Can't remember a funny anecdote..
August 7, 2007 11:12 AM Subscribe
[Original question removed at poster's request. Topic was: Philosophical joke about the concept of an apple]
I read a similar joke (perhaps in Reader's Digest) where a young man came home from college and informed his priest that he was leaving the church. Philosophy 101 had taught him that nothing really exists, it's all an illusion created in the mind that may not exist either. He gave a longwinded explanation (with lots of namechecking) concluding something like "So you see it's as plain as the nose on your face, which, in fact, doesn't actually exist."
So the priest punched him in the nose and said "What hurts?"
posted by Martin E. at 12:16 PM on August 7, 2007
So the priest punched him in the nose and said "What hurts?"
posted by Martin E. at 12:16 PM on August 7, 2007
Semi-related: zen buddhism. But like many Zen koans, there's no punchline.
posted by GuyZero at 12:31 PM on August 7, 2007
posted by GuyZero at 12:31 PM on August 7, 2007
Best answer: similar vein:
Plato was discoursing on his theory of ideas and, pointing to the cups on the table before him, said while there are many cups in the world, there is only one `idea' of a cup, and this cupness precedes the existence of all particular cups.
"I can see the cup on the table," interupted Diogenes, "but I can't see the `cupness'".
"That's because you have the eyes to see the cup," said Plato, "but", tapping his head with his forefinger, "you don't have the intellect with which to comprehend `cupness'."
Diogenes walked up to the table, examined a cup and, looking inside, asked, "Is it empty?"
Plato nodded.
"Where is the `emptiness' which procedes this empty cup?" asked Diogenes.
Plato allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts, but Diogenes reached over and, tapping Plato's head with his finger, said "I think you will find here is the `emptiness'."
posted by alex3005 at 3:08 PM on August 7, 2007 [5 favorites]
Plato was discoursing on his theory of ideas and, pointing to the cups on the table before him, said while there are many cups in the world, there is only one `idea' of a cup, and this cupness precedes the existence of all particular cups.
"I can see the cup on the table," interupted Diogenes, "but I can't see the `cupness'".
"That's because you have the eyes to see the cup," said Plato, "but", tapping his head with his forefinger, "you don't have the intellect with which to comprehend `cupness'."
Diogenes walked up to the table, examined a cup and, looking inside, asked, "Is it empty?"
Plato nodded.
"Where is the `emptiness' which procedes this empty cup?" asked Diogenes.
Plato allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts, but Diogenes reached over and, tapping Plato's head with his finger, said "I think you will find here is the `emptiness'."
posted by alex3005 at 3:08 PM on August 7, 2007 [5 favorites]
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posted by Johnny Assay at 11:51 AM on August 7, 2007