Fiction And Philosophy

A work of fiction can either assume a particular world-view or reflect reality by showing characters who subscribe to alternative world-views. Thus, Poul Anderson's The Merman's Children assumes medieval Catholicism whereas his Technic History presents several Christian and agnostic characters, one Buddhist and some others. 

Literature and Philosophy would be a good degree course combination. Literature shows what it is like to live inside some particular world-views whereas Philosophy examines the truth-claims of any world-view. Meanwhile, we all live our own lives while reading fiction. I meditate morning and evening and usually post on this blog during the day. On the most fundamental philosophical question of the relationship between being and consciousness, I think that being became conscious and therefore disagree with most, if not all, religious world-views because they almost universally regard consciousness as primary. However, meditative practice has become almost completely independent of any particular doctrinal system.

Organisms interact with their environments. Their own internal processes enable organisms to interact in the ways that they do. Human internal processes are biological and psychological. Psychologically, our minds continually process past experiences and information in ways that enable us to respond, whether well or badly, to new experiences. Zazen, just sitting meditation, is attention to and awareness of our own psychological processes. Zazen has to be practiced. Sit in an appropriate posture. Minimize sensory inputs. Suspend deliberate thought. Attend to, without adding to, spontaneously arising natural thoughts. Persevere.

In terms of inner practice, I identify most with Adzel without accepting every aspect of Mahayanist metaphysics.