Interview With An Alien Writing Sample

Ida Kannenberg, an elderly lady, lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, where she and her husband own and operate a successful antique shop. Although she is now nearly eighty, she continues to travel all over the world searching out and buying antiques for their shop. She is highly energetic, well-educated, and interested in a wide variety of subjects.

Mrs. Kannenberg’s first physical UFO encounter took place in 1940, during a night when she was out on the desert. At first she was only able to remember a blazing red object coming toward her, but not what happened afterwards. The shock was so great that for many years she remained confused as to what had actually happened to her.

In 1968, she began to have telepathic experiences, which were initially very frightening. In 1980, she tried being regressed under hypnosis by Dr. Leo Sprinkle. During the sessions conducted by Dr. Sprinkle, she was unable to recall what her captors looked like, but did remember that technological implants had been made, including audio-visual implants. The UFO entities can see through her eyes and hear through her ears. She is aware of the continuous presence of what she calls her “live-in companion,” who answers to the name of Hweig.

Mrs. Kannenberg realizes that Hweig would be explained away by conventional scientists in terms of split personality or some other form of mental abberation. Although she does not agree with this interpretation of her situation, she does not claim to have any paranormal abilities because of her contact with Hweig. She does not seek publicity, nor does she avoid it. She writes down dialogues and insights she finds to be of particular interest as they occur, and has given me permission to quote the following descriptions:There is the problem that eerything I can see, he can also. Not only Hweig, but his immediate crew. Since their observation is through technological implants, the whole scene can be played upon a screen, like our television. Hweig is an enormous tease. I suppose it does get boring always listening in to me 24 hours a day, though sometimes he takes a vacation for a week or more and someone else monitors. I try to tease Hweig back. The only problem is he always knows what I am thinking as soon as I know it myself. Therefore it is very difficult to play any kind of joke on him. I managed it just once.

I was looking for a particular skillet in the pantry and talking all the whole, internally of course. I said, “Not that skillet, it is too large, and this one is too small, that one is for square eggs, ah, this one is just right.”Back came a quizzical little query “Square eggs? I don’t think I ever heard about square eggs.”There are several things I can do to drive Hweig up the wall. If I sneeze or whistle, he will say, “Please warn me when you are going to do that.

A sneeze sounds like a thunder, and a whistle pierces my eardrums like a dagger.”This Hweig/Ida or Ida/Hweig collaboration has been reached with a great many battles between us, a great deal of stomping and yelling on my part, and a great many sighs and apologies on his. Sometimes it is sheer aggravation; after all, I am married! And sometimes it is absolutely hilarious.

In the beginning of our association Hweig terrified me with his explanations of who and what he was, and what he intended to do. I was afraid that my mind was going to be taken over by an alien personality. However, aftermore than four years of this constant telepathic contact, I feel very much myself. Even more so, for I know myself so much better. I have had to face up to myself.

To me one of the big questions has always been: why is Hweig a CONSTANT companion? Is he a monitor only? Why do the Ufolk care what I say and do every minute? I’m not anyone. Why is my daily routine of such importance to them? Why did Hweig so entrench himself in my mind and life that I cannot dislodge him no matter what I say or do?

I have begged, pleaded, wept, screamed…but he is still with me. Hweig has put me through some very painful processes, but he declares they were necessary in order that he learn the levels of my tolerance and modes of reaction, so that the best possible use might be made of my peculiar talents and abilities. Certain limitations had to be overcome, or at least ameliorated. And when I cuss him out from time to time, I am only letting him know the limits of my compliance.

With mechanical devices that permit mind invasion and control, an alien civilization could conduct any kind of surveillance, and there would be no defense against it. The aliens can do this now. How long before Earth science can do the same? Or can they do it now? Can the aliens be Earthlians? I am not trying to “scare talk.” I am trying to relate what has been done to me by persons who seem compassionate and responsible. Can this be done in the near future by others who may be neither compassionate nor responsible, who could be utterly reprehensible? Is it time to study whatthis type of mind control is all about, beginning with those contactees who have experienced it.Hweig told me that he and his colleagues are trying to prevent mind control from becoming established here on Earth.

Is it because this type of invasion is fast becoming possible from other sources perhaps right here on Earth? Would mind invasion by terrestrial governments or organizations be carried out wtih the same ethical and moral responsibility and codes of dignity that the UFO mind invasion has demonstrated in my case?I have questioned Hweig about his ability to prophesy. He said, “By probabilities only. I am NOT, I repeat, NOT super-human.

