For all the preening about morality, and how “pagans” lacked it, I refer to the “Meditations” by fellow Stoic Marcus Aurelius. To me, “morality “ is a “do” - not a “say.” Even Jesus said similarly. What the World made of his teachings is of course a different matter. I am a free Spirit; unshackled by Time or doctrine; yet I recognize kindred spirits. I salute all who genuinely want to know “the truth” - if it exists!
I think even going further back this is so well conceptualized by the Zoroastrians: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds. I have a mailbag in the works (mentally) regarding Philosophy in action. Stay tuned!
“There is nothing new under the sun,” as one of the Hebrew Psalms says. I agree. I admire the Zoroastrian belief system, and am probably an unknowing convert thereto. I also greatly admire Buddhism. It takes effort to walk through the “bamboo forest” of belief systems… and remain true to oneself, and “the Spirit of Ma-at,” to throw an Egyptian curve on things. Merely mumbling the Shahadah (hope I Got that correct) or the “Lord’s Prayer” does not make one a “Saint.” Look for Her visage should you happen to go to court. Athena’s “little sister” Dike, holding her scales. Ma-at. “All within Reason” at Delphi. They are similar.
The Conscience that is - so dedicated to the cause. When I, through my own inattention to life's important task, leave it weak, starved and nearly paralysed, it still puts in the effort to make me feel awful when required. When I treat it well, life's easier too, which feels good.
Conscience: versatile as all hell. Makes you feel bad, makes you feel bad, makes you feel good.
Hey Anya - For giggles, I asked the OpenAI ChatGPT your question, "When considering the translating and historical contexts that have to be done, one has to ask the value of reading ancient comedy in the first place. So I ask you: Can the Ancients be Funny?", the following is it's response.
"Humor is a complex and culturally-specific phenomenon, and what is considered funny can vary greatly depending on the time and place in which it is encountered. The ancient Greeks and Romans, for example, had their own unique forms of comedy that were often rooted in the political, social, and cultural contexts of their time.
Reading ancient comedy can be valuable in several ways. Firstly, it can provide insight into the mindsets, worldviews, and values of the ancient peoples who created and consumed it. It can also offer a glimpse into the social and political issues of the time, which often came up as subject in their comedy.
Additionally, studying ancient comedy can be a way to better understand the roots of contemporary comedy, as many modern forms of comedy can be traced back to ancient traditions. Furthermore, reading ancient comedy can also be an enjoyable and entertaining way to learn about the past.
That being said, understanding the ancient comedy can be challenging for many reasons. The translation and interpretation of the texts can be difficult, as idioms and puns don't always translate well. Additionally, historical context is needed in order to fully understand the social and cultural references that are often central to the comedy.
To sum up, ancient comedy can be funny and valuable for gaining insight into the past, but the context and translation issues should be taken in consideration when reading it."
Ah! So it has begun! We have been talking a lot about how this new technology will effect the publishing world - and newsletters specifically! It is amazing what it can generate - but I think in the end it will place an even higher premium on truly original ideas. What do you think?
Exactly, these are not original ideas but knowns re-presented based upon prime word(s) placement within and the structure of the question. I found through some testing the better structured and worded question produces not just better informational results but intellectual as well. I did this for giggles, but instead I found myself nodding in recognition and agreement as the reply came across my screen. Proof that it takes a human mind to instigate the data retrieval logically.
This is great.. I literally have been promoting 2023 as the year of laughter #2023yearoflaughter
Love this idea! About time we had one of those ;-)
For all the preening about morality, and how “pagans” lacked it, I refer to the “Meditations” by fellow Stoic Marcus Aurelius. To me, “morality “ is a “do” - not a “say.” Even Jesus said similarly. What the World made of his teachings is of course a different matter. I am a free Spirit; unshackled by Time or doctrine; yet I recognize kindred spirits. I salute all who genuinely want to know “the truth” - if it exists!
I think even going further back this is so well conceptualized by the Zoroastrians: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds. I have a mailbag in the works (mentally) regarding Philosophy in action. Stay tuned!
“There is nothing new under the sun,” as one of the Hebrew Psalms says. I agree. I admire the Zoroastrian belief system, and am probably an unknowing convert thereto. I also greatly admire Buddhism. It takes effort to walk through the “bamboo forest” of belief systems… and remain true to oneself, and “the Spirit of Ma-at,” to throw an Egyptian curve on things. Merely mumbling the Shahadah (hope I Got that correct) or the “Lord’s Prayer” does not make one a “Saint.” Look for Her visage should you happen to go to court. Athena’s “little sister” Dike, holding her scales. Ma-at. “All within Reason” at Delphi. They are similar.
So much ancient wisdom!
The Conscience that is - so dedicated to the cause. When I, through my own inattention to life's important task, leave it weak, starved and nearly paralysed, it still puts in the effort to make me feel awful when required. When I treat it well, life's easier too, which feels good.
Conscience: versatile as all hell. Makes you feel bad, makes you feel bad, makes you feel good.
Good point. Like virtue, it is something we need to train, so exercise... I think a lot of folks take it for granted.
Great stuff. Inspiring.
Hey Anya - For giggles, I asked the OpenAI ChatGPT your question, "When considering the translating and historical contexts that have to be done, one has to ask the value of reading ancient comedy in the first place. So I ask you: Can the Ancients be Funny?", the following is it's response.
"Humor is a complex and culturally-specific phenomenon, and what is considered funny can vary greatly depending on the time and place in which it is encountered. The ancient Greeks and Romans, for example, had their own unique forms of comedy that were often rooted in the political, social, and cultural contexts of their time.
Reading ancient comedy can be valuable in several ways. Firstly, it can provide insight into the mindsets, worldviews, and values of the ancient peoples who created and consumed it. It can also offer a glimpse into the social and political issues of the time, which often came up as subject in their comedy.
Additionally, studying ancient comedy can be a way to better understand the roots of contemporary comedy, as many modern forms of comedy can be traced back to ancient traditions. Furthermore, reading ancient comedy can also be an enjoyable and entertaining way to learn about the past.
That being said, understanding the ancient comedy can be challenging for many reasons. The translation and interpretation of the texts can be difficult, as idioms and puns don't always translate well. Additionally, historical context is needed in order to fully understand the social and cultural references that are often central to the comedy.
To sum up, ancient comedy can be funny and valuable for gaining insight into the past, but the context and translation issues should be taken in consideration when reading it."
All the best,
Darrell
Ah! So it has begun! We have been talking a lot about how this new technology will effect the publishing world - and newsletters specifically! It is amazing what it can generate - but I think in the end it will place an even higher premium on truly original ideas. What do you think?
Exactly, these are not original ideas but knowns re-presented based upon prime word(s) placement within and the structure of the question. I found through some testing the better structured and worded question produces not just better informational results but intellectual as well. I did this for giggles, but instead I found myself nodding in recognition and agreement as the reply came across my screen. Proof that it takes a human mind to instigate the data retrieval logically.