Albert Herdianto Widjojo
My daughter asked why I took out some forks and spoons from the storage drawer when I was about to make this photo. I told her that I didn’t have a photo that depicted the shadow of the main object. As I fiddled with the forks, he asked another question until we had an interesting discussion.
One other question is whether I had imagined that shadow before I took out the forks. I answered yes to the question. She continues with many questions such as where the idea came from, whether it was experience, creativity, or knowledge, then where did the knowledge and opinions or views come from, and so on. One question that I answered was questioned again and so on. After I answered one by one the question, “Now, after I answered all your questions, now I ask, where did your new knowledge about that come from?”. “From you, Daddy.”
“Okay… Aside from Daddy, all your teachers at school and college, all books and the internet, social media and others, are there knowledge and opinions that come from within yourself, your original knowledge?”
Seeing she was silent and thinking, I told her, “Just think about it first. You don’t have to answer it now. Answer if you are ready or if you need further discussion”.
-
With similar questions, can you say that you have original knowledge that comes from within, especially about yourself and how should you live your life?
-
Yes
-
No
-
I often have questions and sometimes when an answer comes back I want to ask more questions.
Now I believe my husband when he tells me that mankind is a “Growing Intelligence”
I suppose some are not interested but life is worth pursuing and knowing.
Yes, I am interested.
I get to know myself more the older I get.
Users voted 14 times.
Q: With similar questions, can you say that you have original knowledge that comes from within, especially about yourself and how should you live your life?
Yes (11 votes) – 79%
No (3 votes) – 21%
It’s good when someone wants to learn something from a guy like you. Wise and philosophical rations.
Thank you, Elenka. I just want people to be happy with themselves by being themselves.
It’s amazing how something so simple inspired such a tought-provoking and interesting conversation!
Maybe because behind simplicity there is an infinite depth. lol
Thanks a lot, Ellie.
I always believe in the strength of my inner self. It is my guide, and always will be.
Wow! That is a great affirmation, LaJenna.
An extremely valuable question. Statistically the majority of opinions are fed from outside of ourselves. It is only when we have a relationship with our true selves that our thoughts and opinions become our own. At least that’s what I believe.
Extraordinary. Your opinion has enriched and broadened ideas and understanding of ourselves, Bradley. Thank you very much.
You are most welcome my brother. I am always enriched and more the wiser when learning from your wise teachings.
I am sure that what you believe will bring insight and inspiration to your literary works, my brother.
What happens when we look within.
What a great thought experiment for the day, Albert.
Do we look within ourselves?
If we do, do we like what we see?
Interesting point of view, Doc. Thanks.
For me, “likes” in “do we like” of the question is a form of people’s anxiety towards something “wild”, which is full of mystery, within. Like (and dislike) is the idea of duality that prevents our steps from entering spiritual awareness or spiritual intelligence.
What we fear and what we cherish lies within us.
I really agree with your opinion. Let’s analogize ourselves as onions, in which layer the “fear and cherish” is located?
wow, that is an amazing idea.
I think we all strive to have cherish be the core and the easily discarded husk be far.
I am however afraid that the opposite is often true.
The act of looking inside is the way to peel the entire layer to the end. In ancient Javanese, it is the way to enter “kasunyatan”. (The term is rather close to emptiness, although not entirely the same, not even fully the same as a similar word; shunyata from Sanskrit) but also means “nyata” or clear or bright.
It is rather difficult to explain that because this is about ultimate reality or hyper-reality that cannot be explained in words or sentences without experiencing themselves. Sorry, it’s like how difficult to explain ejaculation to underage children or to those who have never felt.
It is truly interesting. I Think we have many paths to our core. We just have to make sure we traverse with openness.
Totally agree. I see that the way to your house is even more than 360 degrees, Doc. I am also very sure that no one can prohibit or hinder your freedom and openness to enter your core, wherever you are, from whatever point you walk in.
This is one of the great questions of Philosophy, that has been debated for centuries – can we have knowledge that is truly innate, or does it all come from experience? I think the most satisfactory answer is that the brain is an extremely complex and subtle organ that can create new knowledge based on tiny slivers of experience that we may not even be aware that we have had. In other words, both Rationalism and Empiricism are correct, but not wholly so.
Wow! I love your opinions and thoughts. Thanks.
I really agree with your opinion. Continuing your last statement “but not wholly so.”, My orientation to spirituality which somewhat distinguishing philosophical and mystical thinking, where the philosophical view is generated by observing with the necessary distance, while the mystical view which is more forms of an act of merge or becomes, certainly results in experience and different views. The question is whether logic can see or understand something that is beyond its reach.
There are two types of logic – deductive and inductive. Deductive can only deal with statements of fact – which may not necessarily be correct in themselves – and deduce truths accordingly. However, inductive logic can go beyond the given facts and say “if this is true, then others things could follow that would also be true”.
Once again I agree with you. I am glad you have completed and enriched this article, my friend. Thank you so much.
Our children are very curious, sometimes they do not run out of questions
Yes, they are, my dear friend. And that’s great, isn’t it?
I agree. It’s still better to be curious as if they are not interested in anything.
You’re right. There are parents who don’t like their children to ask a lot for various reasons.
Yes, unfortunately this is the truth. I know a lot of such parents. Then they are amazed when the children get into a bad company.
Such conditions do occur a lot around us.
Your daughter is one lucky lady to have you as a father. She has a lot of your traits it sounds like, a deep thinker. That is a very good thing.
Thanks, Carol. My youngest daughter is a naive girl with lots of funny but impressive questions.
She has a great mentor, no doubt she has a bright future.
Wow! Thanks for your appreciation and great hope for her, Carol.
Do we have original knowledge? I thought we’re born a blank paper?
IDK, to be honest …
Thank you for your opinion, my friend. May I ask you, please?
Where did knowledge and wisdom come from which later became teachings from Krishna, Siddhartha Gautama, Tao, Bodhisattva, Rumi, Galileo, or Einstein, Stephen Hawking, etc?
I’ve no idea … lol I’ve asked my sister, teachers and parents, “who created earth?”
I will pray more seriously for you so that one day you realize that your true Guru is yourself, within you. lol
Lol, hopefully… it’s too deep for me now :p
I can understand it, my friend, even really really understand it.