one model of behavior which is the ideal. Underneath this statement is an implied question, namely what does it mean to be human. He does not seek a single answer to this question and I think this is a very sensible and proper approach. Modern sciences like sociology and anthropology have established ways of appreciating the differences in human behavior and I think they would agree with Aristotle’s conclusion that many variables can affect the way a person is, and how they behave. Aristotle does not mention what exactly the “other similar factors” might be. I can think of gender, racial or ethnic origin, age, religion and political opinions as factors which can be taken into account when philosophers consider what it is to be human. This quotation is important in the area of moral philosophy because it reminds us that we should not be too quick to judge people. Many crimes, for example, are committed by people who have experienced great hardship, or who are ill, or depressed and Aristotle’s words help to explain the otherwise inexplicable behavior of people in widely different contexts. It is useful to be reminded of the complexity of social influences on people and this quote encourages us to reflect on what life is like for people who have been born into very different circumstances than our own. 4 Cicero: “wisdom as commonly understood prompts us to increase our resources, to multiply our riches, to enlarge our frontiers.” The ancient Greek and Romans seem to have been obsessed with the concept of “wisdom.” The way that Cicero uses the phrase “wisdom as commonly understood” reveals that he is aware that there are many different interpretations of what wisdom actually is, and in his works he usually explores the different meanings and connotations that accompany big ideas. The concept of increasing resources, and multiplying riches, need not be understood literally, although this is certainly part of the meaning he intends. I think he is referring to intellectual richness, and this is confirmed by the use of the word “frontiers”. The Romans were a war-like people, who in the time of Cicero had conquered many other lands, and so the idea of extending frontiers recalls the advance of Roman civilization across Europe and beyond. He seems to be implying that the successes of the Romans may be due to the way that their scholars pursue wisdom. They subdue other nations as they advance, but at the same time they bring all their technologies, and all of their knowledge and skills with them. Perhaps most important of all, the Romans brought some types of moral and social wisdom with them, like the institutions of politics and the law, which regulate the way people live together. It is possible also, that Cicero wants to distance himself from common, everyday ideas about wisdom, which are focused on material things, and to turn instead to more idealistic and philosophical or religious ideas. This recalls the quotation from Aristotle above because it encourages people to drop conventions and turn around to look at things which other people do not perceive. This also, then, is a piece of guidance for people who want to pursue philosophy, which after all, is the love of wisdom. 1 Murusaki Shikibu: “Tears dim the moon, even here above the clouds. Dim must it be in that lodging among the reeds.” One of the most striking features of Murusaki Shikibu’s famous “Tale of Genji” is the way that the characters in the story all have a close emotional relationship with the natural world. There are many references to the sun, and especially the moon, and these appear often in lines of poetry which people write, or quote from, when they experience any particularly moving episodes in their lives. In other cultures the moon is also seen as a sad symbol, because it appears pale in comparison with the sun, and its silvery light turns everything in the landscape into a pale reflection of the daytime world. Another key idea in the story is the position of the emperor, who is so high above his citizens, that they regard him almost as a heavenly being. This quotation shows that even those who have great power and wealth can also experience pain and suffering. The moon could be a symbol of the weeping emperor, and it is contrasted with the position of people who do not live in fine houses, but who live in flimsy locations by the edge of the water. The quotation seems to suggest that all human beings, regardless of their status in life, are destined to suffer. There is only one small consolation, and that is to make sad poems out of their troubles, and leave a haunting image in memorable words, which can capture the moment and record it for future generations to read. This kind of imagery makes the people in the story more sympathetic to the reader, because it shows their sensitive side, and their struggle to accept events like the death of a loved one. 2 Homer: “You wine sack, with a dog’s eyes, with a deer’s heart. Never once have you taken courage in your heart to arm with your people in battle or go into ambuscade with the best of the Achaians.” This quotation is mocking a man because of his cowardice. The imagery of a wine sack suggests that he is a drunkard, and that he cannot pull himself together and stand up to fight like a man. The reference to a dog’s eyes may be referring to the way that a dog looks up pitifully at its owner, because it is a subservient pet which waits for direction from a superior being before it resolves to do anything. The mention of a deer’s heart is very insulting to a man, because in Greek culture a deer is an animal which is hunted down for sport. It is not known for its bravery, but is purely a victim, and no man wants to be perceived as a victim. The quotation mentions the “ambuscade” which is a military tactic and the speaker clearly believes that a man should behave in a brave and heroic way, stepping into battle to defend his people, or to assist them in attacking their enemies. This view reflects the standard Greek concept of a heroic warrior. He should be resourceful and cunning, and above all he has very strong ties with his family and his city or nation. Whenever a threat appears, the Greek warrior is expected to take a leading role. Taunting those who do not fulfil this requirement is another aspect of the heroic persona, because fame and reputation are the rewards for illustrious combat. A man who is publicly taunted is dishonored, and ultimately this is the function of the text quoted: it is a calculated insult designed to ridicule and demean the addressee, while enhancing the glory of the speaker who is, of course, a true heroic warrior. 