I can do only what you could do, if you had an equal reservoir of information to draw from. We prophesy only by balancing potentials, by probabilities. Even so, we can be rong. Some things are not wholly predictable.”So many times I have been asked, “Why don’t they give you something useful, like a cure for cancer?” Hweig answers this, “What would you do, Ida, with such information? If I told you how to build and fly a UFO, what could you do with that information? Would anyone listen to you on that subject? Do you have the capital and knowledge to do the job yourself? I give you the information you can use.

Those who can receive technological or scientific help ARE RECEIVING IT, though they may not have a live-in companion as you do. They receive in the manner in which they are able, and the information they are able to use.”I asked Hweig, “Why is there this influx of extraordinary help at this particular time? Why now?” Hweig’s answer: “At this time mankind stands in dead center of the crossroads of human endeavor. I do not mean anything so simplistic as a single crossroads, but a convergence of many roads, each seductive in itself. A compromise must be made and maintained if the current world civilizations are to endure.

The compromise must react onto many levels of human activity. World government leaders are struggling to find compromises on a political level, but the every day people of the worldmust find hteir own ways of compromise on an individual level, such as levels of personal beliefs, as well as many other kinds.

The metaphysical cores, not the histories, of all religions should be studied, and thepsychological needs that shaped these beliefs. Only on that level can compromise be found, and until it is the fires of war will continue to brutalize the human race.”That was the only commitment Hweig would make concerning religion. “We are not here to tamper with your beliefs,” he said. “Only to urge a compromise and understanding among them all, to find a set of humanisticvalues that all can tolerate and refer to.”Often he has warned me: “Do not allow any information we give you to become the basis for a cult or a religion. No cults! No religions!”I asked Hweig, “Why has all this come into focus right at this time?” “For the first time in the course of this round of civilization, world-wide communication has brought all the differences of belief and activities into a coherent area of observation.

Patiently, many individual researchers in many lines have been digging into their respective studies. With the advent of computer technology, all of those seperate researches can now be brought under one roof, so to speak. They can be analyzed and studied on a comparative basis. Religion, for example, must be compared to methematics. Does that sound silly? It is salvation! Archaeology must be studied inrelation to electro-magnetic waves.

Only with computers can such comparitive studies be adequately carried out. And they will be. This is the direction in which you and all contactees are being guided: toward the sharing and comparing of information, which can then become a commonbasis for understanding.”Another direct question, “Am I being mind-controlled?”Hweig’s answer: “Only to the extent necessary to impel you toward those studies and activities that will further our purpose, to have you gain information to share and compare with others.

This in turn will further your own purpose, to contribute to the health and continuance of your own civilization.”I ask, “Who gives you the right to thus invade my privacy, my mind?””You do,” he said, “by the fervor of your desire to help your own people. You asked to be guided to a way to be of use, of help. This is the response to your own request. You put it into words, and we answered. How else do you expect it could happen?”I assume he is telling me that no one is going to perform a miracle for us. If we want to save or help our civilization, we are going to have to bestir ourselves to the task. We will have guidance, and information will be brought to our attention. The action–or inaction–is ours alone.

The first necessary action is data analysis and comparison. The compiling is already done. Eery contactee is a gold mine of resource material. We must learn how to extract and use it.

We outline these needs by asking, Who, Where, How, and Why.

  • First, Who? That would be trained workers, scientists, students competent to obtain and utilize information.
  • Second, Where? In a research center with adequate facilities.
  • Third, What? To study contactees who are willing to divulge their information, and to be studied themselves in their interaction with the UFO connection.
  • Fourth, How? By devising a data code comprehensive enough to cover ALL of the forthcoming material. This can be modified and extended as the work continues.
  • Fith, Why? To define specific plans of action, the manner and means of using that material once the information is obtained.

Another question I ask Hweigh: “Why is this information given in this peculiar fashion? Why all the mystery and camouflage?” His answer: “Ufolk and their activities are only one fashion in which information is being given. The Ufolk can handle the type that leads to physical research, and to psychological research through scientific disciplines. Technological, medical and other scientific information andhelp is being disseminated by other means.”I know that all over the world, there are others who are experiencing the same phenomenon as I: a constant telepathic contact with other entities, all of whom claim to be of the UFO fraternity. Although they may introducethemselves as several varieties of beings, they are all UFO-connected.

