views on materialism?!

lorenzo_pickle · Post by **lorenzo_pickle** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:55 pm

I've just stumbled across this rather interesting looking little outfit on the internet whilst attempting to do some research for my project for my art diploma.
I was just interested to get some responses.... very vague I know but I'm creating an instillation under the title 'struggling in the waters of materialism' (which is taken from a William Blake painting 1794) and I'd very much like to get lots of different written responses to the above title... thats if anyone has a spare few minutes to conjure something up! muchos thanks, Lauren

Jimmy Bastard · Post by **Jimmy Bastard** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:39 pm

will PM you some thoughts in the next few days.

lorenzo_pickle · Post by **lorenzo_pickle** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:00 pm

yup, thats the very picture! amazing isn't it?! thanks for taking an interest, i'm extremely grateful, would be ace to have your view! Warm wishes

Jimmy Bastard · Post by **Jimmy Bastard** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:25 pm

On Radio 4 this morning, the ever excellent
In Our Time
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"If we go back to the beginning we shall find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that fancy, enthusiasm, or deceit adorned or disfigured them; that weakness worships them; that credulity preserves them, and that custom, respect and tyranny support them."

It’s provocative stuff even today and certainly was in 1770 when published by Baron D’Holbach in his book The System of Nature. The baron’s boldness was underpinned by Materialism, a philosophical idea so dangerous that every copy of the book was condemned to be burnt. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, materialism dominates much of our understanding of the world today.

But what does materialism really mean, how has it developed over time and can we still have free will if we are living in a materialist world?

Contributors

Anthony Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London

Caroline Warman, Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford

Anthony O’Hear, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Buckingham
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It was a heavy dose.
Download it from here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/iot/

milk · Post by **milk** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:42 pm

Welsh Dai wrote:can we still have free will if we are living in a materialist world?

compatibilism ftw.

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:05 am

can we still have free will if we are living in a materialist world?

Daniel Dennett gave an excellent lecture on this topic at Edinburgh last year, which I believe may have been recorded.

spark · Post by **spark** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:40 am

The painting seems to depict someone floundering, emersed and slowly integrating with matter itself.
People generally see themSELVES as being of a material nature, or, physical, so is it so surprising that there is so much materialism in the world.
Is there even a crucifixion aspect to this painting? Are these nail marks on the feet?
Consumed by material things. Losing our minds therefore.
Body consciousness.
Chaos.

thehemulen · Post by **thehemulen** » Tue May 20, 2008 4:19 pm

my vote goes to pan-psychism!

milk · Post by **milk** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:07 am

Martin wrote:Daniel Dennett gave an excellent lecture on this topic at Edinburgh last year, which I believe may have been recorded.

it was scheduled to be released as a podcast, athough it doesn't seem to have materialised yet.

thehemulen · Post by **thehemulen** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:46 am

cheers for that tip milk!!! yeh, id like to read a transcript or hear a recording of daniel dennets talk.

Forest BB

views on materialism?!

views on materialism?!

B.C.