Absolutization - The Source of Dogma, Repression, and Conflict - Robert M. Ellis

Absolutization - The Source of Dogma, Repression, and Conflict - Robert M. Ellis

Criteria for a Response: Judgement Focus

Absolutization - The Source of Dogma, Repression, and Conflict - Robert M. Ellis

Robert M. Ellis [+-]
Middle Way Society
Robert M Ellis has a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a Cambridge BA in Oriental Studies and Theology. Originally from a Christian background, he spent about 20 years practising Buddhism, including as a member of the Triratna Order. However, he now describes himself as a Middle Way practitioner without exclusive loyalty to any one religious tradition. Over the last 20 years he has developed Middle Way Philosophy, initially in his Ph.D. thesis. This is best described as a practical and integrative philosophical approach, incorporating many elements not only from Buddhism but also from psychology, neuroscience, and other aspects of Western thought. In 2013 he founded the Middle Way Society (www.middlewaysociety.org) to develop and apply Middle Way Philosophy beyond the limitations of the Buddhist tradition, both in theory and practice. Robert has earned a living for more than 20 years as a teacher and tutor of philosophy and related subjects. He has previously published both academic and introductory books about Middle Way Philosophy, and recently a parallel book on Christianity, ‘The Christian Middle Way’.

Description

a. Judgement as the Cutting Edge Judgement is the cutting edge of our interaction with the world. Whether it is absolute or provisional determines the crucial how of justified judgement. Judgement focus helps us recognise our experience of building up responsibility for judgement through awareness of options maintained over time. It avoids both the opposed attractions of freewill and determinism, whereby we have total or zero responsibility for our judgements a priori. b. Diversions from Judgement Focus Whilst the most obvious diversions from judgement focus are blatantly metaphysical, the nearer and more practically damaging distractors involve representationalist assumptions introduced into investigations that appear to be addressing absolutization in some respect. The spurious claim to be focusing on facts without values undermines the value of academic work in, for instance, Buddhist Studies, cognitive psychology, and moral philosophy, by entrenching the omission of crucial elements of the context in each case.

Notify A Colleague

Citation

Ellis, Robert. Criteria for a Response: Judgement Focus. Absolutization - The Source of Dogma, Repression, and Conflict. Equinox eBooks Publishing, United Kingdom. p. 236-247 Oct 2022. ISBN 9781800502062. https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/view-chapter/?id=44332. Date accessed: 26 Apr 2024 doi: 10.1558/equinox.44332. Oct 2022

Dublin Core Metadata