#Knowledge and Experience

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Practice

The philosophy of practice explores the nature, purpose, and implications of repeated actions, skill acquisition, and discipline in shaping human life, ethics, and understanding. It addresses questions about how consistent effort contributes to personal growth, mastery, and the formation of habits, as well as its broader societal and existential significance.

Key Themes:

Practice and Mastery

Skill Development: Practice is essential for honing skills, whether in art, science, sports, or daily life. Philosophically, this raises questions about the relationship between effort and talent, and whether mastery is achievable by anyone given sufficient practice.

Perfection vs. Process: Some philosophies view practice as a means to an end (mastery), while others emphasize the value of practice as an ongoing, intrinsic process.

Ethical Practice

In ethics, practice involves cultivating virtues (e.g., patience, humility, courage) through repeated actions.

Aristotle’s concept of habituation suggests that moral character is built through repeated virtuous actions, making practice central to ethical living.

Habit Formation

Practice often leads to the formation of habits, both beneficial and harmful. Philosophical discussions focus on:

The distinction between conscious practice and unconscious habit.

How habits shape identity and free will.

Embodiment and Knowledge

Through practice, knowledge becomes embodied or tacit (e.g., riding a bike or playing an instrument). This leads to questions about the nature of knowledge:

Is knowledge primarily intellectual, or does it require physical engagement?

How does practice bridge the gap between theory and experience?

Time and Repetition

Practice inherently involves repetition over time, leading to reflections on the nature of time itself:

How does the repetitive nature of practice influence our perception of progress?

Does practice emphasize a linear or cyclical view of time?

Practice as Ritual

Many practices take on a ritualistic or meditative quality, fostering mindfulness and presence. Philosophical traditions such as Zen Buddhism emphasize practice (e.g., zazen or seated meditation) as an expression of living in the moment.

This invites reflection on whether practice is primarily a means to an end or an end in itself.

The Role of Failure

Failure is an inherent part of practice, often seen as a stepping stone to improvement. Philosophical discussions explore:

How does failure shape the meaning of practice?

Can failure itself be considered a form of success or growth?

The Social Dimension of Practice

Many practices are communal, such as group sports, collective rituals, or collaborative work. These raise questions about the interplay between individual and collective effort.

How do social contexts shape what is considered valuable practice?

Practice and Creativity

While practice involves repetition, creativity often requires breaking from routine. Philosophers explore the tension between disciplined practice and the spontaneity of innovation.

Existential and Spiritual Perspectives

In existentialism, practice can be tied to the idea of authentic living: the repetitive engagement with one’s choices and actions creates meaning in an otherwise indifferent universe.

In spiritual traditions, practice is often viewed as a path to enlightenment or transcendence, requiring faith and persistence.

Practice in Professional and Scientific Contexts

The philosophy of practice also examines the iterative processes of experimentation, refinement, and learning in fields like science, medicine, and education.

How does the structure of professional practice influence the pursuit of truth or excellence?

Challenges and Limitations of Practice

Not all forms of practice guarantee improvement or success, leading to questions about when persistence becomes futile.

How do external factors, such as societal constraints or innate abilities, limit the effectiveness of practice?

The philosophy of practice highlights the transformative power of consistent effort in shaping individual and collective life. It bridges the gap between intention and action, theory and reality, and connects the mundane with the profound. By reflecting on practice, we gain insight into the ways we cultivate skills, virtues, and meaning, and how these processes shape our understanding of what it means to be human.

[mynnthia]

was talking with a friend about how some of dunmeshi fаndom misunderstands kabru's initial feelings towards laios.

to sum up kabru's situation via a self-contained modernized metaphor:

kabru is like a guy who lost his entire family in a highly traumatic car accident. years later he joins a discord server and takes note of laios, another server member who seems interesting, so they start chatting. then laios reveals his special interest and favorite movie of all time is David Cronenberg's Crash (1996), and invites kabru to go watch a demolition derby with him

[palatinewolfsblog]

"Fairytales don't tell children that dragons exist.

Children already know that dragons exist.

Fairytales tell children that dragons can be killed."

G.K. Chesterton.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Stargazing, at the edge of the unknown.

[crimsonphantasmagoria]

Yeah, the problem with the idea that the appeal of the Solas romance is that he's a god etc is that I romanced him on release of Inquisition before I knew anything about that. I romanced him because he talked to me about esoteric magic in a smooth Welsh accent and then decided to kiss my Lavellan like she was a feast and he was a starving man. Honestly the god stuff was fun, but it's not the thing I originally found appealing.