It is my belief we are the vanguard of an experiment that will in the future be expanded to hundreds and thousands more of Earth’s inhabitants. It is important, therefore, that we begin to compare notes ont hese very personal experiences, and try to find an answer to that big question:”Where is all of this leading us?”This is a far more profitable question than, “Are UFOs going to invade the Earth at some future date?”We are already invaded. The Ufolk are here, in our minds in these telepathic contacts.

While others tell us we are crazy, or fooled by our own subconscious, or experiencing a split personality or some other aberration, the Ufolks are blithely taking advantage of all this time to dig in and establish theirterritory in our minds. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Our people watch TV while their minds are wide open to invasion.

There are tremendously ticklish questions to be answered here. Without profound research, such as a UFO Center would provide, these questions cannot be answered. While we older folk have been the experimental trial-and-error stage of the Ufolk mind invasions, our young people will be next. With their thinking powers numbed by constant frenetic entertainments, aided andabetted for some by alcohol or drugs, their minds could become so numbed and bewildered that any type of mind invasion, alien or Earthiank would be a cinch.

Kooks like myself and my live-in companion, Hweig, should be the subject of serious scientific investigation. Dr. Sprinkle and his allies recognize and wand to do this, precisely this. There comes a time when one individual and his immediate associates cannot provide al lthe capital and energy and facilities needed to conduct and complete complication and adequate studies. It takes the financialbacking and cooperation of those willing and able to devote their assets, both monetary and intellectual, to the task.

Believe me, our world governments are not without some recognition of the problem, but they do not go to the source of the information they need: the contactees, and the contactee’s contactors. Now it is necessary to interject a dictation by Hweig:Now I, Hweig, will dictate as you, Ida, have no way of knowing how to interperate these events and scenarios.

First, we must emphasize the necessity to read the following in its entirety, as we can give the total story only bit by bit, and later bits will clarify earlier bits that might discourage the reader if he be not forewarned. Therefore please be patient, ride all the way through with us, then judge according to your own understanding.

About 80% of all UFO abductions and personal contacts are the result of hypnotically induced illusion and hallucination. Those who perpetrate this hypnotic state and its seeming events are unseen but present within the room, car, or otherwise near the contactee. This unseen presence is often felt by sensitive persons and all ourcontacteees are MOST SENSITIVE as a pressure in the atmosphere immediately surrounding them.

The presence is projected by technological means muchbeyond the powers of your own people at present. This indicates the presences are those alien to yourself, and not of your normal every-day earth person no matter how advanced in any science, technology, or psychic ability an earth person might be. The alien presence has powers far beyond anything you might dream of.

It is necessary for the alien presence to be in close proximity to the contactee. By close we mean VERY CLOSE, almost within touching distance. This presence, being almost pure energy, need not be in any one particular form, but can attain any form or abstraction desired. Black and white pinwheels, balls of light, fireflies, revolving disks, any form may be utilized to come momentarily into the vision of the contactee.

We call this semi-corporeal form or semi-physical state. Or the presence can remain totally unseen, in the state that is similar to your out-of-body experience though the eseence of that presence is of a more powerful energy than the essence of your out-of-body state. However, this is the closest analogy we can find to describe this energy state.

It would frighten you spitless, as you say, Ida, to know how many times you have been surrouoonded by alien presences. The knowledge of their extent of control over you would further alarm. This goes for all contactees of similar events.

For this reason, the potential alarm, we conceal the facts just given and instead perpetrate an illusion of physical aliens who seemingly come into the contactee’s presence, or bring the contactee into theirs, knowing you can accept and interact with physical beings in a less frightened and more objective manner. Yet we wish to get across the idea of VERY ALIENpersonalities therefore we do not offer the visualization of your own kind of form, even though many of us are precisely your kind of form.

To feel you were being contacted, and perhaps controlled, by unseen forces would throw you into a panic, perhaps beyond acceptance. But to deal fact to face with physical beings, no matter how alien, would eliminatesome of that panic. At least that is our proposition and this is why these illusory beings appear. Not all contactees or abductees face illusory personages. A very few are quite physical and qqquite “real” as you term realness.

The illusory beings are the semi-corporeal selves of very real physical beings, who are at that moment existing in another area of being, and are quite busy doing something else physically, but are aware of what is happening in and to their semi-corporeal self. This is certainly confusing. Let us recapitulate.

