Critchley's piece really made me contemplate the emotions I have been experiencing throughout this pandemic. Anxiety and fear is something that we all are dealing with currently, or at least most of us have experienced this during the last few months at one point or another. As Critchley says, we experience fear due to an object, but when we experience anxiety there is no definitive object that we are scared of. To me this can be hard to comprehend. I myself get anxiety of the thought of contracting the virus and then bringing it home to someone I care about. Covid-19 is not an object that we can see with our eyes, therefore the thought of Covid-19 gives me anxiety. Although, I do think sometimes they can be one in the same. I believe having a fear, for example vomiting, can also give one anxiety. When I see it in front of me it is an object, but when I myself am nauseous- that is objectless. That is just one of the examples that immediately popped in my head.
Critchley mentions how he believes that the role of philosophy can actually help us face our own morality. As described in the text, morality is probably one of the biggest obstacles that humans face. In order for us to truly live we have to accept the fact that morality exists, we can't fear it. I think when he describes philosophy, he's also comparing it to a way of life. I think this because when Critchley mentions facing reality, he also says that we are facing our weakness. Towards the end he mentions how "weakness is our strength". I didn't really understand exactly where he was going with this. I think maybe he is trying to say that we need to come to terms with things we can't control, like morality. Our fear of morality is certainly one of our weaknesses, so if we are able to apply the principles he spells out in the text, I believe that this actually can be our strength. This correlates perfectly with the pandemic we are all going through right now. Hundreds are dying everyday, and some days even thousands. Having a fear of morality is certainly expected. I agree that if we can use this weaknesses of fear that we all have, and if we are able to turn this into strength, then we would all be better off.
-Lauryn
Hi Lauryn!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your personal experiences I think that by doing this it allows people to get a sense of what Critchley is talking about on a more personal level. I really liked how you made the point of turning this anxiety into strength, to not look at it as something that makes a person weak is a really good point!
Thank you! I feel that it is crucial that we're able to turn our weaknesses into strengths, the only hard part is... where do we start?
DeleteWell said! I agree we would all be better off if we are able to turn our weakness of fear into strength. I think that if we all did that it could help us all get through the pandemic and all of the other struggles we all face.
ReplyDeleteHi Gavin! I think you're absolutely right, if we are able to use this strength it can definitely help us get through this difficult time.
DeleteHi Lauryn,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed what you had to say. The problem with the pandemic is that so many people have perished as a result, and it makes us all feel hopeless. But, if we continue down this path of uncertainty, we may be stuck in a depression for longer. Thus, we must shake our fear and anxiety into strength and enlightenment.
Hi Andrew, I really like your comment. Hopelessness is certainly something I myself and people around be have experienced during these difficult times. Its hard but when you are able to turn this uncertainty into strength things really do get a lot better.
DeleteHi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI really like your outtake on the article, as well as the approach you took on fear vs anxiety. I completely agree with you. I think fear and anxiety are also two different things, but also my fear can strike up my anxiety and vice versa.
Hi Elani! For me fear and anxiety are two completely different things. And you're absolutely right, fear can most definitely strike up anxiety it happens to me as well.
DeleteHi Lauryn,
ReplyDeleteYour post has made me curious about the connections between anxiety (in the philosophical sense) and morality. Critchley brought out the connection between anxiety as a response to the fact of our own death (our mortality). He writes about how the pandemic has presented us with a great deal of anxiety, which is ultimately connected to the reality of our own eventual demise, and encourages us to face this anxiety head-on rather than hide from it. Confronting it, accepting the fact of our own death, liberates us to live more genuinely. But now I'm wondering about the connection between anxiety and morality--even if that wasn't the focus of Critchley's piece. Perhaps you'd care to elaborate on/explore that connection? Do you think that anxiety somehow paves the way for ethics?
Hi Dr. Nora,
DeleteI think morality and anxiety are most certainly connected. Mortality is something I myself have always worried about especially when it comes to my family. This can sometimes get so overwhelming that it can become detrimental. In my own personal opinion, I believe that we all should accept the fact that morality exists. We shouldn't hide from it, nor should we focus on it to the point where it affects are daily life. I believe that once we are able to fully accept this, then we can truly live life to its fullest. By doing this we are doing what Critchley said, turning our weaknesses into strength. Now, on your other question you asked, I am a bit confused on what you mean by ethics. Do you mind elaborating?
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