Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Aristotelian v.s. Platonic Love

Aristotelian love is that conception of love to which love of another human being (I) stems from a fundamental completeness of person - an achieved moral character and its consequence, an authentic self-love; and (II) is aimed at a heightened, and joyous, self-experience, as an end in itself, not a means to some greater end - because there is no greater end for a human being than his own happiness of earth, and such life is a source of profound happiness. 

Platonic love is that conception of love according to which love of another human being (I) stems from a fundamental incompleteness of person, and (II) is aimed at some higher goal and value beyond the love relationship itself, through which the desired completeness is approached. 

6 key aspects of the Aristotelian alternative to Platonic love:

1. There is nothing higher or more real than the individual. 
2. Completeness of character (moral perfection) is possible. 
3. Humans can achieve full virtues. 
4. Humans take pride in this and this is profoundly good. 
5. Love for others is an expression of love for self. 
6. Love is an end in itself. 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Kena

The $30 parking fine was due yesterday. It was my moms fault. My dad was overseas this week so my mom had been using his car for the past week. 

My mom dropped me off at a friend's apartment for a Christmas party, saying that she would pay the fine on the way home after that. 

The next morning I woke up a little hungover and she was sitting on the sofa watching TV. I asked her, so did you go pay the fine last night? She looked at me and said no, she will go pay it later. 

In the evening we were going to pick up my dad from the airport. On the way there I asked her, so did you go pay the fine today? She paused for a while and said no. 

My dad got in the car. He told us about his trip. About halfway he asked us if we had paid the parking fine yet and I said "Yes". 

When we got home my dad got his bags and I told him "We need to go to mummy's office to put down some things, we will come back later."

We drove to Thomson Plaza. Before I got out of the car my mother said “阿颖,你真的是个很好的女孩。谁放弃你没有眼光。”

I got out of the car and went to the machine to pay the fine. The $30 fine dated 27/11/2014 was there, unpaid. 

And below that I saw another fine of $10. It was dated 17/12/2014.