Theos-Talk Archives (December 2002 Message tt00043)

Mic wrote: <<At
> the beginning of this year at university I decided to
> do some extra subjects and consequently I undertook
> philosophy. Well I enjoyed the lectures but after one
> tutorial I chucked it in with sheer frustration. Those
> guys couldn't make up their minds on anything!!!

I don't know about the particulars in that instance, but, as 
I see it, if a philosophy lecturer doesn't promote any initial 
assumptions, then, to my way of thinking, that could (or 
should?) encourage the students to try thinking on their 
own, to some extent ... If philosophy lectures don't offer 
that kind of encouragement or opportunity (ie, if the 
lectures amount to not much more than the promotion of 
the lecturer's or the schools or a society's views), then 
what good are they as "more realistic/helpful," basic 
discourses on general philosophy (or am I going out on a 
limb here by assuming that some people might want to try 
exploring some of their own, or at least some of their 
"more individualistic" philosophic notions ...) ...

Shouldn't one try cultivating a sense about one's own 
latent philosophy, on a "deeper level," somewhere along 
the line, instead of, in effect, letting oneself be led by 
what might "seem" to be the most appealing prospects, 
philosophies, Theosophies, etc ... Or is it that people in 
general tend to have a certain natural talent for 
convincing themselves that they ARE thinking for 
themselves, even though they might have been 
substantially led by the nose for years and years ... Not 
that various apparent mainstreams are not powerful 
influences. 

Didn't HPB encourage people to think for themselves ...
Isn't there an aspect of Theosophy that's about 
transcending the kind of mainstream influences, as well as 
duality altogether, that seem most prevalent around here 
... Of course (?), in the meanwhile ... whatever ...

Speculatively ...
Mauri