Philosophical Things

This blog used to be subtitled: "A Walking Sojourn though Eight States and the Liberal Arts Curriculum." So here's a little evidence of thought for you all. I write this while re-listening to Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods. I have listened to it dozens of times before. But it's never been so real. He's talking about Hanta viruses. Deadly diseases aside, here are some thoughts:


Aristotle says that the the aim of all people is eudiamonia. Of course, we don't know exactly what that means, but it's often translated as happiness or well being or a flourishing life. It's kind of a tricky concept, since eudaimonia is supposed to be an activity, not a product, but leaving all that aside, I'll try to get to the the part where it seemed to relate to hiking. Aristotle said that some things are valuable in and of themselves, and part of a eudaimon life, despite the fact that they are not a means to an end.

So, just as walking to class could be valuable, since it allows education, walking for the sake of walking could also have a value.

But is there even such a thing as walking for the sake of walking?
I'm not so sure. I could say that I'm walking for the sake of walking, but I'm also walking for the sake of adventure, seeing things, testing myself, getting fit, bonding with AJ, having a great story, having something to write a law school application about, and so on ad infinitum.

But then there is a cool way to test out whether there is a value in and of itself.
Pretend that there is a drug that would give all the effects of the hike: muscles, weight loss, deeper relationship, memories of everything, etc.
Would I take the drug?
If I took it, I wouldn't know that I'd taken it, for all intensive purposes, it would be the same. The only viewpoint from which anything would be different is if someone looked in on the whole scene, from within that hike would seem just as done as if it'd been done.

I'm not sure if I would take it. I would hate knowing that I might have taken it, but in this sci fi possible world, I would have to wonder if I'd taken it even if I walked the whole trail for real.