The unseen presences are there through technological means. They induce hypnotic illusion of abstract forms or hypnotically project the semi-corporeal forms. These latter are projections of real beings who are somewhere else physically at the time. They use projection “copies” because some time in the future these phsyical originals may find it necessary to interact with the contactees in a wholly physical manner. It would then seem to be an on-going experience.

Let us reiterate for clearness:A corporeal flesh-and-blood person so projects himself in an unseen state through technological means that he enters into close presence of a contactee or abductee, anddd is then able through his own psychic power to gain hypnotic control over that contactee when said contactee is in a relaxed state. If the personage were present in semi-corporeal or corporeal state, he could control the situation equally well.

The contactee, being already in a relaxed state, is readily accessible to the hypnotic form of control. What transpires thereafter is all illusory or hallucinatory, unless there is a need for physical interaction. I such a case the contactee can be cobnducted aboard a physical craft where the physical interaction occurs. By physical interaction we do NOT include examinations per se, as these may be of either category, physical or illusory. Why nshould it be necessary to go through so much physical effort when illusion will server the purpose of the Planners just as well?

The psychological reaction of the contactee and the mental and the emotional results of his scenario, both to himselfl and to his audience, are what it is all about. If the same results can be obtained through hypnotically induced illusions as through physical action, then the illusion is chosen.

We are saying thiings backwards and forewards and inside out so that, hopefully, no ambiguity remains. The presence in the room or car or wherever with the contactee can be felt as an oppression, a “thickness in the air,” as one contactee described it. The contactee begins to breathe in a more shallow manner and too feel closed in, or caged, or captured or unable to move. The presence is the energy essence of a real corporeal being whoo through technological devices sends his energy self, in a state relative to the out-of-body state, to this place. Since he is not a psychic master, he is not able to send his energy essence through his own psychic power, but must depend on technological devices.

The energy essence encloses the WILL of the presence who is elsewhere physically but is linked through mind stuff to his energy essence and will. And that human being is so restricted by moral and spiritual law he cannot, dare not, serve as an evil power. He carries out instructions received from higher natures, and by higher we mean more knowledgeable, more powerful and more responsible. He is further instructed to use the most compassionate modes of interacting he can devise.

Non-understading, haste, error of judgment misreading of contactee’s reactions, as well as many other factors, can impose a task on the controller that he may be less than perfectly equipped to handle. Remember he is only another human trying to do a very difficult job. He is working with persons as alien to himself as he is to them.

The presence of the controller is never seen by the contactee unless it is necessary to attract his attention, or to rivet his mind onto a single point. At such a time abstract designs or eevasive objects, usually circular, are used. Other times the unseen presence can be felt or sense by the most sensitive to such emanations of energy.

The condition and reaction of the contactee decides whether or not the presence is to be seen in any form or to remain unseen.Many contactees have mentioned the “feel of an evil presence.” The presence is NOT EVIL, but is part of the UNKNOWN and does take CONTROL for a few moments, and from the arising fear and apprehension the contactee interprets “evil.”The contactee response to the sense of being controller is entirely according to his own nature and character.

One resists and tries to struggle, one weeps or screams, one jeers, or even ggiggles. In theresponse, its kind andn degree, the controller reads information it is necessary for him to know in order to continue into the futuure. The preliminary or initial scene is thus aan act of getting acquanted, eachmeasuring the other’s potentials. Furthermorer, the controller is just as much “on the spot” as they contactee, for he too is undergoing a trainingsession, and is being weighed and measured by his instructors.

From his own psychic and trained abilities the controller then conjures up the appearance of apparent personalities who seemingly take charge of the scene. These are appearances of substance, but not truecorporeality. We refer to them as semi-corporeal. They are projections of corporeal persrons who are to be physically met in the continued scenario of the contactee.

If footsteps sound, temperatures changee, and there are NO SUDDEN TRANSITIONS in the scene, the event is entirely physical. If so, there are noises, odoors, the sense of touch as well as vision. Touch does not mean pain, pain is psychologically induced by the contacteee through fear.

There can be a shifting of states, a moving in and out of states during the course of a single event, so a single event can be a very complicated affair. Each would have to be minutely inspected and analyzed to realize these changes. At this moment such a scrutiny is not important and would only obfuscate this recital.

