Who would Voltaire and Camus vote for?

I wonder if either of them would even vote. Camus might find that voting is an illusion of choice and that there is no purpose in it, considering that his life will probably not be affected as a writer. Voltaire on the other hand would begin to consider the candidates and realize he is choosing the lesser of two evils. Then he would come to the conclusion that is similar to Camus and say that neither represent his wishes for the world. I believe they would think our political system is a joke. The reasons people vote for certain candidates is mostly based on social issues that the candidates claim they will "fix" or how they publicly speak. Voltaire would probably end up questioning the candidates and asking them about the technicalities of their plan going into office, and what they believe in and why. This would lead him to see the lies and facade of the whole ordeal. BUT considering that Mitt Romney(what kind of name is that) is a complete idiot and contradicts most things he claims on a daily basis, they would lean towards Obama, a charismatic and intelligent individual. Someone who cares more for the people then his own pocketbook and those of his friends. This sounds prejudiced, but just by the way Romney treats people is demeaning and makes him seem fake and heartless. So all in all I'm not sure that either of the two will be voting from heaven, but if they are they will pick Obama. No one really wants Romney they just might not want Obama.

Breath

I find the most meaning in the living function of the earth. All living things breath. Even nature breaths in a way, taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen. This oxygen is essential for life on earth, how could it not have meaning, unless you believe life has no meaning, but that seems very dreary to me, absurd in fact. When I breath, i feel alive, which may seem obvious but it is important to cherish the simplest things in life. It makes you appreciate life itself, the fact that you can stand up and think freely, breathing. Ancient culture commonly linked breathing to a life force. The Hebrew Bible refers to God breathing the breath of life into clay to make Adam a living soul . It also refers to the breath as returning to God when a mortal dies. The terms "spirit," "qi," "prana" and "psyche" are related to the concept of breath. Also cognate are Polynesian Mana and Hebrew ruach. These words like qi( pronounced Chi) and mana are simply words from different cultures that represent energy or the life force. This is very important because it is connected with the health and power of the human body and that of any life form. This energy is seen as the spirit, essentially god. It is in every culture, just in different words and stories. It is seen in star wars as "the force", the energy of the world. So think about this next time you take a breath, think about your Qi and how it is flowing within you and without you.

Candide’s punishments…Do they fit the crime?

Throughout the whole book we have seen that the punishments given out are very twisted, such as when Candide is brought into the army. There, he is severely beaten for being such a free spirit and a compliant soldier. This punishment does not fit; he committed the crime of not completely conforming to the army. Later in story, Candide murders two religious upholders (the Jew and Jesuit) and leaves the area unscathed and completely unpunished. After the group leaves El Dorado with the sheep carrying riches on the boat Candide is punished indirectly. The greedy captain steals Candide’s riches after leaving El Dorado on the boat, but the captain dies later in a storm, taking the riches with him. These random punishments, or lack of punishments, represent the two forces of good and evil working against each other. In effect, Candide’s punishments are sometimes deserved and other times cruel and unnecessary. The world in which he lives in is a world of competition and the competition is fair in abilities. Even so, sometimes either good or evil prevails more than the other. This is looking at the question with a Manichean mindset, one that I’ve come to trust through reading Candide.  So I guess the answer to the question is up to us. What are appropriate punishments for crimes committed? Who is to say they fit? It’s possible that people support the good or evil of the world with their beliefs and actions. We might just be helping good or evil, and that is without a doubt up to us humans to decide. 

How do we know what we know?

For me, this question leads to another question. Are we born with certain knowledge that is to guide people to definite truths? What you know essentially leads people their personal beliefs. Something I know is that it is vital for humans to coexist peacefully with nature and show it respect. After all, we are just a part of the whole system. A system that was working much longer than we humans has been part of it.  I believe coexisting with nature to be a self-evident truth. The way we treat the earth highlight the misconception that it is for supporting the human race. In a sense this is true, but only partially, we as humans also have the responsibility to care for the very earth that supports us. I’ve learned to respect nature through spending extended time in the heart of it. If this is a truthful piece of knowledge, then it shows that through industrialism and technology humans of grown apart from nature. This makes me think that maybe the some of the beliefs that we hold are inside of our true nature and have simply been dissuaded by opinion. Are some opinions completely false, while other opinions are really fact and upholding vital truths in order to be part of the balance on earth? So going back to the original topic, we know what we know through experience. I wholeheartedly stick to the knowledge that we need to make peace with earth, because all that we experience and KNOW, happens on this planet. Well, as far as we know… ah philosophy.

The Unexamined life and Gadfly

A life unexamined is not worth living. To examine ones life is pose questions and reflect on this life with the intent of making progress. Without progression in our own lives through examination, the human race will not make necessary changes in society to create a more balanced earth. While this is a truth, is it also possible to be blissfully ignorant and be content with the life lived? Both are truths, but as one examines this, the question never leaves them. Because of this, I have hope for the human race to figure out the problems within our giant world. When we progress in positive ways, we become happier as a world to put it simply. So examine your lives! For all of us who examine the way we live our lives, we must be the gadflies and provoke this examination within the unaware. It is the duty of philosophers question and prod society for a brighter and more examined future.

John Ralston Saul is a true Modern Gadfly in my mind. He addresses many crucial issues such as globalization, nations trading commodities and capitalism. These are just a few issues (check him out). He is an outstanding speaker on many aspects of society today and very vigilant in making his point through speeches, essays and books ( fiction and non-fiction). He is very explicit and methodically connects the outstanding atrocities and dis functioning parts of society in order show people that this world we live in is fixable. Gadflies unite.

Eulogy

 We are gathered here today to mourn the death of Maxwell James O'Hagan. His death was devastating everyone here today I am sure. Knowing him changed my life, by having the pleasure of enjoying his company often I also know that he would not wish for us to mourn for long, but to remember what he stood for and the lessons he tried to teach during his short but fruitful life. He once told me that he wanted his funeral to be a celebration of his life and memory, not a sad and boring service with too much crying. He wished for a party to be remembered, sending him off with good cheer by the people he loved dearly. So in respecting his wishes, we gather here today to celebrate his life. To celebrate his life we must travel back reiterating what we know about this fine young man. He cared about people and held his friends and family closer than himself, someone who expressed unconditional love for all whom he connected with. What he cared about was everything real and important, the people and world around him, constantly striving improve and effect that which brought this world closer to evil and despair. He had a love for music, art , nature , and the people around him, you could call him a Jack-of-all-trades, more importantly, a genuine person.  For those who may not know, He died at the age of 17 while he was backpacking through the Sierra Nevadas. He was mauled by a grizzly bear while cooking a fine meal in peace. His ashes have been both given to his friends for special uses and also spread across the hay meadows in the hills of Terra Alta West Virginia, a place that he cherished more than the very home he grew up in. So love his memory and never forget what mark he made on those who knew him. Somehow I know he's up their watching, making sure we're all doing the right thing.