Songs of a Vampire

The famous Twilight Saga book series turned movie has an amazing soundtrack. Paramore's song, "Decode" is one of the many songs on the ending credits of the first Twilight move. This song depicts an image that Descartes is trying to explain to his readers that it is easier to believe that our minds and souls exist rather than believing that the physical world exists. On page 17 in Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy, he says that, "... there is a deceiver of supreme power and cunning who is deliberately and constantly deceiving me." (The "supreme power" can be depicted as the "vampire") This quote goes hand in hand with the first verse in the song "Decode," "How can I decide what's right? When you're clouding up my mind." Also, Descartes goes on to say, "I too undoubtedly exist, if he is deceiving me; and let him deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something (pg. 17)." Descartes is trying to explain that though this "supreme power" may try to deceive him anyway possible, it cannot because he believes that he is something, and believing that what he is definitely exists in his mind. In the song "Decode," the first verse goes goes on to say, "I can't win your losing fight all the time. How can I ever own what's mine when you're always taking sides. But you wont take away my pride. No, not this time." This part of the verse further goes on to explain what Descartes meant in his quote stated above as well as "I am, I exist (pg 17). Moreover, when Descartes says, "I am, I exist" and "let him deceive me as much as he can," it is kind of like saying that something may change physically but what you think will always be real. This can be better said through the "Decode" lyrics, "My thoughts you can't decode."

Descartes in the Classroom

On page 12, Descartes begins with saying, “I was struck by the large numbers of falsehoods that I had accepted as true in my childhood, and by the highly doubtful nature of the whole edifice that I had subsequently based on them.” I believe that this statement hits close to home not only for me but many other people as well. For example, grade school taught many of us the same subject for many years, K-12; then by the time we get to college, our professors tell us to completely disregard what we have learned during those years in grade school, especially high school. Last semester I remember writing a paper for my English class, and my professor told me to forget the writing style I learned in high school because it is now completely useless in her class as well as in college because of the standards. Also, that was not the only time that a professor has told me something similar to that. Furthermore, the History taught in grade school could be considered as a glimmer of truth, and in college this “truth” is finally revealed. On page 12, Descartes says that, “[he] realized that it was necessary, once in the course of [his] life, to demolish everything completely and start again right from the foundations if [he] wanted to establish anything at all in the sciences that was stable and likely to last.” This statement definitely correlates with the examples that I have mentioned above. To further explain his theory in this statement, there is a question that needs to be asked. How is that we are able to gain truth other than what is told to us or perceived through our senses? What I have gathered so far is that truth can derive from nature. I figure that nature is pure in all its essence and substance therefore making it most connected to God because God is the pure incorruptible good that has created nature. (pg 14-15). In the end, truth can be found in nature because of its connection to God’s purity. Also, nature in and of itself is never changing…in a way.

My Pop Culture. Aquinas and the Caribbean.

There are many cultures intertwined in America making it quite easy to find many different philosophical viewpoints everywhere and anywhere. I find myself at a point where I cannot just base these philosophical ideas and thoughts of these great philosophers to just American pop culture when in all actuality American pop culture has incorporated many different cultural backgrounds from all over the world into its own kind of “melting pot.” Being a person with a strong Caribbean background, I can relate philosophy to not just American pop culture, but to my culture as well…which I consider to be my complete pop culture. Best of both worlds? I think so!  

There are many Caribbean artists that incorporate many of these philosophical ideas we discuss in class into their work, especially the thoughts and ideas of Thomas Aquinas. In particular, Buju Banton, a reggae singer, integrates Thomas Aquinas’ beliefs on the contemplation of truth and man’s happiness into his song “Till I’m Laid to Rest.” For example, Thomas Aquinas believes that “man’s highest perfection cannot lie in that which link him with lesser things, but rather in what links him to some higher thing… (pg. 272).” Buju Banton believes the same thing when he states in his song, “Some save a bag of riches, yet they die empty hand. Go on saying I’m stupid and laugh all you can. Easier for a caller to go through a needle eye than a rich man to enter a Zion. Take it from I man.” In other words, Buju Banton is saying that materialistic things only last the physical lifetime, so dwelling on these items will do no good because they do not bring you unconditional happiness or a pass into heaven, but a life of an unquenched soul and thirst for salvation. When Buju Banton contemplates on this, it brings him closer to God, for reason and contemplation is man’s activity that separates man from beast which grants man the possibility to understand and love God which leads to an end of true happiness. Also, Buju Banton realizes in his song that he must use the tool that separates man from beast to understand that knowledge helps to bring him closer to enlightenment. He realizes this when he says, “I’m in bondage, living is mess. I’ve got to rise up alleviate the stress. No longer will I expose my weakness, he who seeks knowledge begins with humbleness. Work 7 to 7 but I’m still penniless. All the food upon my table Massa God bless. Holler for the needy and shelter less. Ethiopia awaits me prince and princess.” His weakness that he will no longer expose is pain and pleasure which keeps him bound to the earthly world. Also, rising up against his pain and pleasure (his weakness) will help ease the burden of his ignorance of the Lord. He thanks God for all that has been done for him and prays that God would look out for those who are not as fortunate as him.

This may not be strictly American pop culture, but it is my culture and I cannot forget that. Reflection in all aspects of my life is very important. This is my pop culture, a first generation American with a strong Caribbean background.

The first video is of the song mentioned in this post "Till Im Laid to Rest," and the second video is a song called "No Other Like Jah" by Sizzla, another Caribbean artist who's song incorporates Aquinas's thoughts as well as the past philosophers already studied in this class.

Man's Happiness: Aquinas Edition

In order to truly understand God or at least come as close as we can get to understanding God is through contemplation. This would be the highest good because reason is something that man does not share with any other creatures on this earth. God granted us this ability so that we may be able to always connect with him and be able to gain his presence in our lives when we devote our time in seeking him. Whether we refer to contemplation as reason and/or intellect, it will always serve as our highest and our most “noble honor (pg.272).” Our highest good that we can achieve and our noble honor grants us the ability to connect with God, the highest being. It makes sense to think about everything that has a high purpose (for humans) connects us to the highest being which is God. “Moreover, man’s highest perfection cannot lie in that which links him with lesser things [such as pain and pleasure], but rather in what links him to some higher thing, for the end is better than which is for the sake of the end (pg. 272).”  The end ultimately lies within God which is the where our happiness truly lives. Contemplation of God and reasoning in all its glory helps us to not seek happiness in sensible pleasures. Things that are intelligible are better than sensible because sensible pleasure refers to pleasures that appeal to our five senses. Furthermore, “man’s ultimate end and his happiness lie in his most perfect activity... (pg. 274).” As we contemplate God and come to some understanding of his Being, then we would find our true happiness. This happiness, according to Thomas Aquinas, is our ultimate happiness. Thomas Aquinas believes that “man’s ultimate happiness lies in the contemplation of truth (pg.280).” This “contemplation of truth” is our understanding of God (pg. 280). In other words, our reflection on life and our reasoning behind what we do will bring us into deliverance of knowing God because truth and reasoning is man’s highest purpose, and our highest purpose serves as a router in our search in gaining knowledge of and seeking God.