3 Herodotus: “Now if a man thus favoured dies as he has lived, he will be just the one you are looking for: the only sort of person who deserves to be called happy, but mark this: until he is dead, keep the word happy in reserve. Till then, he is not happy only lucky.” This is a subtle and witty quotation which distinguishes between two concepts: happiness and luck. The world view that Herodotus illustrates here is the classical one, which sees human beings as creatures who live at the mercy of multiple random events. These can be caused by other people, but more often than not they are seen as being due to the whims of various divinities. In the ancient world gods and goddesses were fickle beings, who were just as likely to harm people as to help them. The key here is that people are not held responsible for the events that happen and this is why they try to appease the gods with sacrifices. They cannot control events, but they try to influence them with rituals and appeasing gestures. This has interesting implications for the concept of happiness. Herodotus suggests that if a man experiences good things throughout his life, this in itself is just luck. In other words these things happened by chance, and there is always the chance that things can be taken away again. A father can lose his children through death, or through dispute. Possessions can be destroyed, and good health can fail. Over all of this stands the inevitable shadow of death, which comes to us all. In the light of this big shadow, no man can be truly happy. This is why Herodotus says that a man can only be truly happy after he is dead. I can understand the logic of this thinking, but I do not agree with it. I think people can be truly happy in this life, and that there is no need to fear death if a person lives a good and faithful life, in peace with others around him. I also believe that people are responsible, because they have free will to choose good or bad, and so I do not think people should just sit back and rely on luck or good fortune. There will be negative and positive events in life and people can be happy at least for some of the time they are on this earth. 4 Euripides “Firstly, with an excess of wealth it is required for us to buy a husband and take for our bodies a master: for not to take one is even worse. And now the question is serious whether we take a good or bad one; for there is no easy escape for a woman, nor can she say no to her marriage.” This quotation is reflecting on the difficult situation that faced women in classical times. Although wealthy Greek women were respected and had a comfortable lifestyle with slaves and servants to help them, they were confined to domestic chores and took little part in the political and intellectual life of the city states. Euripides debates the alternatives of getting married or staying single, and the conclusion that is drawn is that it is better to be married, because of the physical needs of the body. Sexual relationships outside marriage were not allowed for women, even if men indulged in such practices from time to time, and a life of celibacy is portrayed here as being inferior to life as a married woman. Perhaps also there is a suggestion that remaining single opens up a whole disaster area, because being tempted to take a lover would lead to shame and exclusion from respectable society, and this is obviously not a good outcome for a respectable and wealthy woman. It is interesting that the quotation speaks of the wealthy woman’s intention to buy a husband. The problem shifts from one of deciding whether or not to marry, to one of finding the right way to choose a husband. Herodotus seems to suggest that it is better to choose a good husband, however that is defined, because in Ancient Greek Society marriage requires a woman to show deference to her husband, and it is a lifelong commitment. Men and women’s status is not equal, regardless of money, because men are given the role of head of the family, and they have the final say in decision-making. This quotation is interesting because it highlights the intelligence and economic power of some elite women, but at the same time reminds us of the social hierarchy that takes effect the moment they are married. 5 “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” This quotation is a famous phrase uttered by John the Baptist who went about preaching and teaching about the coming of the Jewish Messiah. It is a very moving quotation because it stands in contrast to the established religious authorities of the Scribes and the Pharisees who at that time controlled religious behavior. The temples were run by officials, and there was a whole infrastructure of buildings and systems just like there is today in modern Christianity, and also just like the trappings of power and authority in the Roman world. The voice in the wilderness is a lonely one, and it is coming from outside the mainstream of society. This is not a powerful priest or teacher, but a wild man, from a wild place, and he signals a complete change in the way that humanity should approach God. The call to prepare the way of the Lord is a kind of reminder for people to go back to basics, and open up their hearts to a true religious experience. The Lord in this case is not a secular authority, or a religious leader, but God Himself. For the Jewish people the wilderness recalls some very potent historical events, such as the wanderings of the tribes of Israel in search of the land that God had promised them. Exile from civilization is a metaphor for exile from fellowship with God. Preparing the way of the Lord is the first step to putting this right, and the fact that the message comes from a wild man in a wild place shows that this is a radical move. Religion has become too comfortable in this period, and the beginning of the Christian era heralds a more authentic, sacrificial faith that steps outside the trappings of established religion. This quotation shows that the law has been fulfilled, and that a new way is being introduced which is based on different values than what has gone before in both Jewish and Roman culture. Read More