UOB Philosophy Club

UOB Philosophy Club "UOB Philosophy Club" is a student club at the University of Balamand, dedicated to the discussion and appreciation of philosophy, psychology and history.

26/12/2024

The Search for Rest and Peace: A Philosophical Reflection

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving,” Albert Einstein once said. This simple yet profound insight reveals something deep about the human condition: peace and rest are not static things we can simply find and hold onto. Instead, they are processes that require constant movement and adjustment. This idea resonates with the thoughts of many philosophers throughout history who have grappled with the nature of balance and harmony in life.

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus believed that the universe is in constant flux—always changing and never still. Yet within this change, he saw an underlying balance, something we cannot always see directly but that is constantly at work. True balance in life isn’t found in stasis but in the ongoing interplay of opposites. Just as a bicycle stays balanced only when it is in motion, peace in life is found in our ability to move with the changes around us, adjusting as necessary rather than resisting.

Building on this idea of balance, Aristotle introduced the concept of the "golden mean," suggesting that virtue and harmony lie in moderation. To find peace, we must avoid extremes, seeking a balanced approach to life where our actions and desires are neither excessive nor deficient. In this sense, Aristotle’s view of balance involves aligning ourselves with a middle path—a place where we are neither overwhelmed by chaos nor too rigid or stagnant.

However, Friedrich Nietzsche challenged this more traditional view. Nietzsche believed that true peace comes not from moderation or balance in the usual sense, but from embracing life’s chaos. Peace is not found by avoiding conflict or struggle, but by confronting it head-on. Nietzsche saw balance as something that arises from reconciling opposing forces within ourselves. In other words, true harmony comes from embracing life's contradictions rather than attempting to escape them.

In this context, Galileo’s observation that “Nature is relentless and unchangeable” adds another layer to our understanding of peace. According to Galileo, nature’s forces do not bend to human understanding or desires. The universe operates independently of our ability to fully comprehend it, and yet the search for peace continues. Finding balance doesn’t mean mastering the forces of nature or controlling them. It means aligning ourselves with them, accepting their constant motion, and learning to adapt to them, even when we don’t fully understand them.

Taken together, these ideas suggest that the search for peace and rest is not about finding a fixed, permanent state of stillness or avoiding change. It is about learning to move with the forces of life, adjusting and adapting as needed, and reconciling opposing elements within ourselves. Whether through moderation, the acceptance of chaos, or alignment with the forces of nature, peace comes not as a final destination but as an ongoing journey—an active, lifelong pursuit of balance in a constantly changing world.

There are two main theories as to why people believe that suffering in the present will lead to fortuitous rewards in th...
12/11/2020

There are two main theories as to why people believe that suffering in the present will lead to fortuitous rewards in the future. The first is known as the “just-world maintenance” explanation. This explanation states that individuals often believe that they’re living in a world where people get what they deserve.⁠
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Thus, people who suffer unnecessarily will be compensated for the pain they’ve endured. In doing so, this will restore balance to a supposed just-world.⁠
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The alternative theory is known as the “virtuous suffering” explanation. This suggests that experiencing suffering can improve one’s moral character.⁠
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This belief has been highlighted in previous studies which suggest that committing self-punishment can make an individual appear increasingly moral. This explanation further suggests that the universe rewards these individuals for behaving morally.⁠
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Contrary to expectation, the researchers didn’t find support for the virtuous suffering explanation. However, they did find that when the protagonist experienced greater levels of suffering, they were perceived to be more deserving of future rewards. This supports the just-world maintenance explanation. - Dailypysch

Alexander Theodore Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American medicinal chemist, biochemist, organic chemist...
02/11/2020

