This is http://www.essayz.com/a9010111.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %WAY ZEN CONTRIVED SYSTEMATIC DISHONEST SCIENCE 901011 In book "The Way of Zen" the author Alan W. Watts represents the Way of Zen as focused upon being spontaneous and authentic in non-contrived ways. This Way is regarded as the Way to transcend the disappointing traps of misleading desires, plans, intentions, expectations, etc. of the conventionally "correct" life. Systematic, intellectual, rational, logical, devised, schematic, contrived, planned, purposed and other like ways of approaching the situations of life are in complementary contrast to the Way of Zen. Such contrived behavior patterns are designed to achieve a preconceived goal. When the preconceptions of one person do not match/fit the preconceptions of another person, and the preconceptions of each person involve the other person in some essential way; the stage is set for conflict between the two persons if they approach the situations of their interactive lives in contrived ways rather than in the Way of Zen. Contrived ways usually include misleading manipulative behaviors which undermine personal and communal integrity through manipulative dishonesty which violates the integrity of persons and communities. The ways of technocratic scientists and engineers are contrived ways which often threaten our personal and communal integrity, because the contrived ways lack the insights and respect for integrity which characterize the Way of Zen. Conflicts between contrived ways and the Way of Zen will not lead to the better way winning in an integrative way. The assumption that one of the ways is better than the other way is misleading, and often leads the leaders of contrived ways to believe that through contrived manipulations they can act to improve the world. That belief is usually frustrated in real contrived living. People who are lead by that belief are usually frustrated people who are in need of the complementary insights of the Way of Zen. Conflicts which are as basic as the conflict between contrived ways and the Way of Zen are not resolved through contrived behavior. Manipulations of the people of one way, by the people of the complementary way, will not transform anybody into someone of personal and communal integrity. Such contrived manipulations do not lead to meaningful: contentment, satisfaction, tranquility, peace, salvation, redemption, reconciliation, cooperation, community, or to any significant conflict resolution. The people who live in the Way of Zen can see clearly the futility of those who live in contrived ways. The people who live in contrived ways usually cannot see the wisdom of those who live in the Way of Zen. There is a need to act effectively to promote personal and communal integrity. Is it obvious that to act effectively it is necessary to act in contrived ways? Is it possible to act spontaneously in effective ways? People who act in contrived ways tend to believe that to act effectively they must be: systematic, intellectual, rational, logical, devised, schematic, contrived, planned, and purposeful in their manner. Their beliefs often lead to exclusive perceptions which exclude the wisdom of the Way of Zen. Such exclusivity undermines the possibility of the integration of the wisdom of the Way of Zen and the utility of contrived ways. The conflict between contrived ways and the Way of Zen pertains to exclusive affirmations of values and ideals. The conflict pertains to exclusivity which undermines personal and communal integrity. Behavior which is motivated by and lead by any dedication to such conflict is disintegrative behavior. Being dedicated to the conflict does not lead to the resolution of the conflict, but to disintegration. The insights which are essential to the resolution of conflicts are not created in contrived ways. Such insights are not achieved in preconceived ways, for until the insights are conceived there can be no plans to achieve them. There is no contrived way of conceiving that which does not yet exist in the imagination. Creativity cannot be achieved in contrived ways, because contrived ways are designed to achieve that which has already been conceived in the visions of the imagination. We cannot achieve all that we conceive that we might achieve; and we are often frustrated by the impossibility of achieving all that we conceive that we might achieve if we were truly beings without limitations. People who have excluded, from their conceptions, the wisdom of the Way of Zen are unable to deal with the frustrations of desiring to achieve much, that it is impossible for them to achieve because they are limited human beings. We may be imprisoned by the desire to achieve in contrived ways all that we have conceived to be possible to achieve. We may be able to achieve some of the goals which we conceive to be possible, but we cannot achieve all of the goals which we conceive to be possible. We have limited time, ability, energy, powers, knowledge, understanding and resources. If we do not know the Way of Zen we are likely to be frustrated in efforts to contrive ways to achieve more than it is possible to achieve. Some of the technical goals we may desire to achieve may by their very nature be impossible to achieve; though it may be possible to enjoy the fulfillment of the vision which leads the desire. Yet, the fulfillment of the vision is not enjoyed through the fulfillment of contrived ways of achieving the desired technical goal. The fulfillment of the vision is enjoyed in the acceptance of that which cannot be achieved, but which may be received as a free and mysterious gift. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================