[modormouth]

@tyrantchimera and i were contemplating on a weird eldritch Jenova (remake ver.) would look like a la Bloodborne's Great Ones. So here's a rather visceral looking Jenova (Blight of the Cosmos).

[ladyhavilliard]

death: transformation, endings, change, transition, letting go, release

[mushrooms-and-blooms]

PRECIOUS!!!! THEM!!!! LOVE THEM!!!!

[sayuri-of-the-valley]

On how Crowley and Aziraphale felt during the kiss (but mainly Crowley here):

Ok so first, the main idea for this huge meta is that a LOT of us noticed how the music from the kiss scene is similar to the nebula one, right?

Second, a lot of us also correctly noticed the parallels between the kiss and how it was to taste food for the first time for Aziraphale: bc of his reactions, the hand on lips, the similar way MS acted both scenes, the little inhale etc. So how was it for Crowley?

Aziraphale's reaction to the kiss is practically a puzzle to solve on its own, so it's fun to analyse it, but basically, in a few words, Aziraphale kissed Crowley and he discovered he was physically starving for him, longing for him, yearning for him, for his kiss, and he had no idea. Just like with the ox. And now he needs to gorge himself in him but he can't. Great amazing heartbreaking chef's kiss someone give MS an Emmy.

But there's already so much amazing meta out there about Aziraphale x Ox ribs x The Kiss that I want to focus on Crowley here, and on the music.

So back to the music. The song in "Before the Beginning" and the song that plays during The Kiss (I Forgive You + Don't Bother) are so similar. They're not *exactly* the same, but they're totally reminiscent of each other. The viewer is immediately reminded of those chords that played in the opening scene. It's no coincidence that the fandom was talking about this fact only minutes after first watching those final fifteen minutes. This is an obvious intentional choice for storytelling reasons (David Arnold is a genius).

I have no expertise whatsoever when it comes to music, so I asked our friend @otsanda to see if that made sense and not only it does and she explained it, but she also uncovered so much more hidden meaning in all of it (musicians are amazing), so check out her meta about the music that not only serves as evidence to what I'm proposing here but it also has so much more juicy information in it 💖.

Back to the point: WHY thought? Why choose a similar song? Why intentionally COMPOSE a similar song for that moment?

Hear me out. WHAT IF, by reminding the audience of the creation of the nebula, they meant to convey to us that, for Crowley, kissing Aziraphale gave him the same feeling that creating his stars did?

THAT'S what the music is telling us. THAT'S why it makes us remember "Before the Beginning". It may sound cheesy, but Crowley may have literally seen stars when he kissed Aziraphale. He couldn't react accordingly (just like Aziraphale couldn't), bc it was an overwhelming and extremely sad moment (the music is also telling us that) for both of them. They knew it was ending . They were both having a moment of huge revelation that was fated to not come to completion. Crowley was right, it was too late.

It makes sense to show Crowley's feelings through the music, bc he was the one who started the kiss, and also he was wearing sunglasses in that scene, it's different from a character like Aziraphale that has all his million expressions for everyone to see at all times. And they've been doing this ever since s1 with the Queen songs that play in his car or in the background.

So my point is: the same song being used there makes me wonder if kissing Aziraphale finally gave him what he lost. His purpose. What Aziraphale was trying to give back to him by taking him back to heaven. There's no need for Heaven. Just kiss him, Aziraphale, and there he'll find the stars you want to give back to him. There you will one day see that smile on his face you saw Before The Beginning. Neil Gaiman and David Arnold I am in your walls 😭

This is what may lead us to see this happiness in Crowley again (not the action of kissing itself, of course, but what it represents to their relationship, them being together, them being an Us).

As @otsanda said: from the music we can interpret that that moment was a Revelation for them. Almost a religious experience. Crowley found his purpose again. What he'd been missing the whole season (or even his whole life since the Fall, but we've seen him especially depressed this season).

I'm not even getting into the poetry of how one can interpret the parallel to the angel's reaction to the kiss as carnal, and the demon's as religious; that would be another whole essay but let's just agree that it's incredibly beautiful. (Let me be clear that I mean here Aziraphale's reaction is carnal specifically for Crowley, and Crowley's is religious specifically for Aziraphale, not religious as in "worshipping god")

"Do you ever wonder what's the point?" Crowley asked in s2e1. The point, for him, is Aziraphale (if you've seen The Good Place you know what I mean). I hope he figured this out with that kiss, even as heartbreaking as it was. Even if it was a (temporary) separation kiss. (I hope Aziraphale figures this out with time too, that he's more than enough to make Crowley happy, that Crowley doesn't need Heaven, or stars, that Crowley needs him.)

