Clyde G. is a respected thinker and Neo-Buddhist who has been acknowledged for his ability to ask questions going to the heart of issues regarding metaphysical models of reality.
061018
061009
Cg: How would your suggestion that “one is responsible for the actions one does not take”, given the above conclusion, effect your decision making? To me (you may feel differently) it seems that such a consideration might cause me permanent indecision or, more likely, to ignore that suggestion and choose.
Djs: I would disagree with this point. We make decisions every day, every hour, every minute, every second regarding what actions we will or will not take. This scenario does not cause us to enter into a state of ‘permanent indecision’ although it does cause us to pause from time to time.
Cg: Yes, people make decisions every day, but that may be because people do not believe that “one is responsible for the actions one does not take”.
061017:
Djs: …or that may be because people do not believe that ‘…one is responsible for ‘actions they do take’ – namely determinists, or eternally responsible for ‘actions they do take’ (do not believe in an existence void time – timelessness) – namely phenomenologist), or responsible for ‘actions they do not take’ (do not believe that actions ‘freely not taken’ are not a form of action) – namely Buddhists?????
There are two forms of actions of free will:
Active action of free will: action freely taken, consciously chosen
Passive actions of free will: actions freely not taken, consciously ignored
One is responsible for all actions of free will, both active and passive
061018: cg
Look at my initial paragraph at the top. I wrote,
How would your suggestion that “one is responsible for the actions one does not take”, given the above conclusion, effect your decision making? To me (you may feel differently) it seems that such a consideration might cause me permanent indecision or, more likely, to ignore that suggestion and choose.
And you responded that you disagreed! What did you disagree with, that I think I might feel a certain way? Can you tell me how I should feel? Or what I should think?
061020: djs
My apologies, I did not mean to imply you should not feel what it is you feel. Sometimes I lose track of where a rational discussion is headed when it takes a 180 degree turn from rationality to emotions, feeling. Instead of saying: ‘I would disagree with this point.’What I should have said was: Might I suggest: If we disregard feelings, it would appear … We make decisions every day, every hour, every minute, every second regarding what actions we will or will not take. This scenario does not cause us to enter into a state of ‘permanent indecision’ although it does cause us to pause from time to time.
061018
And you did not answer my question, “How would your suggestion that “one is responsible for the actions one does not take”, given the above conclusion, effect your decision making?” (emphasis added)
061020: djs
Djs: Let me attempt to answer the question by dividing the response into two parts:
- Regarding actions I do not take of which I have not conscious awareness: Such actions have no affect upon my decision making which I control through the attribute of free will.
- Regarding action I do not take of which I have conscious awareness:
Such actions affect decision making enormously. Such actions cause me to pause and analyze before I actually act. Such actions lead me to ponder what the consequences of my not acting will have upon myself, upon others directly involved, upon those not directly involved or present, upon my existence after the physical.
For example: My deciding leave the scene of an accident. In such a case I took the direct action of leaving and I took the indirect action of not acting upon the accident event.
061009 continued:
Cg: But even when considering only the consequences of the “potential actions of which we are aware”, those consequences will depend on the actions taken by everyone, excluding you, at that moment of your act and ALL the actions taken by everyone, including you, thereafter eternally.
061017
Djs: True but keep in mind that it is the individual who is responsible for the action of free will they personally initiate regardless of what actions others take.
061018: cg
How will you disentangle the net of actions and their consequences? …
061020
The disentanglement due to actions is no different than the disentanglement due to one’s actions and one’s inaction. The process of disentanglement in the first case is simply a matter of degree from the second case. The only difference lies in the degree of complexity.
061018: cg
…Your actions (and non-actions) arise in a context that exists due to the actions of everyone who ever existed up to that moment and the consequences of your actions are intertwined with the actions and consequences of everyone, including you, thereafter eternally.
061020
… as such the statement above would simply evolve into: …The sum of your actions and inactions arise in a context that exists due to the actions and inactions of everyone who ever existed up to that moment and the consequences of your actions and inactions are intertwined with the actions and inactions and consequences of everyone, including you, thereafter eternally.
Do no harm,
clyde
061020
So let me ask you a few questions regarding ‘inaction’ my friend:
Are you suggesting:
One is not responsible for one does not do?
There are no consequences to what it is one decides not to do?
One’s actions affect ‘eternity’ (as you stated), however, one’ refusal to ‘act upon’ does not affect ‘eternity’?
djs