Flexibility of the self is REAL power

cob

You say that the "self" is in the body. I do not know if I agree. There is no such thing as self. The notion is as hard to define as the noton of "god".

What is music?

If I say that music is sound, I bet most people would nod their heads in agreement. But music isn't just sound. It is the harmonical intermingling of sound and silence.

Similarly, if we think of the self as an ongoing symphony, we see that it is an intermingling of external and internal impressions, in the interest of harmony. There are no clear boundaries to the self, and there is no absolute substance to it. Self is an illusory dream entity, same as god, which we cling to in order to make some sense of our existence.

And much like the notion of god, self can be shed as soon as we possess the insights needed to experience harmony without it, as an undistinguished part of everything.

I am not sure I understand your distinction self/subject

The distinction subject/object is pretty much the same as the distinction self/non-self as I see it. But they are both two sides of the same coin. Inseperable. Self is merely the relationship between subject/object. But once one overcomes subjectivity, one overcomes objectivity. They merge, and we see that there are no distinctions.

"Philosophy in the Flesh" by Lakoff and Johnson the book that details the cognitive science paradigm I spoke of says "That the person may have more than one self, but only one of the Selves is compatible with that Essence." The Essence spoken of is the Essence in the Folk Theory of Essences: Each person is seen as having an essence. "This is called the "real" of "true" self. There idea goes on and on from there.

The matter cannot be understood without comprehending the general theory and one would have to study the book to make sense of it.

I understand it in different terms.

There is "self", this entity which retains an ego, and which can only experience subjective reality, and then there is absolute reality, what we experience when we see through the illusory elements of our existence. In buddhism it's called enlightenment.

As far as I'm concerned, cognititive science is miles behind the eastern philosophies when it comes to understanding the nature of the human experience.

Ditto.

Foley, I am uncertain of how to understand your one-word response.

Ditto, as in -back at you? Or do you agree? Or perhaps disagree?

Self discipline is real power. Little else can compare.

You have a point, ros. No matter what you do, without self dicipline you won't get far.

And with it, especially at a young age, there's very little most people can't achieve.

I think Self Discipline is the only true power anyone can ever claim to have.

I agree ros. Everything starts with self dicipline, and without it we are just puppets to our own wants and needs.