Can we really conceive perfection or do we simply deceive ourselves into believing our thoughts could be perfect?
Alexander Micek
Nice logical twist! While minds such as our own, with definite limitations on memory, conceptualization, and mathematical processing, may be unable to nail down precisely the qualities of any perfect thing, I do think we are capable of defining and imagining the perfect by taking a circuitous, generalized route. That is: instead of describing the musculature of the (a?) perfect horse, we instead say that a perfect horse is one which satisfies the qualities of horseness in such a way that no improvement could be made. In that way, perfection becomes an exercise in extrapolated imagination.
Does our limited sensory input restrict our ability to imagine the perfect, and therefore put us back in the quagmire of Dan’s self-deception argument? I don’t know!
Sagert
I heart Dan.
Alexander Micek +1
I think I heart Dan… but am I deceiving myself about my thoughts?
Dilemma!
Markoe +1
If I tell you that something is perfect you cannot logically prove to me that it is otherwise. If I tell you that Danny DeVito is the peak of human perfection than you have no choice but to accept that as my interpretation of perfection. It is, therefore, not a case of self deception at all but one of perspective.
Alexander Micek
I have to call up my local logician. But I think Markoe is right. He always comes up with these gems, outta nowhere.
Comments
Dan McKeown +1
Can we really conceive perfection or do we simply deceive ourselves into believing our thoughts could be perfect?
Alexander Micek
Nice logical twist! While minds such as our own, with definite limitations on memory, conceptualization, and mathematical processing, may be unable to nail down precisely the qualities of any perfect thing, I do think we are capable of defining and imagining the perfect by taking a circuitous, generalized route. That is: instead of describing the musculature of the (a?) perfect horse, we instead say that a perfect horse is one which satisfies the qualities of horseness in such a way that no improvement could be made. In that way, perfection becomes an exercise in extrapolated imagination.
Does our limited sensory input restrict our ability to imagine the perfect, and therefore put us back in the quagmire of Dan’s self-deception argument? I don’t know!
Sagert
I heart Dan.
Alexander Micek +1
I think I heart Dan… but am I deceiving myself about my thoughts?
Dilemma!
Markoe +1
If I tell you that something is perfect you cannot logically prove to me that it is otherwise. If I tell you that Danny DeVito is the peak of human perfection than you have no choice but to accept that as my interpretation of perfection. It is, therefore, not a case of self deception at all but one of perspective.
Alexander Micek
I have to call up my local logician. But I think Markoe is right. He always comes up with these gems, outta nowhere.