I've been going through Crit's absolute beginner reading list and I keep putting down "Elementary principles of philosophy" and skipping ahead to the other books because I just fail to see the value in a deep dive to philosophy in order to learn about history and economy and so on. I would like to skip it completely but don't want to miss important fundamentals.
It's such a hard read for me because it keeps rubbing me the wrong way with stuff like
Then there are the scholars, unknowingly materialistic and inconsequential. They are materialists in the laboratory, then, when they come out of their work, they are idealists, believers, religious.
In fact, [the shameful materialists] did not know or did not want to put their ideas in order. They are in perpetual contradiction with themselves. They separate their work, necessarily materialistic, from their philosophical conceptions. They are "scientists", and yet, if they do not expressly deny the existence of matter, they think, which is unscientific, that it is useless to know the real nature of things. They are "scientists" and yet they believe without any proof in impossible things. (See the case of Pasteur, Branly and others who were believers, whereas the scientist, if he is consistent, must abandon his religious belief).
so I cant be a christian and marxist? Even worse I'm also a mathematician, I formulate ideas and theories and proofs with absolutely zero regard for any material reality. None. I will take an infinite number of unprovable, non-material statements as true, and to top it all off, unable to show that my axiomatic set theory is at least internally consistent, just believe it to be free of contradiction. Thus if someone proves how some seemingly obvious statement leads to a contradiction in my system I will thank them for proving that the statement must be false. In fact the proof of such nonsensical statements is often the highlight of a math course (I mean this kind of shit is awesome). The poor physicists then have to deal with the fallout of our complete disregard for material reality. But they're the scientist so what do I (speaking as an idealist mathematician) care, they're the materialists.
As a christian I at least double check if what I believe in contradicts scientific statements and amend my belief system, not deny the scientific statement (oh the earth wasn't created in 6 days? Guess I will have to revise what I assumed to be true). But why should the scientist care if I believe in a reality outside of the material one, they won't be able to study it anyway.
Now if I want to understand history or economy or anything else within material reality, I obviously have to use my senses or rely on the senses of others and study the state of the matter at some point in time that would have existed even if I didn't. Then formulate thought based on those observations. But why is it so important to literally always do that?
And what am I supposed to be getting out of this whole mess in order to better understand marxist/leninist/anarchist/whatever else theory????
TLDR: believe in god, but be aware that god’s expecting YOU to live and act in this world, not him or his miracles.
Some people go overboard with philosophy and are just really annoying about other people’s personal beliefs lol. Ignore them
As long as the work you contribute to society can improve someone’s life, it doesn’t matter if you’re “idealistic” at home. It doesn’t matter if you believe god cured cancer even if you were the one who discovered the cure, as long as you announce the cure and make it widely available. Of course, you can’t go around saying “you don’t need to worry about replicating my studies, just trust the science because god revealed it to me!” but you’ve already came to that conclusion as well.
Spirituality and religion are not materialistic concepts, so it shouldn’t matter if people believe in them as long as they’re aware that the current world they live in often requires measurable and/or tangible action. And just because they’re not inherently materialistic doesn’t mean they’re not relevant to how the world functions and changes.
Take solace in knowing that Cubans are Marxist Leninist and catholic. But the government doesn’t allow the church to broadcast its propaganda (the church complained about censorship because the government wouldn’t allow it to broadcast anti-LGBT propaganda lmao). Many Latin Americans are spiritual or religious in some way and many of them are leftists as well (anywhere from ballot waving demsoc to AK47 wielding jungle guerrilla).
You should watch X-Files. Now I’m basing this synopsis on the pattern of the series, but I the later seasons may have changed things up so I might be talking out my ass.
Fox Mulder believes in the paranormal and supernatural but scoffs at the idea of god. The supernatural exists in the show’s universe, so in that sense, Mulder is not being idealistic because he knows what reality consists of.
But his partner, Dana Scully, is a devout Christian but also takes the scientific process very seriously. Because she did not witness the paranormal personally or cannot prove what she experienced, she doesn’t say it exists on her reports and rationalizes as best as possible with the current scientific knowledge.
You want to be Scully. When your work affects other people, you must be grounded firmly in the observable reality. Your religion may guide your lifestyle, career choices, personality, relationships, etc. but it cannot interfere with what’s observable and currently knowable. The creator is also a devout Christian, so the show is really him trying to explore and challenge his own beliefs and remaining a believer.
If you look at some Reddit atheist posts, you’ll see a lot of neck beards upset with Scully because she’s a “hypocrite.” But I don’t know. I think it makes her human and a good materialist. You’re in her shoes right now, so don’t let some neck beard or philosopher or priest tear you down.
Pretty much sums up how I interpret Jesus mission for us.