Ab uno disce omnes. – From one, learn all.

Posted on 9 July 2014 by philosiblog

Ab uno disce omnes. – From one, learn all. – Virgil

Why are they doing that? I could guess, but I don't have much to go on. Observe & Learn.

Why are they doing that? I could guess, but I don’t have much to go on. Observe & Learn.

What does that mean?
This has usually been translated to mean that we would be well served to learn the general rule which governs most situations.

We must also remember that where there is a rule, there is always an exception, and that we must remain vigilant for these. Yet, properly used, generalizations are quite a useful tool.

The closer we are to Physics and Math, the more broadly the rules apply. The closer we get to individual people or to personal values and emotions, the less they apply.

In this we must always be vigilant, as misapplication of a generalization is a quick way to insult someone, or even start a fight. And we don’t want that.

Why is careful observation important? Continue reading →

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If tragedy strikes, don’t lose hope. Transform it into an opportunity to make things better.

Posted on 7 July 2014 by philosiblog

If tragedy strikes, don’t lose hope. Transform it into an opportunity to make things better. – Dalai Lama

A friend of mine was killed in a bike wreck (this pic is of an injury accident). I became a Motorcycle Safety Instructor as a way of maintaining hope.

A friend of mine was killed in a bike wreck (this is of a different accident). I became a Motorcycle Safety Instructor as a way of seeking an opportunity and maintaining hope.

What does that mean?
This is a great quote about our attitude. Bad things happen to good people. But what do we do when things go badly for us?

Some lose hope, others use the event as an opportunity to improve their life. That doesn’t mean we don’t go through a grieving process for the loss, but it does mean that we don’t stop living our lives either.

At some point in our lives, we will have something happen which might be described as a tragedy. The question is what will we do? Will we crumble, or will we endure?

This quote urges us to work on not losing hope, to endure this event and the aftermath. And, like a Phoenix, rise from the ashes and renew your energy, spirit, and dedication. Easy? No. Doable? Most certainly.

Why is perseverance important? Continue reading →

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No new post tonight.

Posted on 4 July 2014 by philosiblog

Due to any number of excuses, and even a few reasons, I won’t be posting anything new tonight.  8(

Feel free to take a quick look on the right side-bar for categories you might like, and read something random. You never know what you might find.   8)

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Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.

Posted on 2 July 2014 by philosiblog

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. – Pablo Picasso

This is one way to make sure that inspiration finds you, be at work nearly all the time!

This is one way to make sure that inspiration finds you, be at work nearly all the time!

What does that mean?
This quote reminds me of opportunity, both lost and found. Opportunity or inspiration comes on its own schedule, not yours.

Have you ever had a great idea, but you were on the couch, watching your favorite show or sports team? You think to yourself “I’ll write that down in the next commercial break” and then forgot all about it?

Whether it was an idea to make your first million dollars, or remembering what you were going to do, if you aren’t ready, it will be gone in a heartbeat.

However, if you are busy doing what you do, and inspiration stops by, you are ready to take note and begin to make use of it immediately.

Why is being ready important? Continue reading →

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Even people opposed to religion need calm minds and compassion to make their work more effective.

Posted on 30 June 2014 by philosiblog

Even people opposed to religion need calm minds and compassion to make their work more effective. – Dalai Lama

Life moves quickly. A calm mind can help you see and understand.

Life moves quickly. A calm mind can help you see and understand and be more effective.

What does that mean?
This quote talks about how calm minds and compassion is useful to everyone, even those who do not have religious beliefs or are opposed to religion.

Compassion does not require religion to function. All that is required is a functioning heart. Note that compassion doesn’t require you to rescue everyone everywhere, every minute of the day.

But if you can feel compassion, you can most likely convey the compassion as well, and that helps build connections.

Calm minds do not require religion either. Calm minds can withstand the swirling emotions surrounding them and find the proper balance, and then clearly state their point.

For the most effective use of the mind and spirit, all that is required is our awareness, regardless of religion.

Why is a calm mind important? Continue reading →

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As one falling headlong has no control over his body… so with the mind when it plunges into anger, love or the other passions.

Posted on 27 June 2014 by philosiblog

As one falling headlong has no control over his body… so with the mind when it plunges into anger, love or the other passions. – Seneca

You know you're going to fall. What can you do differently next time to avoid it?

You know you’re going to fall. Next time, what will you do differently to avoid the fall?

What does that mean?
While the quote is from a section where he discusses anger in specific, this passage, and quote, talks about the power of strong emotions or passions.