Alexander Theodore Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American medicinal chemist, biochemist, organic chemist, pharmacologist, psychopharmacologist, and author. He is credited with introducing M**A ("ecstasy", "mandy" or "molly") to psychologists in the late 1970s for psychopharmaceutical use and for the discovery, synthesis and personal bioassay of over 230 psychoactive compounds for their psychedelic and entactogenic potential.
Shulgin began studying organic chemistry as a Harvard University scholarship student at the age of 16. In 1943 he dropped out of school to join the U.S. Navy. While serving on USS Pope in the Navy during World War II, Shulgin was given a glass of orange juice by a nurse prior to surgery for a thumb infection. Shulgin drank the juice and, assuming that the powder at the bottom of the glass was a sedative, fell asleep rapidly. Upon waking he learned that the powder was undissolved sugar. The experience made him aware of the influence of placebos over the human mind.
After serving in the Navy, Shulgin returned to Berkeley, California, and in 1954 earned his PhD in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Through the late 1950s Shulgin completed post-doctoral work in the fields of psychiatry and pharmacology at University of California, San Francisco. After working at Bio-Rad Laboratories as a research director for a brief period, he began work at Dow Chemical Company as a senior research chemist.
At this time he had a series of psychedelic experiences that helped to shape his further goals and research, the first of which was brought on by mescaline. "I first explored mescaline in the late '50s ... Three-hundred-fifty to 400 milligrams. I learned there was a great deal inside me."
Shulgin later reported personal revelations that "had been brought about by a fraction of a gram of a white solid, but that in no way whatsoever could it be argued that these memories had been contained within the white solid ... I understood that our entire universe is contained in the mind and the spirit. We may choose not to find access to it, we may even deny its existence, but it is indeed there inside us, and there are chemicals that can catalyze its availability."
In order to work with scheduled psychoactive chemicals, Shulgin obtained a DEA Schedule I license for an analytical laboratory, which allowed him to synthesize and possess any otherwise illicit drug. Shulgin set up a chemical synthesis laboratory in a small building behind his house, which gave him a great deal of career autonomy. Shulgin used this freedom to synthesize and test the effects of potentially psychoactive drugs.
After judicious self-experiments, Shulgin enlisted a small group of friends with whom he regularly tested his creations, starting in 1960. They developed a systematic way of ranking the effects of the various drugs, known as the Shulgin Rating Scale, with a vocabulary to describe the visual, auditory and physical sensations. He personally tested hundreds of drugs, mainly analogues of various phenethylamines (family containing M**A, mescaline, and the 2C* family), and tryptamines (family containing DMT and psilocin). There are a seemingly infinite number of slight chemical variations, which can produce variations in effect — some pleasant and some unpleasant, depending on the person, substance, and situation — all of which are meticulously recorded in Shulgin's lab notebooks. Shulgin published many of these objective and subjective reports in his books and papers.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" Now it’s time to set a commitment.What are you willing to comm...
23/09/2020

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

Now it’s time to set a commitment.

What are you willing to commit to?

It doesn’t have to be something big.

You can start with an easy goal, and exercise your willingness muscle. For example, instead of going for a 5 km run, start by going for 500 meters.

You get to make the decision here.

So take a pen and paper, and write down:

WHAT are you willing to do?

WHEN are you willing to do it?

WHERE are you willing to do it?

The more specific you are, the better.

Do something.

Now.

No matter how small.

And then do the next thing, but stay with the process … don’t let the Dictator Within start bossing you around.

Remember that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly.

Uncertainty is all around us, never more so than today. The current COVID-19 pandemic has heightened uncertainty over th...
01/05/2020

Uncertainty is all around us, never more so than today. The current COVID-19 pandemic has heightened uncertainty over the economy, employment, finances, relationships, and of course, physical and mental health. Yet as human beings, we crave security. We want to feel safe and have a sense of control over our lives and well-being. Fear and uncertainty can leave you feeling stressed, anxious, and powerless over the direction of your life. It can drain you emotionally and trap you in a downward spiral of endless “what-ifs” and worst-case scenarios about what tomorrow may bring.

We’re all different in how much uncertainty we can tolerate in life. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives, while others find the randomness of life deeply distressing. But all of us have a limit. If you feel overwhelmed by uncertainty and worry, it’s important to know that you’re not alone; many of us are in the same boat at this time. It’s also important to realize that no matter how helpless and hopeless you feel, there are steps you can take to better deal with uncontrollable circumstances, alleviate your anxiety, and face the unknown with more confidence.