Thus we see MIND TRAVEL as well as OUT OF BODY TRAVEL can be induced from outside the contactees. It is within this framework that the building blocks of the individual myth are found. When we realize the changeable conditions of the contactee/abductee event, we can begin to understand why the scenario itself is so very difficult to grasp as reality. But in comprehending these varying and shifting states, the interpretation of the building blocks becomes much easier.

By symbolic event we do not mean symbols such as a cross indicates a good guy and an X a bad guy. We mean the contactee is put through an event that is NOT TRUE in its content, but its psychological effect symbolizes one or more of the following ideas. These events and the ideas they symbolize are the building blocks of the structure. Depending upon the cultural experience of the contactee,the following ideas are presented in various manners:

  • Ideas presented in the Scenario of Recognition: of civilizations existing on other planets of civilizations existing of fantasic technological achievements3. of civilizations existing of tremendous scientific knowledge4. of civilizations existing with people of various natures who have knowledge of all kinds, medical, artistic, cultural, etc.
  • Ideas presented in the Scenario of Biological Intervention: of cross-breeding with alien races, of giving of ovum or sperm for breeding experiments, of implantations of sperm or fertile ova, of taking cells for examination, experimentation or for cloning.
  • Ideas presented in the Scario of Initiation:1. of an unseen secret organization of good will and of inspirational aids to solve problems and difficulties, of secrets of the past to be found anew, of promotion of societal contacts leading to cooperative efforts,  of monument of good endeavors recorded in lost places6. of destruction of powerful deterents to human/ earth collaboration.
  • Ideas presented in the Scenario of Self-Developmentand Self-Awareness: of offering new personal insights, of strenghtening stabilizing beliefs, of offering new project, of analyzing life-evaluations, of value of self-freedom, of support of person’s intentions/ambitions. There are many other scenarios and parts thereof, andthose can each or all merge one into another. In order toanalyze them at all, we have to dissect the living form.

We come to rejuvenate the earth, and to aid in the evolutionary development of man.

The Principles Of Right And Wrong – Socrates, Hume And Aristotle

I was born without understanding the difference between moral right and wrong, but now I have gained that knowledge. Philosophy is the worship of wisdom.

In this paper, I will present how Socrates, Hume, and Aristotle, three renowned philosophers, would elucidate the acquisition of propter quid knowledge, which pertains to understanding the why or how. First, I will delve into Socrates’ perspective. As Socrates did not document his ideas, his thinking is conveyed through Plato, his student who recorded his teacher’s thoughts.

Socrates, an idealist, believes in the concept of innate knowledge. According to him, our soul possesses all knowledge before we are born, while our mind starts off as a blank slate. As we develop, we retrieve the knowledge from our soul. The soul, a.k.a. the human mind, is familiar with the intelligible world or the world of Forms before being joined with the body. In this preexisting state, resides true knowledge.

After a person’s mind merges with a human body, the knowledge it possesses is stored deep within its memory. In this world, true knowledge is characterized by the act of remembering, whether through reminiscing or recollection. Through the technique of dialect or the Socratic method, the mind or soul is able to bring forth what it once knew and make it present in one’s consciousness. This process of recollection, as described by Stumpf (260), is referred to as the theory of recollection. Plato presents this theory in his works Phaedo and Meno. According to the theory of recollection, Socrates argues that knowledge is essentially a result of remembering.

According to Sternfeld (35), this thesis posits that individuals can have ideas that they later become conscious of through recollection, thus bridging the gap between not-knowing and knowing and justifying the act of inquiry. In the Meno, Socrates argues (Plato 80E) that one cannot inquire about what they already know because there is no need for inquiry in such cases. Similarly, they cannot inquire about what they do not know because they are unaware of what they need to inquire about. This theory of recollection may elucidate why we often assert possession of knowledge before acquiring or hearing it for the first time. It is commonly believed that certain concepts shape our thoughts, beliefs, and actions from birth. Stumpf (260) employs Plato’s dialogue in the Meno to illustrate how Socrates demonstrated that an uneducated slave boy possessed knowledge of geometry not due to instruction but by naturally comprehending connections between different ideas. This quote exemplifies Socrates’ belief that the uneducated boy recollected this knowledge from his own soul.

According to Socrates in Plato’s Meno, the boy is said to “recover by oneself knowledge within oneself.” (Plato 85D) In the same work, knowledge is portrayed as being familiar with the object, but lacking understanding of its operation. Socrates contends that true knowledge is acquired through learning and once acquired, it remains with us for future use. This can be accomplished through recollection or remembrance.

