The Cat Who Refused Philosophy: 15 Essential Questions Answered by a Norwegian Forest Cat
Sleep First, Think Later: A Cat’s Guide to Life’s Big Questio
Photo by Jenna Hamra: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-maine-coon-cat-915060/
Introduction
On days when you're tired of life, imagine this fictional Norwegian Forest Cat.
FAQ
Tuna's meaning over life's meaning
Q. Is there meaning to life?
Meta: Can't you live without meaning?
Cat: Tuna over meaning!
→ Existentialism crash complete. Kant collapses. Sartre, essence and goodbye
The afterlife is diagonally above reincarnation
Q. Does an afterlife exist?
Meta: Expecting something that can't be proven to exist, is that a gamble?
Cat: Which afterlife of my nine lives are you talking about?
→ Theological debate, taking a break with cats
Free will < Scheduled kibble
Q. Do we have free will?
Meta: Freedom, who do you need to decide for you to be convinced?
Cat: Don't talk nonsense during kibble time!
→ Cat yawns at the boundary between neuroscience and ethics
Happiness is the relationship between afternoon sun and fluffy cushions
Q. What is happiness?
Meta: Something that moves away when you seek it?
Cat: A windowsill where I can sunbathe. That's all.
→ Aristotle's ethics, taking a nap
Purpose of suffering? Want to talk about nail clipping?
Q. Is there a purpose to suffering?
Meta: If there's a purpose, you can endure it - isn't that belief scary?
Cat: There's no meaning to the suffering of nail trimming. Humans should reflect, really.
→ Buddha, cat punch, overwhelming compassion
Human relationships are feeding station coordinates
Q. What is the essence of human relationships?
Meta: Isn't understanding others an illusion?
Cat: Humans who feed me and everyone else, the distinction is simple.
→ Sociology textbook, sent to the cat's toy box
The mouse here and now rather than cosmic loneliness
Q. Are we alone in the universe?
Meta: Would anything change if someone else was out there?
Cat: Mice are a more important problem than aliens.
→ Fermi's paradox, resolved by the cat's whimsical hunting
Justice is which hand the food comes from
Q. What is justice?
Meta: Isn't it troublesome to ask "justice for whom?" every time?
Cat: The person who feeds me is justice. That's all.
→ The prestigious "Theory of Justice," crying over a single cat dish
Love is first person
Q. What is love?
Meta: Do you convince yourself you feel something that can't be defined?
Cat: Did you call me? (with a beaming smile)
→ Philosophy of love since Plato, concluded by the cat's response
Self and minimalism
Q. What is the self?
Meta: How much of me is me, and where does "not me" begin?
Cat: My territory is mine. I can't hear objections.
→ Mind-body dualism, mindlessly brushing the cat
Success and apology
Q. How do you define success in life?
Meta: Living by others' standards, is that your life?
Cat: I get what I want as tribute, so I'm somehow sorry.
→ Capitalistic success philosophy, I want to go home now
Morality, that's human rules. Cats don't read them.
Q. What is the morally correct way to live?
Meta: Who decides the standard of "correctness"?
Cat: I'm a cat. Humans are complicated.
→ Kant's categorical imperative, counting cat whiskers
Purpose of existence = being there for now
Q. Is there a purpose to our existence?
Meta: Who is troubled if there's no purpose?
Cat: Don't seek reasons for existence. Though tuna is a separate matter.
→ Teleology and teleological suspension, speechless over the cat's second helping
Time is... the measurement unit until kibble
Q. What is the essence of time?
Meta: Is something measurable its essence?
Cat: What else is there besides the waiting time until the next meal?
→ Einstein's theory of relativity, modified by the cat's whims
Living well means creating a society where naps are valued
Q. How should people live well?
Meta: Living bound by the word "should"?
Cat: Take a nap and when you wake up, you'll understand!
→ Bestselling books on life philosophy, entering a new dimension
Editor's Note
I think there can be many answers. Like the world's most beautiful sky and the world's most beautiful moon. Days when you can think deeply like diving into the deep sea, and days when you allocate resources to other things are both precious. On the latter days, please throw the details to this cat concept.
Loneliness is measles
Despair is pneumonia
Once you've built immunity, rehydrate and get back in the game. (Any sports drink will do.)
This FAQ was created through trial and error to convey something in three lines.
Thank you for reading.
New Essay:
From PvP to Party Play: Reframing Partnership as a Cooperative Game
How trust, shared goals, and even Google Docs can make your relationship less like a duel and more like a team quest.
“This is not a love letter. It’s a patch note for Version 2.0 of your relationship.”
Read the full piece here
https://trgr-lab.com/partnership-as-coop-game/
About the Author
Trgr Lab
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What a fun piece with little nuggets of wisdom. My favorite: ‘Cat: Take a nap and when you wake up, you'll understand!’ Isn’t that so true? I know there are deeper messages about life, but I think if we occasionally just took a nap and enjoyed a spot in the sun without thinking so much, life would be a lot better. Thanks for writing this.