Alan Watts

LessOutragePlz

Just wondering if anyone else has read any of his books of watched/listened to any of his lectures/seminars on YouTube. He's very big on trying to live life in the present moment or the eternal now. I understand the concept of it but actually getting there is a very difficult task.

Black Swan

Alan Watts had been popular in the San Francisco Bay Area of California during the 1960s-early 1970s. His works focused on introducing Eastern philosophy and religion to a Western audience. This occurred mostly during the Vietnam Protest Era, and may be viewed as one theme in vogue during that time, but not so much today. In some ways, his residence and death in Druid Heights, California, symbolized the end of an era.

Makes me wonder how Alan Watts may differ with Jean-Paul Sartre when comparing and contrasting Sartre's Western view of "being and nothingness" with the Eastern view of Watts?

Voltex

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone else has read any of his books of watched/listened to any of his lectures/seminars on YouTube. He's very big on trying to live life in the present moment or the eternal now. I understand the concept of it but actually getting there is a very difficult task.

Sounds somewhat like stoicism maybe?

Black Swan

Voltex wrote: »

Sounds somewhat like stoicism maybe?

Are there similarities between the Watts version of Zen Buddhism and that of Zeno of Citium's Stoicism? Nassim Taleb compared them: “A Stoic is a Buddhist with attitude.”

`ive listened to some of his stuff on youtube and I like it.
He says that he does not trust anyone who appears to seem holier than thou.
Im flawed, you're flawed, lets meet in the middle and compromise.
Very fitting when you see Martin and varadkar trying to appear unflawed!!

Black Swan

rusty cole wrote: »

Im flawed, you're flawed...

In a somewhat different way regarding bias, reminds me of what Max Weber suggested: No one is value free.

Fathom

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

He's very big on trying to live life in the present moment

Omar Khayyam's philosophy, too.

LessOutragePlz

rusty cole wrote: »

`ive listened to some of his stuff on youtube and I like it.
He says that he does not trust anyone who appears to seem holier than thou.
Im flawed, you're flawed, lets meet in the middle and compromise.
Very fitting when you see Martin and varadkar trying to appear unflawed!!

Yeah I like the way he approaches things at the start of one of his lectures he says that he's not guru and he doesn't intend to be one. He says that he's an entertainer and he's just giving his interpretation of certain philosophies and that ultimately you decide what they mean.

LessOutragePlz

Fathom wrote: »

Omar Khayyam's philosophy, too.

I'd equate him a little bit with Eckhart Tolle as I've been listening to a few of his audiobooks. I think it's fascinating stuff especially when he talks about the ego and how we identify with it and how it rules us in a certain way.

Although when I try to talk to people about it they think I'm a little crazy but, as he says - "How you are seen by others turns into how you see yourself". So you've just got to get out of that mindset and once you do peoples opinions of you won't define who you are.

LessOutragePlz

Voltex wrote: »

Sounds somewhat like stoicism maybe?

Don't know a whole lot about stoicism tbh, I feel like I'm just scratching the surface with what I've learned so far.

Fathom

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

I'd equate him a little bit with Eckhart Tolle as I've been listening to a few of his audiobooks. I think it's fascinating stuff especially when he talks about the ego and how we identify with it and how it rules us in a certain way.

The ego is psychoanalytic. Freud promoted it. Case study based. Prescientific. Convenience samples. Not representative or generalizable to a population. Eckhart Tolle was spiritual, and if I read him right, Western. Whereas Watts was spiritual too, but Eastern (Zen-Buddhism). Tolle and Watts were faith based, not science.

LessOutragePlz

Fathom wrote: »

The ego is psychoanalytic. Freud promoted it. Case study based. Prescientific. Convenience samples. Not representative or generalizable to a population. Eckhart Tolle was spiritual, and if I read him right, Western. Whereas Watts was spiritual too, but Eastern (Zen-Buddhism). Tolle and Watts were faith based, not science.

Interesting but, if I'm interrupting their works correctly that is the whole point. Science can't explain everything for example the difference between me and other person can't be put into words. Sure you can point out the physical differences but the differences between our personalities are much harder to describe.

Also I think their interpretations of the "voice" in our heads is the most plausible one I've heard but, I must admit that I haven't listened to or read any other interpretations. I'm also wondering if science can explain any philosophical theories? Forgive my ignorance but all of this is relatively new to me but it's great to get different opinions or perspectives on these things.

Fathom

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

Science can't explain everything for example the difference between me and other person can't be put into words.

Certainly, science can't explain everything. It suggests. The social and behavioral sciences attempt explanations. Individual differences conceptualized and measured.

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

Sure you can point out the physical differences but the differences between our personalities are much harder to describe.

Qualitative methods attempt to measure "differences between our personalities" beyond quantitative attempts.

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

Also I think their interpretations of the "voice" in our heads is the most plausible one I've heard but, I must admit that I haven't listened to or read any other interpretations.

The "voice" may be going back to Freud, Jung, etc., interpretations; or theological.

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

I'm also wondering if science can explain any philosophical theories?

Philosophies and theories have been often tested. If deductively, through the use of hypotheses. Praxis occurs when theory guides practice, and often empirically measured though the scientific method. My best guesses...

Black Swan

LessOutragePlz wrote: »

I'm also wondering if science can explain any philosophical theories?

Perhaps we might want to differentiate between philosophy and theory? Additionally, there is also the philosophy of science, yet another domain.

mr_fegelien

Is he the same as the Canadian conspiracy theorist, Alan Watts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUUHhRvFHFM

Black Swan

Alan Watts referenced in the OP cause of death: Congestive heart failure
Date of death: November 16, 1973
Place of death: Druid Heights, CA

Fathom

Alan Watts discussed here was a different person than Alan Watt, a Scottish-Canadian conspiracy theorist, who runs the online conspiratorial ministry, Cutting Through The Matrix.

mr_fegelien

Fathom wrote: »

Alan Watts discussed here was a different person than Alan Watt, a Scottish-Canadian conspiracy theorist, who runs the online conspiratorial ministry, Cutting Through The Matrix.

You know of him? Its stunning that an Irish person would know who Alan Watt is given conspiracies aren't big here.

Fathom

The Alan Watts and Alan Watt confusion has occasionally occurred. Obviously, there was quite a philosophical difference between the Zen-Buddhism of Watts, and the conspiracy theories of Watt.

Black Swan

mr_fegelien wrote: »

You know of him? Its stunning that an Irish person would know who Alan Watt is given conspiracies aren't big here.

Methinks both were esoteric in Eire.

Fathom

Notable works: The Way of Zen (1957) Tao: The Watercourse Way (1975)

Rigsby

Fathom wrote: »

Notable works:
The Way of Zen (1957)
Tao: The Watercourse Way (1975)

Other books by Watts that I thought were a good read :

"The Book- On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are"

"Out Of Your Mind".

"Become What You Are"

Fathom

Was there an Alan Watts cult in Northern California? Or was he anti-cult?

Black Swan

Fathom wrote: »

Was there an Alan Watts cult in Northern California? Or was he anti-cult?

Grand questions. I would attempt a comprehensive post, but I would probably be timed out and lose it.

Fathom

Maybe not cult member. Perhaps Zen Buddhist cult contributor? Books.