The comparison is to someone who catches a toe on something and can’t catch their balance. There is that moment when you know you are falling down, but there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.

The quote states that anger, and other strong emotions, are just like that. If you don’t stop it before it starts, if you stumble in even the slightest, you are quite likely to fall.

In short, the quote is reminding us to be as watchful with our emotions as we are with our feet and walking, lest you stumble and fall into anger.

Why is self-control important? Continue reading →

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There is no hope unmingled with fear, and no fear unmingled with hope.

Posted on 25 June 2014 by philosiblog

There is no hope unmingled with fear, and no fear unmingled with hope. – Spinoza

Hope and fear are in balance when you are an expert at a task. Wheeee!

Hope and fear are in balance when you are an expert at a task. Wheeeeeee!

What does that mean?
To me, this quote describes the simple duality of the future. Hope and fear, they are the two sides of the same coin.

Anticipation, expectation, or our view of the future; that is at the heart of this quote. We don’t hope about the past, nor do we (in general) fear it. The same is also largely true for the present.

Only the future regularly holds the double edged sword of hope and of fear. Hope for what might be good or desirable, and fear of what might be bad or unpleasant.

Yet when we do consider the future, there is a balance between hope and fear. So long as we don’t let fear or hope rule unopposed, we should do fairly well.

Why is balance important? Continue reading →

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Everyone wants to lead a happy life, a meaningful life. In order to fulfill this goal our practice should be realistic.

Posted on 23 June 2014 by philosiblog

Everyone wants to lead a happy life, a meaningful life. In order to fulfill this goal our practice should be realistic. – Dalai Lama

Creating World Peace is not very realistic. Start with Local Peace, a more attainable goal.

Creating World Peace is not very realistic. Start with Local Peace, a more attainable goal.

What does that mean?
While I believe every goal can be achieved, eventually, there are limits to what can be done in the time available to us.

To me, this quote says that if we insist on achieving world peace in our lifetime, we’re going to be disappointed. Our lives won’t feel very happy and we won’t feel we’ve led a very meaningful existence.

That doesn’t mean we give up, though. It just means we have to work on a more realistic level. What is realistic to one person may not be for another, and that’s ok.

We will need to work, each within our abilities, towards our goals. In that manner, we can find happiness and meaning in our lives.

Why is being realistic important? Continue reading →

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I cannot tell you that I lose nothing, but whatever I do lose I can tell you how and why the loss occurred.

Posted on 20 June 2014 by philosiblog

I cannot tell you that I lose nothing, but whatever I do lose I can tell you how and why the loss occurred. – Seneca

Do you know where all your time went? It's OK to relax, just keep track of the time.

Do you know where all your time went? By all means, relax. Just keep track of the time.

What does that mean?
In the original text, he is moving between discussing the value of time and money, but the title of the section is on saving time.

In time, each day, all of us are equal. I may choose to spend more of it sleeping than another, or reading, or some other activity, but those are our choices. How we spend it, or invest it, is up to us.

Some of our time is managed, or otherwise beyond our control. Things like the time when we got stuck in traffic, or when a sick relative kept us up all night. That’s covered by the latter half of the quote.

The trick is to either choose where you spend it, or know where it went. To let it slip away, to lose it, that is not very prudent nor is it very wise.

Why is being deliberate important? Continue reading →

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Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.

Posted on 18 June 2014 by philosiblog

Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous. – Plato

Knowledge of sword play can be used to gain an Olympic Medal, or to take a life.

Knowledge of sword play can be used to gain an Olympic Medal, or to take a life.

What does that mean?
This is an interesting quote about knowledge and how it is applied. It is in the application that knowledge becomes evil or virtuous.

Some of the same chemicals used to kill and maim millions in World War One are now used, in very careful doses, to treat cancer. Mustard Gas isn’t itself evil, but it can be used to kill people, or it can be to save lives.

The knowledge to split an atom is neither good nor evil. How it is applied, that is where it gets tricky. Handled ethically, it can produce massive amounts of power in a clean and relatively safe manner.

Similarly, a sword isn’t evil or virtuous. The knowledge of how to use it is where that is decided. If it is used in a contest, that knowledge could win you an Olympic Medal. Or you could use it to murder someone.

Why is ethical use of knowledge important? Continue reading →

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We have to try to solve local problems keeping global interests in mind.

Posted on 16 June 2014 by philosiblog

We have to try to solve local problems keeping global interests in mind. – Dalai Lama

We have a local problem: Too much Trash. If we burn it, does it create a pollution problem? Can we recycle some of it? Does your solution make more problems?

