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    We are more than the sum of our parts, says sandra gupta. We are most essentially our ideas and our emotions, she says. Physicality just doesn't hold a flame to thought.

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    We are more than the sum of our parts, says sandra gupta. We are most essentially our ideas and our emotions, she says. Physicality just doesn't hold a flame to thought.

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    42 views1 page

    Thisibelievedraft2 1

    Uploaded by

    api-317051412
    We are more than the sum of our parts, says sandra gupta. We are most essentially our ideas and our emotions, she says. Physicality just doesn't hold a flame to thought.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 1

    We,ashumans,aremorethanthesumofourparts.

    Sure,wehavefleshandbloodandskin,
    butthatsnot
    all
    thatweare.Wearethinkers.Wearedreamers.Weareartists,poets,and
    scientists.Whatdefinesuseachofusisnotthecollectionofcellsthatcomprisesourbodies.
    Wearemostessentiallyourideasandouremotions.Wearethethingswecreate.
    Ibelievethat
    whichisabstractiseverything,andthatwhichistangibleisirrelevant.

    Inacultureobsessedwithjudgementsbasedonphysicality,itismypersonalbeliefthatthe
    physicaldoesnotdefineus.

    Sowhatdoes?

    Foronething,wearedefinedbyourideas.Forexample,Imanagnostic,leftwing,feminist
    transcendentalist.Imalsoacurlyhaired,18yearoldfemalewithaheightoffivefeet,five
    inches.Whilethelattersetoflabelsdescribesonlymytangibleform,theformersetillustrates
    myworldviewandbeliefs,andIdliketobelieveitismoreintimatelyconnectedtowhoIamthan
    theheapoffleshIoccupy.
    Foranotherexample,lookatsomeofthegreatestmindsinhistory.IsaacNewtonisntdefined
    byhisgravitydefyinghair,butbyhislawofuniversalgravitation.AndIdoubtanyonewould
    darearguethatStephenHawkingsbeinginawheelchairmakeshimanylessbrilliant.
    Physicalityjustdoesntholdaflametothought.Asaphilosophystudent,Icanthelpbutbe
    remindedofthemindbodyproblem.Itspossibleformetoalosealimboranorgan,butmy
    mindisindivisible.Underthislens,thephysicalseemssopainfullyarbitrary.

    Andthisholdstrueformorethanjustpeoplethemselves.Thethingspeople
    create
    andtheway
    theyinfluencetheworldisnomoreconcrete.Whetheritsapainting,sculpture,poem,song,
    novel,ordance,artisdefinedmorebytheabstractthanbythedefinite.
    Oneofmyfavoritepaintingsis
    TheStarryNight.
    Tome,theressomethingcaptivatinginthe
    swirlingblueimageofthenightskythatVincentVanGoghdepicted.Incidentally,
    TheStarry
    Night
    doesnotverycloselyresemblean
    actual
    nightsky,butthatdoesntstopitfrombeingone
    ofthemosteasilyrecognizableworksofartintheworld.Thatsthethingaboutart:itsnot
    deemedgoodbecauseitreflectsthetangibleworldwithperfectaccuracy.Artisgoodwhenit
    communicatesaworld
    view
    ,aperspective,
    an
    idea,a

    nemotion.

    Thisisanessentialdistinction.Itsthedifferencebetweenjudgementsthatareshallowand
    thosethataredeep.Betweenlustandlove.Betweenaestheticsandconvictions.
    Between
    perceptionandtruth.
    Thereisinnate,incalculablevalueintheintangible.

    Putamanunderanxraymachine.Takeasliceofhisskinandslideitbeneathamicroscope.
    Pick,prod,analyze,measurezoomintothesubatomiclevel,butyouwillneverreachthose
    qualitieswhichessentiallymakehimhuman.Notestorscancanpinpointemotionorarticulate
    subjectivelifeexperience.Aseasyasitistoclingtothevalueoftheconcreteinourselvesand
    theworldaroundus,wemustacceptthatthetangibleworldisjustthesurface.Theonlyreality
    thattrulymattersliesbeyond,intheformofallthingsintangibleandabstract.

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