Monday December 10th was our test on Indian Philosophy, Freud's theory of the self, Jugian's idea of the self, and Buddhism. I found that the information and set-up of the test was completely fair and a good way to test us on each of these concepts without requiring us to memorize, word for word, the definition of each term. Usually I don't test well with T and F, but in this situation, I found it useful and hopefully successful on my part. I also appreciated how only the aspects to which Mr. Achtermann stated would be on the test, were in fact the ideas covered. It was refreshing not to have a "surprise" question of fact(s) that we were not told to review on the test, for once.

The goal of Science is to understand connections between things that are not actual or concrete. It involves testing what is known against what is not known, in the event of learning something new. The interior and exterior are once again involved in this process where the interior is composed of concrete concepts that do not have physicality and are general. The exterior deals with concrete things that do have physicality, are specific and are individual. The process involves taking sensory experiences to the inner nature (converting to soul stuff that is in the inner-world, therefore becoming spiritual). We are ultimately taking it in through Science.
Science is also the basis for the Scientific method which includes observation, a hypothesis, experimentation (with a control), revision of the hypothesis, memory, publication (way of increasing memory), keeping records (record hypothesis), and a conclusion. Ultimately, a hypothesis leads to a theory, and the theory leads to a law or laws. These laws are so remote from our experience(s), yet they are the determinant, which is applicable to all cases. Thus, observation is drawing from the exterior world that is a sensation and is outward. Furthermore, the analysis proves to be the mental process where it is inward or interior.
On another note, repetition is a form of change, making each moment different from the one before. Therefore, there are no two moments that are ever the same. There is definitely a consistency to repetition, however, it still changes even if it is in a subtle way. To add to this fact, time is simply a measure of change.

In Buddhism, the five elements that give the illusion of "self" include the body, feeling (sensations and emotions), conception (analogical understanding of the "outer world" in "inner world"), karmic dispositions (reactions to past actions), and consciousness. Together these give an illusion of a permanent self. However, this illusion is down right dangerous.
On another note, concerning PACS, craft is free from mental distraction where you are not aware of the process occurring, it is just happening in the "outer world". It is not vague and it is not experimental. When craft is done well, it is EXACT. More precision means that there is smaller range of variability. Therefore, the degree of precision defines your degree of craft. Thus, craft is a reproductive process or process of production. According to Collingwood, magic is the production of specific emotional or psychological states. Regarding his theory, there is an element of craft in art from the "inner world" to the "outer world". It is almost as if it is exploding into the "outer world".
Equally important, art is possessed by ones deepest, inner true self that has been allowed to come forth. Ultimately, this is when one becomes an artist. In order for this experience to be reproduced, one must reflect upon the moment that made those conditions come about and find that time where self-expression comes through so art becomes apparent. It is simple, but it is not easy. Overall, our body is an instrument on which Art plays that comes in many forms.

In the Indian Philosophy, there is always the same soul and the self is constant and permanent. Therefore, it does not exist in time because time changes. To elaborate, Charvaka is the world we perceive and is all that there is. Furthermore, Atman is the term used to describe that which experiences or that which is. It is the individual self, the soul of some individual being. It is not ultimately distinct from brahman, the universal self, or the "soul of the universe". It cannot be seen in its native state, Jaina. Jaina consists of the atoms that are material things, at the core of which are souls. All atoms are continuously moving and tumbling. In Jaina, they are always falling and rising, based upon past actions. They fall because they get heavy. The essense of Jaina is that it is where the cleaning up of your soul takes place. To discover this not as an idea but as a direct experience is the "conceptual" goal of the Indian Orthadox systems.
Samsara consists of the cycle of birth, rebirth and death. It can be described as the cycle of change. Brahman in Samsara is Atman. Therefore, Brahman can expand and contract but it itself does not change. More specifically, bra- means something that grows larger. The goal is to achieve liberation or Moksa where the discovery of the individual self really is brahman. Additionally, jana means to know. The knowledge (direct experiencing) of the unity of Barhman and Atman is like going beyond reason and into faith. Thus, as long as there are things, there will be suffering. Finally, Nirvana suggests the blowing out of things. Simply stated, it is where everything is gone and finished. However, it is not a place because it is an absence of place. Words just cannot go there.
The Buddhist notion of the "self" has three marks of existence. They include Anatman, no-self, Anlitua, non-permanent, and dukha, suffering. Moreover, every human body has these 5 attributes called skandas or "bundles". They are the body, or rupa, feeling, or vedana, conception (ideation), or samjna, karmic dispositions (inclinations to action based on a past action), or samskaras, and consciousness, or vijnana. None of these are permanent. Overall, every moment is another chance to wipe the slate clean and start over, however, this does not mean that it actually does happen.


