USH'S MATRIX GAME 2006 FOURTH ASSIGNMENT (PHILOSOPHY)- 'The Door'

"Which for all practical purposes turns out to be what?"

"What is necessary to ensure that purposes of individuals can be preserved. If many of them do not seek purpose beyond the one that society provides as basic level, it is less complicated."

Originally posted by Ushgarak
"Ah. So society advances itself?"

"Before it starts helping the people, it has to get the resources to do so. Building materials, food supplies, water sources. I see that as a step in advancement for society. Then, from there, they can build houses and feed the people and hydrate them, then watch as the people begin to thrive."

"Actually, I believe society itself has little to say about the individual purposes of people, merely as a frameowrk for them to try and meet those purposes in.

"Abd Hephaestus, I feel you yave switched from one answer to another here. All the answers so far have come under one of two major areas."

"How have I changed my answer? Just curious."

"Because you are now talking about survival. That is different from what you talked of before."

"Maybe the two answers should be made one. A society needs to survive before it can spread."

"Ah yes. Spreading is just one form of a broader term you used earlier, though."

"Advancing its goals? Though I think that you helped define my view- beyond basics those are the goals of individuals that should matter."

"Thrive? Develop?"

"Survive."

"Survive and develop, yes. First, a society must continue to exist. One of the main reasons people form societies is for the mutally increased chance of survival.

"Secondly, a society seeks to become greater than itself- to spread and become larger, or to develop and become better. Normally both."

"That sounds about right."

Melkor nods as well.

"But why bother with the second? Is the main purpose of things not just to survive?"

"Some individuals feel that their purpose may be to cause this spread, or spearhead it."

"Of course not, all sentient beings can choose what to do with their existance."

"Then perhaps to spread is a factor of survival, not development. After all, which society would you say is the greater- the cavemen living in all the Russias, hundreds of thousands of years ago, or Zion right now?"

"Zion, of course. We are far more technologically advanced and possess far greater knowledge than cavemen. Though, we do live in a cave..."

"Zion is much more developed and enlightened society, though I would say that it brings responsibility as well."