Do You see?

[doyousee?]

This is a question that has often gone through my mind. I ask those i know and people around me when they learn something about life. i want to know, when asked the question, "Do you see?" what do you think of?

Speaking strictly from a philosophical point of view, of course.

-doyousee?

[Didymos Thomas]

An acid trip.

Seriously, though. I think of the ineffable. Language can only go so far. Knowing requires the experience. For example, we can listen to Neil Armstrong talk about what it is like to be on the moon all day long, but we cannot know what it is to be on the moon until we have been on the moon. There is a point where language fails and experience is necessary for knowing.

[doyousee?]

Thank you so much! I ask people that and all i get is an "uhhhh i don't know." I completely agree. To truly answer that question we must experience that which we are questioning, is that correct? i just want to make sure i am not misunderstanding you.

[Didymos Thomas]

To truly answer that question we must experience that which we are questioning, is that correct? i just want to make sure i am not misunderstanding you.

Yeah, I think you got it. I mean, we can read about riots throughout history, but what do we know, personally, of riots until we have been in the middle of one? Nothing. It's all second hand until you have the experience.

Maybe the acid trip response wasn't far off, either.

[doyousee?]

Yes that is true, i suppose an acid trip could offer sufficient experience.

But what about ethics? How would this apply there? (that is really what i want to study, i think ethics is amazing)

[Didymos Thomas]

Go out into the world. To experience ethical conundrums, wherein your options for action test the ethical abstractions of philosophers, you have to interact with other people. If you want experience of ethics, you have to experience other people.

[madel]

This is most assuredly NOT what you're looking for, but I "see" the story The Little Prince and its various "lessons." The question itself always reminds me of the boa constrictor from the outside and the boa constrictor from the inside.

Now that I think on it, and the conversation that otherwise went on here, I think that my response is fairly close to what you were looking for, with regards to people having "an answer." I just don't have the words for it as much as an example.

...

Of course, that makes me wonder: when you ask others that question...depending on the other factors in asking it...maybe something comes to mind, they just can't really express it.

*shrug* Just a thought.