I am interested in disinterested knowledge

[coberst]

I am interested in disinterested knowledge

Disinterested knowledge is the energy bunny. It generates the energy for exploration and for overcoming some of the inhibitions consciousness places on the unconscious.

Disinterested knowledge is an intrinsic value. Disinterested knowledge is not a means but an end. It is knowledge I seek because I desire to know it. I mean the term 'disinterested knowledge' as similar to 'pure research', as compared to 'applied research'. Pure research seeks to know truth unconnected to any specific application.

Studying disinterested knowledge is like taking off a month every year to visit a strange new land. Curiosity is reinvigorated and new meaning is created.

Knowledge is like a jigsaw puzzle. We have created many puzzles in coping with reality and when we receive a new piece of knowledge that does not fit our present puzzles we forgetaboutit (Italian word for ‘forget about it’). However, if through disinterested knowledge we have created new puzzles within which the new knowledge might fit we might find a whole new meaning in life.

Our mind is constantly working for us and when we do not give it a worthwhile project, i.e. a new puzzle, it will just waste away in boredom or worry.

Instrumental knowledge is interested knowledge. Instrumental knowledge is the life blood of a value system that places the maximizing of production and consumption as “Number One”.

Disinterested knowledge is the un-knowledge, it is the non-instrumental knowledge. Disinterested knowledge is an alien and clumsy word in a society that places maximum value on production and consumption. Disinterested knowledge is not a catalyst of production and consumption but it is the catalyst of creativity. Disinterested knowledge is the mixing bowl of creativity.

Creativity is the synthesis of the known into a model of the unknown. The value of the unknown is yet to be determined. Creativity requires a comfort with the unknown.

Disinterested knowledge is a means to defragment your brain.

Have you ever studied disinterested knowledge?

Do you think it is important to love to learn?

[MidGe]

coberst,

As usual your post is full of contradictions, unverified or unqualified claims and show a lot of unconscious [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] confusion on your part, which is worrying.

Let me take the first of such statement, or part of statement to issue.

[ QUOTE ]
...overcoming some of the inhibitions consciousness places on the unconscious...

[/ QUOTE ]

This may sound very authoritative, but it is simple a re-hash of new-agey bull dust, that is supported by altered state of minds, probably induced by drugs! Not that I am saying there is anything wrong with drug-induced states, but there surely is something wrong when one cannot discern the difference and the causes of the different state of minds.

The assumption that you are making in the above statement is that the unconscious (which I am not denying, in fact I see its manifestation far more often than I would like) is somehow superior in value to the conscious and is fettered by the conscious. Dude, look at reality, look at nature in its unconscious state. If that is what you want to dominate the human affect on the world, I cannot argue with you, but to me it seems that the conscious is precisely what keeps the unconscious in check and develop a humanity that is not unconscious (or, you could nearly equate with, natural) and is most desirable.

Consciousness is the unique, it seems, and redeeming feature of humanity. You should be encouraging consciousness, reflection, intellect over the base instinctual and unconscious responses.

coberst, you should get on well with carlo and his highfalutin theories and musings. Bothy of you are falling prey to an immense lack of intellectual rigor, and in any sense of the word, neither of you add a positive value to human knowledge.

[ALawPoker]

Why are you so interested in the subconscious? If you were trying to hit a 167 yard 4-iron into the wind from a tough lie, would you be concerned with how your club was manufactured and exactly what elements it consists of?

The beauty of the subconscious is that thinking about it doesn't do anything.

[coberst]

Psychology is one of the domains of knowledge that I call disinterested knowledge. I am a retired engineer and had not studied psychology before. It is a marvelously interesting subject for study, everyone should try their hand at moving beyond the confines of a narrow very limited world view into which their formal education has placed them.

[MidGe]

[ QUOTE ]
Psychology is one of the domains of knowledge that I call disinterested knowledge

[/ QUOTE ]

So you may call it, in fact, you may call it whatever you want, but it doesn't make it more, according to you, than the result of a totally unconscious process.