We offer the following eight recommendations to promote radical healing at this time of fear and uncertainty.

• Keep physically active. Develop a routine so that you're physically active most days of the week. Exercise is a powerful stress reducer. It may improve your mood and help you stay healthy. Start out slowly and gradually increase the amount and intensity of your activities.
• Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs. These substances can cause or worsen anxiety. If you can't quit on your own, see your doctor or find a support group to help you.
• Quit smoking and cut back or quit drinking caffeinated beverages. Both ni****ne and caffeine can worsen anxiety.
• Use stress management and relaxation techniques. Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety.
• Make sleep a priority. Do what you can to make sure you're getting enough sleep to feel rested. If you aren't sleeping well, see your doctor.
• Eat healthy. Healthy eating — such as focusing on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish — may be linked to reduced anxiety, but more research is needed.
• Socialize. Don't let worries isolate you from loved ones or activities.
• Break the cycle. When you feel anxious, take a brisk walk or delve into a hobby to refocus your mind away from your worries

“Approval from others gives us a higher sense of self-esteem. We’re convinced that their recognition matters to our self...
22/08/2019

“Approval from others gives us a higher sense of self-esteem. We’re convinced that their recognition matters to our self-worth and how deeply we value ourselves.”

This mental stress that we impose upon ourselves causes a constant feeling of low self-esteem, it can result from various factors, including genetic factors, physical appearance or weight, mental health issues, socioeconomic status, significant emotional experiences, peer pressure or bullying.
A person with low self-esteem may show some of the following characteristics:
• Heavy self-criticism and dissatisfaction.
• Hypersensitivity to criticism with resentment against critics and feelings of being attacked.
• Chronic indecision and an exaggerated fear of mistakes.
• Excessive will to please and unwillingness to displease any petitioner.
• Perfectionism, which can lead to frustration when perfection is not achieved.
• Neurotic guilt, dwelling on or exaggerating the magnitude of past mistakes.
• Floating hostility and general defensiveness and irritability without any proximate cause.
• Pessimism and a general negative outlook.
• Envy, invidiousness, or general resentment.
• Sees temporary setbacks as permanent, intolerable conditions.
Individuals with low self-esteem tend to be critical of themselves. Some depend on the approval and praise of others when evaluating self-worth. Others may measure their likability in terms of successes: others will accept themselves if they succeed but will not if they fail.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS THAT Self-approval comes out of self-acceptance, which rises out of the recognition that we are, in fact, enough, just as we are. With that recognition, we can free ourselves from fear; we no longer need to look outside for a validation that, on the inside is self-evident. We come into our power, our full humanity, in the recognition that our essential nature is all we need to be fully us.

" EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE "Emotional intelligence has been defined as "the ability to monitor one's own and other people'...
09/08/2019

" EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE "

Emotional intelligence has been defined as "the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior"
This definition was later broken down and refined into four proposed abilities: perceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotions. These abilities are distinct yet related. Emotional intelligence also reflects abilities to join intelligence, empathy and emotions to enhance thought and understanding of interpersonal dynamics.
How to develop emotional intelligence?
1. Perceiving emotions: the ability to detect and read emotions in faces, pictures, voices, and cultural artifacts, including the ability to identify one's own emotions
2. Using emotions: the ability to harness emotions to facilitate various cognitive activities, such as thinking and problem-solving.
3. Understanding emotions: the ability to comprehend emotion language and to appreciate complicated relationships among emotions.
4. Managing emotions: the ability to regulate emotions in both ourselves and in others.

A review published in the journal of Annual Psychology found that higher emotional intelligence is positively correlated with:
1. Better social relations for children, and adults
2. Highly emotionally intelligent individuals are perceived more positively by others
3. Better family and intimate relationships
4. Better academic achievement
5. Better social relations during work performance and in negotiations
6. Better psychological well-being
7. Allows for self-compassion

Studies have shown that people with high EI have greater mental health, job performance, and leadership skills although no causal relationships have been shown and such findings are likely to be attributable to general intelligence and specific personality traits rather than emotional intelligence as a construct.

