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I disagree with that assumption. Reason is simply the part of the mind that says 1+1=2 and that you can never have a hill w/o a valley. It is apart from language, and exists before and without language (and communication). It is certainly connected to language, once our thoughts begin to be rooted in language, and sometimes depends on it (syllogisms), but it is apart from language and is simply the natural order of the mind.
I've read a few papers arguing the subject... but do you think language shapes (controls) thought? What gives you resaon to doubt language? Sure, "rock" is not the rock, but it is what we have (and we both understand what I mean), and that's why I asked if you denied everything bodily, if you refute language's connection to the outside world, or sight's, or hearing's, then you've ruled out much of thought (I am ready to admit that I think mostly in words). I agree that the meaning of life cannot be taught or explained away - like Hesse's Siddhartha it must be found on one's own, however, I believe it can be explained.
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<p>Yes, my point was that it is perfectly reasonable to me, but I cannot explain it to you or anyone else in such a way that they can see this reason. I am not discounting the value of language; it is immense. However, it is limited, and the greatest metaphysical question seems worthy of making that limit apparent. Our comprehension of reason itself is not enough to reason the meaning, but we can see it on an intuitive level.</p>
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What would non-traditional logic be, exactly? Something not logical? That doesn't make sense to me in the same way a meaning that couldn't be reasoned makes no sense - we couldn't conceive of it as making sense or being right.
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No. You can understand it but you may not reason your way to finding it. In a way, I suppose, it must find you, and then you must listen to it through spirituality.
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The reason I asked what you believe you do when you meditate is that I'm curious what you believe about intuition. How do you suggest that people recognize that they are further/closer from the truth? What I find interesting is that you believe the meaning of life is beyond reasoning, yet intuition is a process of reasoning. If it were to depend on anything else we would not be able to reasch the same truth, our commonality is our reason. If I was wrong before, and reason does depend upon language, then the meaning of life should be expressable.
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If you find it, there is no possibility of skepticism. You cannot approach the truth, it will come to you suddenly once the pieces have fallen into place. Until one reaches this point, one knows nothing. All can reach the meaning because the meaning is absolute and universal. I would think that religion in general sprang from our intuitive desire to find this. Civilization, like much else in our daily lives, is a means of ignoring this path to truth.</p>
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Do you believe there are any consequences for not realizing the truth? It seems to be at a glance that to say "intuit something" or "be spiritual about something" leaves everything wide open to stumble on what is really not truth at all.
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As I said, once you discover truth, you know it is true. This conviction comes greater than confidence of one's own existance. The consequence for not realizing the truth is that you do not know it. However, eventually all people learn this truth.</p>
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It's like expecting every man to re-discover Euclid or hell, calculus.
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That is a comparable analogy, I suppose.</p>
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My sincere congratulations on having found the meaning of life. I believe there are, and have been, great spiritual teachers for a reason.
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They too have found this meaning.</p>
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I've always believed the "meaning of life" is somehow connected to Happiness, but so far reading what you've written it seems like you're not gonna reveal what you found to us. This means that even if you know some crucial information for the path to happiness, you won't share it to us. Anyways...i'm really curius...I guess i would have to meet you and meditate with you to learn what you were enlightened to.
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Happiness, in my belief, has nothing to do with the meaning of life. While it may bring you happiness, in of itself and in finding it happiness is not required and even detrimental. My best advice is to read major religious texts with great depth, to keep an open mind, intelligent skepticism, to study much, and to think in nontraditional ways. For example, through a bit of effort, I was able to visualize a tesseract, though I have unfortunately lost this ability. Also read the "greats" of history. Descartes, Einstein, Newton, Shakespeare, Jesus Christ are some examples, though in non-western culture many others exist as well. Art is one way to finding the truth, because art deals with abstraction in the purest form that we can fabricate. For me, this has been found through music. I am sure all other arts can do the same. It is less important to hear what it is they are saying than it is to think about what made them say it. The most important thing is to approach all subjects with an open mind, but always watching what it is you feel in your heart. Don't let your mind dictate your philosophy, this is an extremely tempting form of arrogance.</p>