ORLY!

[tame_deuces]

I don't know where you want to go with this coberst. It sure sounds pretty but you seem to take pride in writing things in a confusing manner and several of your statements are meaningless without definitions of terms, as the reader will have to guess what you are saying.

I'm guessing you love to write in this manner for several reasons, but if you want a debate/discussion surrounding _your_ view, you should write in a more concise and clear manner.

I interpret your statement into meaning:

'I am interested in learning stuff I don't know much about to expand my knowledge?'

+ several statements about the value of stuff 'we don't know much about'.

Is this correct?

[ALawPoker]

[ QUOTE ]
Psychology is one of the domains of knowledge that I call disinterested knowledge. I am a retired engineer and had not studied psychology before. It is a marvelously interesting subject for study, everyone should try their hand at moving beyond the confines of a narrow very limited world view into which their formal education has placed them.

[/ QUOTE ]

But when forced or even asked what might be the extent of any such domain, it becomes infinitely clear that the irrelevance indeed manifests. Irrelevance is anti-significance, it is not possible for it to ever be clear. Broken down further, the entities are of a less disinterested sort.

So when applied to the psychological realm, the effects too become unclear, even though in other realms they are quite obvious, or even naggingly present. The shift of realms should be thought of as a time warp from a purely analogous sense. Lack of clarity is danger. Our mind works to shy from danger, or perhaps to confront it and be better still.

The paradox that comes in a discernible light is innate to our condition and remarkable. We've tried many approaches to fully counter the elusiveness of the paradox, but none seem so very clear as the one man and god both found together. A paradox is like a riddle you can't solve, and ignorance is the ideal solution. Whatever trace of badness might be eroded in your quest for what's good and true, more badness will come at the hand of your very conscious attempt.

[hitch1978]

I agree with most of what tame dueces says. And, his points notwithstanding, allot of the OP.

I agree with the OP (I think) that knowledge sought for it's own end is not worthless. I think that's pretty much the OP's point in a nutshell. That and that allot of people wouldn't agree, and do not seek knowledge that is not immediately useful to them.

I was working with a Lithuanian immigrant today, and was asking all sorts of questions about his Country's history and language etc. This is not knowledge I have any immediate use for, and as such, knowledge many would not have sought.

Enlightenment is fulfilling to me, on any subject.

I would guess that everyone that uses this discussion board would agree with your actual point (after all, they are here aren't they?) if the way it was made was more concise.

[coberst]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know where you want to go with this coberst. It sure sounds pretty but you seem to take pride in writing things in a confusing manner and several of your statements are meaningless without definitions of terms, as the reader will have to guess what you are saying.

I'm guessing you love to write in this manner for several reasons, but if you want a debate/discussion surrounding _your_ view, you should write in a more concise and clear manner.

I interpret your statement into meaning:

'I am interested in learning stuff I don't know much about to expand my knowledge?'

+ several statements about the value of stuff 'we don't know much about'.

Is this correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

Pretty close

[coberst]

What’s on your mind? This is about ROI, man!

If you do not have a question on your mind that is important to you, you are a loser! We are all born with one of the principles of capitalism coded into our genes, i.e. use your assets to obtain maximum leverage.

When I have willed that my mind help me to find an answer to some matter that I really care about I have placed on my ‘mental bulldozer’ an operator seeking that answer. My M/B (mental bulldozer) is waiting in the shed for my assignment. If I have not given it an assignment the operator of that M/B is any scatter brained monkey that comes along.

Your mental ROI (Return on Investment) is 1000 if you invest time and effort in creating questions that you are curious of and care about. If you are ‘curious and caring’ about a matter your M/B will be working 24/7 to help in the quest for a solution. Our brain is a marvelous instrument that can function in parallel mode on many problems simultaneously.

Your M/B depends upon the knowledge in your data bank to organize its efforts. The bigger and more diverse your data bank the greater scope the mind has for organizing a solution.