James spent most of his time writing the principles of psychology in a very small and poorly lit room. The book says it would not be an understatement to say that modern philosophy was founded in that very room. But his most radical thoughts came from outside the lab. He was curious if consciousness could outstretch human finitude. He lost his father and son at the same time and experienced what I perceived as the lack of (by Thoreau’s definition) freedom; he was unable to pull himself out of the mood he was stuck in. He decided to dive into his work, and as he did, he had more and more desire to transcend. He believed we failed to study consciousness because we tried to be too analytical and objective about it, because it fails to reach the perception of the mind from within. And he figured out that human thought cannot be written out and dissected without making it inhuman. He argued consciousness was seamless, not something that could be perceived or things coming one after another in a (sshm 101) Stream of consciousness. He argued that each person's thoughts are their own. Your thoughts can not be taken away from you; they are the only thing truly yours.
A Jamesian way of thinking would be that you cannot experience the same thing twice because even if you hear the same note twice, it’s not the same note. A popular saying in philosophy made by Heraclitus, "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." Even though the two experiences are very similar, they are not the same. They each have their own unique, beautiful ways about them, not making the other more or less important. Another is that things that already happened cannot hurt you because they already happened and are now over. I find that this view can be true but also untrue, depending on the person and level of trauma. For example, when watching a horror movie, you are scared because you could be purposely scared at any moment. This fear is somewhat rational because you are watching something made to creep you out or scare you in some way. The movie, however, will end at some point, and the continuation of the fear after the movie is over is irrational. You are now in the real world, scary as that may be; there is nothing meant to scare you in the same way the movie is making this fear irrational. Another example is a soldier who goes off to war and watches all of his friends die in an explosion in the vehicle next to him. He runs over to try to save them and sees all of their dead bodies. He has survivor's guilt and is later diagnosed with PTSD. I don’t think any of us are brave enough to tell the soldier they have no right to be scared when he gets into a car because it’s over, and the war can no longer hurt him. He still jumps when he hears a loud bang, thinking he may die. I don’t think this continued fear is irrational. Once you adjust to always having to fight for your life, those habits die hard, and they can be burned into your mind in a way you can’t control. What is your opinion? Can things from the past continue to hurt you, or should we all just move on? James points to a mix of both the past can still hurt you and you should just move on.
We are awake and conscious, feeling things every second that we will never feel again. Our habits blind us from what we may be or have; we do not notice our everyday consciousness because we are so used to doing the same things and expecting the same things. We begin, “Going through the motions.” James, inspired by Benjamin Blood, that coming to or sobering up was a way to realize your consciousness by “coming to” He used nitrous oxide.
There are other ways to experience consequences, such as experiencing extreme trauma that pulls you from your routine. The secret of being for James was revealed by coming to, realizing what was already there. “When there is a crack in everything that’s how the light gets in,” a quote by Leonard Cohen in the song Anthem. Bugbee wrote an example of getting wet in a swamp. You might try to go into the swamp and come out dry, but you will inevitably get wet, and once you do, you will give in and begin to enjoy it. If experience is our best teacher, then places in nature can give us new experiences, breaking our habits and making us conscious. William James built a house in Chocorua, which he used to get out of the workplace. This seems like an extreme way to attempt to feel a bit of awareness. I cannot speak for everyone since I have only lived my life; however, in my experience, breaking out of zombie habitual life is not that hard.
Whereas I do see how all of these things do break you from your habits, there are simpler ways. An article by Michael S. Gazzaniga talks about how James theorizes that consciousness just comes with life. I believe consciousness is something we have a potential for when we are born, but easier to lose than we think. As easy as it is to lose it’s also easy to regain it, for example, when walking from class to class, I like to close my eyes, take a deep breath, and actually look around. A lot of the time, I notice things I’ve never seen before, such as trees and their complexity, mostly. I like to stop and hyperanalyze the complexity of the leaf structures, the color of the leaves, the amount of grass around me, and the architecture of the buildings. There is beauty and wonder all around us if you just stop to look. It is not necessary to be in nature or a new place to do this. Have you ever really thought about clouds? They are amazing to think about, wildly similar, and more complex than you would think. Even if you don’t care how they work, just looking at them will always be a beautiful sight, especially at sunset. A boring building you walk through every day can bring you to consciousness if you pay slightly more attention than you normally do. The grass may be the same green every day, but what green is it? Is all grass the same green? How many cracks are in the walls in that old building? Is the paint chipping? All the little things you’ve never noticed before, and all of those features are beautiful. Stop your march to the end of your life and enjoy the beauty of the world around you. It goes back to the saying about the river or the example of the note, the grass is the same green, but it is not the same grass it was yesterday, nor are you the same you, just like you it grew and changed. It’s something we all have to do for ourselves to not just be alive, but to truly live. What are the ways you use to feel alive or the methods you use to regain consciousness?
At the end of Walden thoreau says, “Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star.” Which I interpret to mean the day deosnt start with the sun, but when we consciously choose to live it.
Our purpose, according to James, is to be the witness to events in the moment, not to try to control a moment, or just let it happen. The witness is there simply to testify that things are happening. We should not spend our lives trying to make memories but experiences. For example, saving up to go on a vacation. What would bring you more joy, working a job you hate for months so you can afford to go on a vacation you’ll love for a week or two, or just living a life you enjoy every day? Not to say it’s not possible to do both, in fact James is pointing out the importance of both. Living a life you love while working towards something greater you love.
"James spent most of his time writing in a very small and poorly lit room." Writing his first book, early on. Later he wrote in his lovely personal library/study on Irving St in Cambridge, and in the picturesque setting of his summer home in Chocorua. He had good light in both.
ReplyDeleteYou reference "Through’s definition" [Thoreau?] but link to an AI-generated generic discussion of freedom. I suggest linking to something directly from Thoreau, if that was your intended reference.
"A Jamesian way of thinking would be that you cannot experience the same thing twice because even if you hear the same note twice, it’s not the same note." You can certainly still experience a VERY SIMILAR thing. He did not think the past was entirely benign. He did think we should face new experiences without prejudice, and with openness to novelty.
"jump scared"-that's a thing, is it?
"Can things from the past continue to hurt you, or should we all just move on?" Yes, and yes. This is not an either/or for James.
The comic is funny, but WJ never claimed to understand Hegel after I ingesting nitrous (which I don't think was called "whippets" back in the day, and which was not considered an illicit or illegal substance at the time).
I don't think I'd enjoy the swamp, wet or dry.
"house in Chocorua, which he used to get out into the world"-I think he used it more to get OUT OF the workaday world, to relax and reclaim his peace of mind.
"An article by Michael S. Gazzaniga I read"-you can omit gratuitous phrases like "I read" etc. Be sure to edit out superfluous verbiage in the final draft.
"consciousness is something we come with when we are born"-a potential for it, perhaps, but as WJ pointed out: the world of a newborn is a "blooming buzzing confusion" and not a distinct personal consciousness at all.
"Thourou"-not there yet. How do you interpret the "morning star" quote?
"having a happy life is better than having happy memories"-Again, not an either/or. I find that they are mutually reinforcing.