Palm 1

Ryan Palm
Philosophy 101
07 December 2011
Paper Three
In this paper I will address the real life problem of suffering which is defined as the
condition of one who suffers; the bearing of pain or distress, then develop and present two
plausible solutions for the above problem. My first plausible solution for the problem will be
presented through practical application of process ontology which is the identification of reality
with process or becoming. The second plausible solution for the problem will be applied through
the use of rationalism which is a method of theory in which the criterion of the truth is not
sensory, but intellectual and deductive. Both methods of thought provide their own unique way
of understanding and solving the problem of suffering.
Solving the life problem of suffering with process ontology will be no easy task, but to
begin, Id like to speculate that if I were using a process ontological view to attempt to solve my
problem, I would first have to define or become aware of specific problem within a process
ontology mindset. So, with this in mind, if I were defining suffering through a process
ontological view, I would begin with the idea that suffering is a part of the natural process and
that things like illness, death, and misfortune are inevitable aspects of human life. Thus said, they
are not punishments for misdeeds or manifestations of evil. The above gives us some direction
on how we should be approaching suffering. It clarifies that it is not punishment, however,
suffering is something inevitable, something that is completely natural and dynamic, and
Palm 2
therefore, we should approach it in a natural way and realize that it is a dynamic thing. Ill use a
Taoist example as I feel it holds most true to process ontological thought; that nature is not
sentimental and treats the people like sacrifices. Individuals are best off if they accommodate
themselves to natures laws and patterns, because to go against nature will only bring difficulty
and trouble. When humans deviate from the natural order, societies will develop that are harmful
to many. On the other hand, when the ruler is enlightened, or advised by an enlightened sage, the
people he rules will exist in harmony with one another and with nature. With the above example
taken into account, suffering now feels less alien, which I believe is the primary reason that
suffering is such a large problem in everyday life; its not necessarily the fact that we are
suffering, rather, the problem is that it is such an alien and unnatural feeling to us that we do not
know how to deal with it. All inclusive, I feel that the problem of suffering has been solved, at
least on paper, as we now know how to use process ontology to correctly view suffering, and
allow ourselves to accept it as a natural process of life. Finally, once you have achieved
acceptance of your problem, it is simply no longer a problem, but an intimate part of our lives.
Rationalism provides insight and closure to our problem through a different road. To
begin, rationalism looks for answers through intellect and deductive reasoning. The first step is
similar to the previous example, however, in this specific example I would say that we would
need to analyze and classify our problem, suffering. Using a rationalist train of thought,
everything I know about my specific suffering would come into play and through the use of our
reason we can succeed at solving our problem. A rationalist would likely approach our problem
in a scientific manner, first asking questions like; why does suffering exist? Is physical suffering
the same as psychological suffering? Next he would likely do research on his topic, look to the
Palm 3
intellect and knowledge of others for answers and direction as well as using his own intellectual
knowledge on the subject. He would then construct a hypothesis based on his knowledge, for
example he might conclude that his psychological suffering is due to physical pain. Thus said, he
would now likely have to devise an experiment that allowed him to conclude whether his
hypothesis is correct or not. If he is successful in confirming his hypothesis, he will now accept it
as fact or knowledge. If he is unsuccessful, he will likely attempt to construct another hypothesis
and repeat the process. This is quite obviously an outline of the scientific method and is most
likely the only tool a rationalist would use when attempting to answer any question. Thus said, it
is likely that a rationalist would find suffering to be something purely based in the natural world,
such as genetic disposition to suffering, pain caused by injury, emotional disposition, of
environmental causes, etc. He would then approach them in a logical fashion; such as if he
deduced that physical pain was cause of his mental suffering. He might make his way to a doctor
and acquire medicine that will help him deal with his pain, thus relieving his suffering.
Rationalism points to a logical and rational way of approaching the problem through deductive
thought and experimentation which allows him to confirm and overcome his problem.
In conclusion, I identified suffering, the position of being in pain or distress, as my
problem, approached and applied substance ontological thought towards my problem and came
to the conclusion that suffering is a natural process of life that should not be viewed as
punishment and that once it is understood and accepted it no longer is a problem, rather an
inevitable aspect in the process of life. I also presented a plausible application of rationalism
through the use of the scientific method to justify that suffering, among all questions in the
Palm 4
natural world can be solved through human intellect and deductive reasoning skills, and the
understanding and overcoming of suffering would likely be dealt with in the natural world.