Maybe that's why Crowley didn't leave and kept waiting outside until the very last moment.

Aziraphale and Crowley both bit the apple at the end of s2. There's no turning back from that Knowledge now.

Edit: I just have to add here this brilliant colour analysis of the nebula scene by @halemerry. And it's pointed out that during the nebula formation there's a moment when it looks like two people embracing. And the fact that a similar song is used in the actual Kiss scene I just... I have no words

[notbecauseofvictories]

I realize this is a bit like complaining that water is wet, but it does annoy me on a deep level how many big public events are rooted in buying things. Craft fairs, art expos, even street festivals where ostensibly everyone is there to listen to music and drink in the sunshine---yet the sale of things is so integral to what's happening that you can buy food or buy things, and those are really your only options.

[very-uncorrect]

Had an extremely funny encounter with a mf on here who was claiming they had an uncontrollable hatred of children and I went to their bio and it said "18" clear as day, people acting like they're big mature adults and that children are pathetic useless babies the second they reach their 18th birthday is literally the funniest thing ever like oh honey you'll have the mind of a child for another 10 years at least

[deancasforcutie]

Dean complimenting fellow queer people on their game

Bonus inverse, trying to out-game someone to vicariously flirt for/with your presumed-but-not-at-all-straight friend who has no game whatsoever:

[reality-detective]

Science is magic 🤔

[blue-jos10]

‘wow dr minyard how are you so calm and patient even with the insane ones?’

‘i’ve had practice.’

[sunlight-shunlight]

thinking about veilguard and bioware in general, i think we are reaching a point where people need to grapple with the inherent limits of what stories can be told in our Current Society and in AAA gaming companies.

on a labour level: mass layoffs, tons of developers leaving despite previously talking about how passionate and happy they were to be involved, not even paying severance, and crunching employees to the point of burnout. this is unfortunately pretty standard for AAA game companies.

on a cultural level: it is SO white and SO centrist-ly Canadian. i wrote up these asks outlining how. it is a repeated pattern of writing in which they go into tortured racial oppression allegories at best, while constantly peppering in a "but BOTH SIDES were wrong and made mistakes :( :( :(", in between their fictional atrocities that are clearly mirroring irl genocides and enslavement. or at worst, it's "the qunari are radical islamic borg" which has even less nuance. i personally thought, since dai came out in 2014, and a lot has changed since then about the world and in public awareness, that this would have filtered into the narrative and resulted in more satisfying and historically grounded writing. unfortunately not the case. it's shocking if you compare it to how sharp and aware and unflinching something like disco elysium is.

so what does this mean?

under these conditions, it is unavoidable that we get development by people who are rapidly cycled out of the company or demoralized into burnout. we get digestible, easy little soundbites of lore without much substance, because any complexity needs more time and coordination rather than the process of "quick, we have these assets, a lot of people involved in making them just got laid off, we need to make Something by next quarter to show the CEO". we get very little cohesion between games, despite the clear intent from dai to have so many plot points set up to follow through in a sequel, because the team and development are so chaotic that they can't hold onto a vision and complete it.

we also get this inherent caution and "conservatism" from the narrative, because on an ideological level, they're largely white people who want cops to be included in pride. so any major change to even a fictional society is Bad and Scary, and shouldn't be done without making sure that every character finger-wags appropriately at non-state violence. there is clearly not much ideological or even ethnic diversity within the leadership; or at least not enough that anyone there felt comfortable even speaking up on minor issues like the Incredibly Orientalist Isabela Outfit, let alone anything larger.

i don't personally think there's too much value in trying to analyze veilguard's plot or lore at this point. the final product is chaotically developed and does not seem to reflect the goals of the creators as set up in prior games, it's basically a ship of theseus in terms of the people and ideas involved in making it. this is sad for all of us, who were interested in the story, and attached to the characters, and were creatively fulfilled by engaging in the fandom. it's probably worse for the developers who have lost their jobs, burnt out, or feel unhappy with the game that they spent years of their life working on. it's certainly miserable as an indictment of The Industry, as well as the general societal climate of white Canadian centrism.

the solution is to create a society where people can develop games in peace and prosperity and stay on projects for longer, rather than constantly getting turfed out without severance pay. and to get some genuine leftists, poc, and indigenous people on staff who can weigh in and provide significant input, rather than a Council Of Liberal White Edmontonians every time.

in the meantime, at the very least, let's please stop preordering AAA games and supporting companies who notably abuse their employees.