yes or no? I say definitely. And please, provide some depth to your answer, or feel the wrath of my thumbs down! Join me in perpetual misery, yet an acquired mass of knowledge. Or, limber through an endless, thoughtless existence just going through motions, and never worrying about anything?
2007-04-02 05:32:44 · 15 answers · asked by pitsargenaf 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I guess "philosophers" cannot handle a tiny, sarcastic joke.
2007-04-02 05:42:14 · update #1
This question immediately grabbed my attention because this is something my mother used to say. She died of cancer not too long ago. If she had gone to the doctor sooner she might be alive today. Sometimes it's not really a situation where "Ignorance is Bliss" but can be used as an excuse to bury one's head in the sand. I'm sure that wisdom lies in knowing the difference between the two.
2007-04-02 05:53:41 · answer #1 · answered by computer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance implies a lack of study, research or experience, as opposed to being stupid.
This means that ignorance is a purposefull condition.
Ergo,for ignorance to equal bliss one has to make a conscious decision not to investigate a matter in depth.
Therefore, bliss can be both innocent and deliberate, depending on the amount of effort put into the situation.
2007-04-02 13:02:05 · answer #2 · answered by bv1999 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question, sometimes ignorance is bliss.
Consider the Jesus freaks, evangelicals and other deeply religious folks, all have reverted to that primitive limbic systems of our brains, the place where our deepest emotions reside. The 'born-again' Christian phenomena has a scientific basis. When people are in deep despair, near death, nearly starved, or other highly emotional states, the 'religious experience' is triggered. Hormones, dopamine receptors and other chemical reactions take place...all good for the body. They help to fight diseases, etc. It was a survival mechanism our bodies have devloped since the days of our primitive ancestors.
Those that know the truth however, ie Objective Reality, are not allowing themselves the body's defensive mechanizm that has evolved over time. The closest they (we) can come is to believe in the 'power of positive thinking' which is the closest to religion (use of the limbic system of our brains) that we atheists can get.
I've chosen Objective Reality, even knowing that a delusional worldview could be beneficial to my health and body....go figure.
2007-04-03 00:38:59 · answer #3 · answered by Its not me Its u 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its not the same, sometimes ignorance is necessary but that doesn't mean is a bliss. Supposed you know your going to die tomorrow you just give up and become a defeated person. You could abandon all your goals. In this case ignorance is good. Or supposed you know everything of other lives you have had (reincarnations), could you ace pt living with this memories?
2007-04-02 13:24:41 · answer #4 · answered by ilprofesore 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance does not always equal bliss. Racism is often a product of ignorance. Yet, I don't think an ignorant racist enjoy a blissful life. How could hatred of that which one does not understand produce bliss?
2007-04-02 14:45:35 · answer #5 · answered by sokrates 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance never equals bliss because ignorance maybe blissful as a quality but blissfulness has other qualities not included in ignorance. Thus the two are not equal. i.e. All of A is not all of B, thus A not =B
2007-04-02 13:01:04 · answer #6 · answered by Sophist 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe ignorance does equal bliss. I base this from the creation of man to be exact. In the beginning, when God had created Adam and Eve, they lived in a perfect blissful world. A lush garden that was paradise if there ever was one, they had the company of each other and of God, they were ignorant to the possiblities of the world - sadness, pain, knowledge, etc.
That is why God forbade them to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. It was a test they failed of course, but once they ate of the Tree of Knowledge they became aware of all they were not aware of before. They realized they were naked, they felt shame, sadness - a whole new world was opened. They were no longer ignorant in their existence - and as time wore on, we are proof that from shedding our ignorance and embracing the power that was given to us we have created the world as we know today - we are powerful and try to play God. But with our knowledge we have brought destruction and all the hell on earth that goes with it.
If only in the beginning they would have obeyed and remained ignorant to the world - none of the hell around us would even exist - it would still be paradise.
Ignorance truly is bliss - but we live in a world where we shun ignorance and strive for knowledge and power.
2007-04-02 12:42:50 · answer #7 · answered by boz4425 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ignorance doesn't always equal bliss. Let us say you were having a medical procedure that was going to involve some pain. If you were aware that the pain was going to be short-lived, it would be easier to withstand it. If you didn't know it would be short-lived, while you were feeling the pain you may well panic. In this case, ignorance doesn't help.
Kind regards.
2007-04-02 12:41:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most people would say that ignorance is bliss. I am firm believer that as far as the horrific sins in the world go,...it would have been easier if Adam and Eve would have done what God asked of them. Yet, 'easier' is not always better! And 'bliss' would not exist (or should I say would not be fully appreciated) if evil and heartache did not!
2007-04-02 13:02:24 · answer #9 · answered by Battle Cat 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
to me i have never heard the word "bliss" being used in any other sentence other than "ignorance is bliss".
i live by this saying and believe it to be true however in the conventional sense of bliss i would disagree,
i feel it is impossible for me to describe my personal definition of bliss other than "bliss is ignorance".
2007-04-02 12:55:35 · answer #10 · answered by kevin h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