Acceptance of reality is really saying yes to what is.It is saying yes and becoming ok with the current situation. It do...
26/05/2019

Acceptance of reality is really saying yes to what is.
It is saying yes and becoming ok with the current situation.
It does not mean you have to like it as it is, but you have to accept it and recognize it as it is. Denial and ignorance only keeps you away from effective change.
Denial is a defense mechanism of your mind, trying to protect you from what could be an unpleasant realization.
The obvious reason is that by living in denial you can pretend that everything is ok, this will lead you into a delusional world where you feel comfort, but also from which you will have to come back sooner or later.
Accepting your reality in this sense does not mean that you can not change your reality. It is not helplessness. It is not saying “I accept myself; I am just so” and delude yourself that you can not do anything to change maybe a certain behavior, career, relationship or anything that is damaging to oneself. On the contrary, only by accepting your situation, you can start thinking of how to overcome it.

From Dust You Came, and To Dust You Shall Return... Well turns out we are all made of stardust.It sounds like a line fro...
16/04/2019

From Dust You Came, and To Dust You Shall Return...
Well turns out we are all made of stardust.
It sounds like a line from a poem, but there is some solid science behind this statement too: almost every element on Earth was formed at the heart of a star.
After the Big Bang explosion, a cloud of dust of hydrogen and helium was formed, which then by gravity over billions of years was compressed leading to fusion of hydrogen and helium atoms.
This is how stars were formed.
Inside the stars fusion takes place, and atoms come together and form new atoms which in turn fuse to form further new heavier atoms.
Eventually Iron is formed in the nucleus of the star, which no longer fuses because of its high stability.
This in turn leads to no more production of energy in the center(star death), and the star is crushed by its own gravity sprinkling new planets and stars that contain all the elements we can see in the periodic table.

The Backfire Effect & Denialism It is the tendency of someone to resist accepting evidence that conflicts with their bel...
30/03/2019

The Backfire Effect & Denialism

It is the tendency of someone to resist accepting evidence that conflicts with their beliefs. The effect is demonstrated when people presented with that conflicting information, become even more convinced of their original beliefs rather than questioning them.
In the psychology of human behavior, denialism is a person's choice to deny reality, as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable truth.
Denialism is an essentially irrational action that withholds the validation of a historical experience or event, when a person refuses to accept an empirically verifiable reality. In the sciences, it is the rejection of basic facts and concepts that are undisputed, well-supported parts of the scientific consensus on a subject, in favor of radical and controversial ideas.
The terms Holocaust denialism and AIDS denialism describe the denial of the facts and the reality of the subject matters, and the term climate change denial describes denial of the scientific consensus that the climate change of planet Earth is a real and occurring event primarily caused by human activity.
The motivations and causes of denialism include religion and self-interest (economic, political, financial) and defense mechanisms meant to protect the psyche of the denialist against mentally disturbing facts and ideas.
It is a process that operates by employing one or more of the following five tactics in order to maintain the appearance of legitimate controversy:
1. Conspiracy theories – Dismissing the data or observation by suggesting opponents are involved in "a conspiracy to suppress the truth".
2. Cherry picking – Selecting an anomalous critical paper supporting their idea, or using outdated, flawed, and discredited papers in order to make their opponents look as though they base their ideas on weak research.
3. False experts – Paying an expert in the field, or another field, to lend supporting evidence or credibility.
4. Moving the goalpost – Dismissing evidence presented in response to a specific claim by continually demanding some other (often unfulfillable) piece of evidence.
5. Other logical fallacies – Usually one or more of false analogy, appeal to consequences, straw man, or red herring.
When you’re debating a topic with someone, it’s in your best interest to avoid flat-out telling someone they’re wrong. All it does is make the other person defensive, causing them to entrench themselves further in their beliefs.
Instead, tell them all the ways they’re right, then guide them to realizing they’re wrong on their own
This approach to persuasive debate goes all the way back to the 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal. He found that the best way to change someone’s mind was to see things from their perspective, then enable them to change their own mind.

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