We have a local problem: Too much Trash. If we burn it, does it create a pollution problem? What else can we do? Can we recycle some of it? Does your solution make more problems?

What does that mean?
This quote is about solving problems. We all have problems, issues, troubles, or whatever word you prefer to use. And we all need to solve them.

It is not about the actual mechanics of the solution, but it is about some of the parameters which should be included in the decision-making process. Nearly every problem has more than one solution.

Some solutions are a bit silly, others are impractical. This quote asks us to include the repercussions of our decisions on others, including the greater good, even at the global level.

Our personal contribution may not be much, but there are a lot of us out there. As large groups, we can make a global impact, for good or for ill. It helps to think before we act.

Why is thinking globally important? Continue reading →

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I never spend a day in idleness. I set aside even part of the night for study.

Posted on 13 June 2014 by philosiblog

I never spend a day in idleness. I set aside even part of the night for study. – Seneca

How can you help others? Helping them to read gives them a powerful tool.

How can you help others? Helping them to read gives them a powerful tool for life.

What does that mean?
This quote is from a longer passage in which he talks about his dedication to his art, and more importantly, why he does so.

He talks about withdrawing from the business of life so that he may study and think, and then write his conclusions. Not for his own good, as he has already figured it out for himself.

Instead, he dedicates his efforts into helping others, the ‘later generations’ as he calls them. He hopes that by writing down his ideas, that they might prove useful to someone.

He not only took his days to work for the future, he also took parts of his nights. And remember, he had to buy candles or oil for a lamp so he could see. That’s dedication.

Why is helping others important? Continue reading →

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Not being able to do everything is no excuse for not doing everything you can.

Posted on 11 June 2014 by philosiblog

Not being able to do everything is no excuse for not doing everything you can. – Ashleigh Brilliant

Don't just sit there. Do something! It won't do itself.

Don’t just sit there. Do something! It won’t do itself.

What does that mean?
This is a neat quote, and is almost in a chiastic form. It starts by stating that you should not use something as an excuse. What is that thing?

The thing it says is everything. You can’t do everything. And face it, who can these days? Put another way, no one can do everything, so no one should use that as an excuse for not doing something. What is that thing?

The thing it says is everything you can. Yes, you can’t do everything, but you can do something. It may not seem like much, but a lot of people, each doing a little, can add up quickly.

Putting it back together, since we can all do something, none of us should use the excuse that because we can’t do it all, we should do nothing.

Why is doing something important? Continue reading →

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The power of truth never declines. Force and violence may be effective in the short term, but in the long run it’s truth that prevails.

Posted on 9 June 2014 by philosiblog

The power of truth never declines. Force and violence may be effective in the short term, but in the long run it’s truth that prevails. – Dalai Lama

There is Power in the Truth, and we know we can be nonviolent.

There is Power in the Truth, and we know we can be nonviolent, if we choose.

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is about the futility of force and violence. Those are never durable or enduring solutions. They may be a temporary respite at best.

Force and violence simply foment anger and resentment, which will only lead to more use of force and violence from those who lost. And so it will continue, back and forth, until one is annihilated, or Truth prevails.

But what is Truth? That is a question to which we may never know the answer, at least not in a general sense. But for each situation, there are truths, and they can break the cycle of violence, if everyone understands.

And it starts with realizing we are all human, all the same. It isn’t us against them, it’s us against us. With just that Truth, our world view changes, for we are all family.

Why is breaking the cycle of violence important? Continue reading →

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It’s the quality of books, not the quantity, that matters. Careful selections benefit; great and varied assortments serve only for delight.

Posted on 6 June 2014 by philosiblog

It’s the quality of books, not the quantity, that matters. Careful selections benefit; great and varied assortments serve only for delight. – Seneca

This library has a lot of quality on the topic of cooking. What does your library look like?

This library has a lot of quality on the topic of cooking. What does your library look like?

What does that mean?
This was a very interesting post to me, given my love for books. The quote is one about the difference between quality and quantity.

The quote doesn’t say that one is good and the other evil or that one should be pursued and the other avoided, but that they have different purposes. For one who is studying a topic, and needs great knowledge, quality is much better than quantity.

Similarly, if you are bored, the quality of the books in your library won’t be as important as the variety contained therein. Are you in the mood for some history, or perhaps a biography? A quality book on Physics won’t cut it.

By chosing books which are of high quality and containing new knowledge is best for learning and expanding your mind. A wide variety of books is best for amusing yourself and passing the time.

Why are both quality and quantity important? Continue reading →

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