The 12 Preconditions of Dependent Coorgination

ignorance -> dispositions -> consciousness -> name and form -> six-sense field (memory)

-> contact -> feeling -> desire -> appropriation -> becoming -> rebirth -> aging and

dying -> back to ignorance

Jugian's idea of the self consists of a field of collective consciousness and a field of collective unconsciousness. Within these fields, the persona lies in the conscious and the anima-animus in the unconscious. The persona are the roles one plays in relation to other people, comprised of complexes where as the anima-animus is the archetype of life "itself". The eros principle is the (anima), and the logos principles is the(animus). It is the contrasexual bridge between the ego and unconscious resources. Furthermore, the archetypes are the universal patterns or motifs which come from the collective unconscious and are the basic content of religious, mythologies, legends, and fairy-tales. They emerge in individuals through dreams and visions. According to some, they are imperialistic, meaning they all want to be the perfect archetype, which they are ultimately competing to be the self. The self is the archetype from which all other archetypes come. It is also the archetypal basis of the ego. The ego is the central complex in the field of consciousness. A strong ego can relate objectively to activated contents of the unconscious (i.e. the complexes) rather than identifying with them, which appears as a state of possession. In Jugian's diagram, the complexes surround the ego because they are an emotionally charged group of ideas or images. At the center of a complex is a archetype or archetypal image. The ego is also connected to the shadow which is the unconscious portion of the personality characterized by traits (and or) that the conscious ego tends to ignite or reject. Finally, the four main archetypes that people have are the King, that is the ordering sense of the self to which commands and directs, the warrior, which doesn't decide what to do, it just does, the lover, which creates, and the magician, which wants to know, but doesn't necessarily want to do anything. Above all, the self is a universal being that is the archetype of the source of all. Even though it is difficult to describe, the self should be the goal. Thus, this is the advantage to this archetype.

Based on the Freudian theory of the self, humans are compromised of inner experiences, or unconscious experiences, and outer experiences defined as conscious experiences. More specifically, the names of the terms given to explain such experiences are the id, superego, and ego. The id is the collection of unconscious drives, falling chiefly into two categories. They consist of Eros, which is the urge to reproduce sexually, and Thantos, being the urge to die and destroy. It is also driven by the pleasure principle where one wants to move toward what is pleasant and avoid that which is unpleasant. Simply stated, it is the will and the core of what one really wants. Next, the superego is the collection of ideas about behavior derived from external sources, often tied to "taboos" and "inhibitions". It is where acceptable "codes" are constantly being reiterated to enforce people not to act directly from the id. Finally, the ego is the "individually formed self" created through the conflict between the id (inner urges) and the superego (social forces). It had the same fundamental drive as id, although is it the judging point of balance between the id and the superego. Additionally, since the interface between the superego and the id is the ego, this is when and where Art occurs.
On another note, it is been explained that we are not individually experiencing other peoples emotions. Therefore, we are not responsible for the emotions and actions of others. There is a separation between the inner experiences of the self and the outer world. The outer experience is a narrower field than the inner experience. This is a profound concept that one should not easily forget. You are only responsible for yourself.

Greater understanding of the term craft has given me further insight to the four fundamental categories (PACS) to which all human activity can be classified. The stipulative definition of craft is defined as being a skill or technique in handling the physical world, tending to be practical. It is a kind of "body knowledge" where physicality is being increased in its aim to produce something. The mind is no longer engaged for the simple fact that since the action has occurred so many times, the body is functioning from muscle memory. Thus, it is the engagement in the acivity that makes it craft. Furthermore, art is the source of craft. There is a technical aspect that has to be overcome in order to get art to the point where it can be carried out through craft.
In the larger scheme of things, Philosophy develops questions that lead to experimentation, and the experiments produce information about the world to which techniques are then formed. In short, Philosophy and Art are interior and mental in their nature, where as Craft and Science appear to be exterior, making them physical. However, what Philosophy shares with Science is that the centality of both is theory. Philosophy is theoretical, but in Science, theory is tested.

Philosophy - aims to determine truth (reflection)
Art - aims to produce something where the purpose is not the thing produced, but the expression carried by the the thing (inspiration and expression)
Craft - aims to produce something (doing production)
Science - aims to determine fact (investigation/testing/observing/using the senses)

P - mental
A - mental
C - physical
S - physical