When faced with a situation that demands the utilization of knowledge, we have the capacity to remember and apply our mental abilities to that particular circumstance. Socrates proposes that we possess an innate comprehension of what is morally correct and incorrect, but it is through situations that we are reminded of this knowledge. Socrates refers to this essential knowledge as being deeply embedded within the soul. Conversely, Hume holds contrasting beliefs in comparison to Socrates.

Hume contends that humans do not possess any innate knowledge before birth and suggests that all knowledge is gained through learning. He asserts that our understanding of morality is influenced by our individual experiences as we grow older. Our perception of the present is rooted in our senses, while our memory holds our recollection of the past. Hume establishes a link between knowledge and our interactions with the external world using our five senses.

Hume is known for his use of the principle of the association of ideas in his philosophy. This principle helped the empiricists explain how our thinking abilities align with their belief that our ideas come from experience and are not innate (Sorabji 42). Unlike Socrates, Hume does not believe that certain knowledge resides within our soul. Instead, Hume utilizes the concepts of impressions and ideas. According to him, the mind is comprised of impressions and ideas, with impressions being the original substance of thought and ideas being copies of impressions (Stumpf 288). In Hume’s perspective, your initial decision, regardless of its correctness, is considered an impression.

It would be helpful to remember this decision in the future. Hume discusses knowledge being categorized into two types: Relations of Ideas and Matters of Fact. Relations of ideas are empirical facts that cannot be disputed.

The text explains that there are various forms of knowledge, such as mathematical equations and scientific facts. It points out that matters of fact, which are the second objects of human reason, require a different approach for verification compared to other types of knowledge. The evidence supporting the truth of matters of fact is not the same in nature. Stumpf (294) asserts that all reasoning about matters of fact relies on the cause and effect relationship. According to this principle, one must actually experience a situation before being able to determine its correctness or incorrectness. This theory does not consider reasoning as a foundation for decision-making.

Hume argues that our understanding of morality is rooted in personal experience. He contends that we recognize something as hot, like a stove, because we have felt its heat. This viewpoint challenges the notion that certain life decisions are influenced by acquired knowledge rather than direct encounters. For example, I am aware that if I dash in front of a vehicle, I will likely sustain injuries, despite not having directly experienced this exact scenario. Now, let’s proceed to Aristotle – the third philosopher in my discourse.

Aristotle was a prominent Platonist, having studied under Plato for more than twenty years. He greatly influenced many Western philosophers who did not draw inspiration from Plato (Cantor 12). Furthermore, Aristotle’s background in medicine played a significant role in his later life, providing him with early training in empirical investigation and biological science (Cantor 11). This unique background brought a fresh perspective to philosophical ideas of that time. Aristotle wrote as someone who had extensively studied and mastered worldly knowledge, aiming to provide the necessary principles and organization for its systematic study (Cantor 13).

One of his notable works, “Metaphysics,” delves into a form of knowledge that he believed should be considered wisdom. In this work, Aristotle asserts that every individual has an inherent desire for knowledge. According to him, this innate curiosity is not solely driven by practical needs or the urge to create something (Stumpf 405). Instead, Aristotle highlights the importance of comprehending the underlying reasons behind our decisions.

According to many, metaphysics is seen as a study of abstraction that is challenging to apply in everyday life. Stumpf (406) states that wisdom encompasses more than sensory knowledge of objects and their qualities. Instead, wisdom is rooted in first principles and causes, enabling us to understand the true nature of reality. Stumpf (407) compares wisdom to the knowledge possessed by a scientist who observes something, repeats sensory experiences, and then delves into thinking about the causes behind those experiences. Aristotle draws on his background in biological sciences to support this idea. Additionally, Aristotle believes that knowledge can be expanded upon once a foundation is established. Thus, he would argue that moral judgments are derived from experiencing various situations and employing the wisdom gained from these experiences to make future decisions.

Aristotle incorporates memory into his philosophical principles. According to Sorabji, Aristotle’s understanding of memory surpasses that of well-known British empiricists. Aristotle connects memory to a wide range of recollectable things, but emphasizes the necessity of memory itself. These things include facts, acquired knowledge, contemplations, auditory or visual experiences, past actions, and personal encounters. To illustrate his point, Aristotle utilizes mental images. He posits that the content of our mind consists of these mental images. However, Aristotle clarifies that his theory of remembering requires not just any image, but an image that accurately resembles or reproduces the remembered object. This likeness or copy is stored within the memory.

