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Old 08-16-2011, 04:30 PM   #49
Keith Larman
Dojo: AIA, Los Angeles, CA
Location: California
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,604
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Re: The two body/mind concepts of Japanese Martial Arts.

Quote:
Howard Prior wrote: View Post
...I don't know about the dualism of body/mind in the "west" vs. the "east" but I would have thought there was at least a triumvalism of body/mind/spirit that need be dealt with.
The point of the issue is that Western and Eastern cultures have very different conceptions at the very core of issues such as mind/body. So when someone starts to analyze the "meaning" of certain things through the eyes of the other culture apparently disregarding the very different underlying world view there is inevitably a significant alteration or loss of meaning. Misunderstanding abound as a result of this. The reference to Wittgenstein was a rather subtle concept he raised in the tractatus about how our way of understanding the world, even things like mathematics, physics, etc. in essence force our understanding to conform to our method of understanding. Some would argue that his underlying point was that there could very well be other ways of seeing the same thing giving different representations of reality which would in turn alter our conceptions of other things as well. So things like a very subtle difference in how mind/body (the very title of this thread) between cultures could have a significant effect on how one understand issues.

The very fact that some will talk about mind/body/spirit has having to be something to be dealt with shows a preconceived notion that those things are somehow distinct, different, or whatever. Or that the question is even relevant at all. It implies a certain world view where to another viewpoint the entire discussion may be not so much trivial as it would be without any meaning at all. In other words, nonsense in one meaning of the word.

But... I'm tired and my back hurts a lot so I"m talking through a painkiller at the moment. So I may reserve the right to come to this later and do an Emily Latella... (Nevermind!).

Quote:
Howard Prior wrote: View Post
p.s. Still polishing?
Every day whenever the grumpy back will allow it.

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