Education is an instiution that practices all three concepts. In school, we are taught what is right and what is wrong. We are also expected to study and pass tests or we risk failing. Parents also always tell their children to go to college or to do well in school. This can be seen as the mutuability premise since it's believed by most people that education and physical excercise is good for the mind and body. This might be why we have physical education classes as part of our school cirriculums.
Religion also uses all three concepts. Most religions believe that people are generally good. They also believe that people are rational and as a result will want to do what is in their best interest. Some religions even ask a person to 'fast' or go without eating for a while or ask people not to eat a certain food or drink a certain beverage. This is done with the hope of putting the person in the best physical and mental state possible.
The only reason I don't believe in the premises is because it is my belief that some people are just bad and actually look to harm other people. It also doesn't take into account the numerous of people who suffer from mental illnesses. In these cases, it would be hard for the premises to be applied. However, for the most part they are important concepts that help develop strong healthy individuals. For this reason, I think they need to remain in our society.
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I really liked how you were able to find common bonds with all three premises. I liked your final paragraph the best though. I really liked that you talked about the exceptions because I didn't think of that. I hadn't thought about how people with mental illnesses would fit into the premises. People with mental illnesses sometimes have a hard time using logic so they wouldn't be able to follow the rationality premise to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the concepts do need to remain in our society. I feel that they are beneficial. Some problems may exist with the premises including the "exceptions to the rule" but because they "help develop strong and healthy individuals" they are important to keep in our society.
Hi no_name707,
ReplyDeleteI also liked how you were able to find examples of institutions that were based on all three premises. It's interesting that you compared education and religion, which appear to be very different on the surface, yet share some of the same premises. Education and religion are also both institutions that socialize us and help us decide how to act in our society. While I am not a religious person, I do see the value that religion can offer people who are seeking to live by values based on rationality, mutability and perfectibility. I agree with you that these values benefit our society. However, because people have different points of view, the premises are not always used to benefit others, and I can see how some people could take advantage of them by using them selfishly.
I found it interesting how you compared education and religion to all three premises. I would have assumed both to be different, and yet your comparisons link them. Education makes a person act rationally (I hope), shapes what a person becomes and influences whether they take the path of sin/righteousness. Religion assumes a person is good, can be rational and shapes what they become. In the end, I think it all depends on the individual no matter the religion or education, what they choose to become. I agree the rational and mutability premises can benefit society, but I don't see how "perfectibility" (people are born in sin) can be of any benefit.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed how you tied religion and the act of fasting into all three premises. I did not see that link between fasting and mind, body, and purity of an individual until you had mentioned it. One question I wanted to ask was what about individuals who do not define themselves as religious, where would they fit? I feel as if these premises are so ambiguous, very vague, and very much not like the human beings I know.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the last paragraph as others stated before me. I found it very interesting that you said some individuals do want to just hurt others, some people are just bad. There is not good or evil, life has a lot of gray areas. I enjoyed reading the post, and I felt like I was broadening my mind and body while reading, so thank you.
-Chubbyhub