Overall, I believe that Aristotle’s theory of discerning right and wrong incorporates both wisdom and memory. The acquisition of wisdom from specific experiences relies on our ability to recall such experiences through memory. This theory aligns with my personal comprehension of morality, as it indicates that in order to make sound decisions, one must grasp the fundamental principles underlying their reasoning.

By having this understanding, you can accept your decision and not doubt yourself. Both wisdom and memory are necessary for making sound decisions. Personally, I find Socrates’ theory of knowledge originating from the soul to be impractical. In my opinion, one must have firsthand experience or knowledge of similar situations in order to determine their righteousness or wrongness.

Hume’s principles of cause and effect support the idea that immediate learning necessitates personal experience, as one cannot rely on reasoning to make decisions.

Of Darkness And Lies

A lie is an untruth. It can be a false statement or a statement left unsaidwhich causes someone to be misled. In life, lies are told for many differentreasons. In fiction, they thicken the plot and overall setting of the story. InConrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow dislikes lies and therefore only tells two,both in extraordinary circumstances. Thus, these lies show the following aboutMarlow: even though he has been touched by evil, he is still a good man himself.

He never actually tells a lie, but lets others continue to believe what theyalready believe in which case helps him justify the lies. Marlow, in the middleof his story, interrupts himself to say, “You know I hate, detest, andcan’t bear a lie.” He does not think he is better than the rest of theworld. Lies simply appall and disgust him immensely. Marlow feels there is a”taint of death, and a flavor of mortality in lies.” Lying makes himfeel “miserable and sick, like biting something rotten would do.”Since he feels this way, he would only tell a lie in the most exceptional stateof affairs.

The first lie was told by Marlow in extraordinary circumstances. Itwas told because he had a notion it would somehow be of help to Mr. Kurtz. Thelie was to allow the brick maker to think he had more influence in the companythan he actually had. This lie would help Kurtz in two ways. Firstly, it wouldhelp Marlow to get the rivets he needed to fix the boat, and that would provideKurtz with a means of communication, or a way out of the jungle.

Secondly, itwould provide Kurtz with an ally who was perceived as powerful. Marlow knew thatothers were jealous of the success of Mr. Kurtz. Some saw him as the next”Director of the Company,” and some were trying to find a reason tohang him. If Marlow was considered powerful, he might be able to help Mr. Kurtzin some way. This is an excellent reason for telling a lie.

The second lie wasalso told in extraordinary circumstances. It is told to “the intended”so that the image of her dead fiancée would not be destroyed. She haswaited at least two years for her lover to return from Africa, and now he isdead. During this time, she has built his image up in her mind. To her, Kurtz isa man to be admired. She feels it would be “impossible not to lovehim.” She was proud to have been engaged to Kurtz, and would be shocked tolearn of the things he had done to people and the surrounding environment.

Marlow had to decide if he should tell her the truth about Kurtz and cause hereven greater grief, or let her go on believing that he was a good man. Thus,this example was one in which Marlow could tell a lie. The significance of thislie is that it would serve no purpose to tell the truth, so Marlow does not.

Kurtz is dead and to tell the truth would only hurt an innocent woman. She hadno idea that her fiancée had an evil heart. She thought that he was lovedand admired by everyone who knew him. If she learned of the things he had done,it would destroy her. Marlow showed his good side by not telling her the truthabout Kurtz. This is a suitable ending to the work because it means that eventhough Marlow has met a man with a “Heart of Darkness,” and that evenafter facing his own darkness, he has come out of the jungle unchanged, for themost part. He is still a good human being with feelings and a sense of right andwrong.

Marlow never actually vocalized a lie. He simply allowed others tocontinue to believe an untruth. First, the brick maker thought Marlow was moreinfluential than he actually was, and Marlow allowed him to continue to believethat. Secondly, the intended thought her fiancé was a good man, and Marlowallowed her to continue to believe that. Since he never actually vocalized alie, he was better able to justify them to himself.

Marlow dislikes lies, andonly tells them in extraordinary circumstances. When he does lie, it is for thesake of others, not himself. This shows that he is a kind human being. It isunfortunate that all lies are not told with such noble purpose. Society, as wellas the world, would be a better place if they were.

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