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Ryan Palm
Philosophy 101
06 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.
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, 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
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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 different roads. 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 o f thought, everything I know about my specific
suffering would come into play and that 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 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 mental pain.
Thus said, he would now likely have to devise an experiment that allowed him to conclude whether or
not his hypothesis is correct or not. If he is successful in confirming his hypothesis, he will now accept it
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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, 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 and through
deductive though and experimentation 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 important piece in the process of your life.
I also presented a plausible application of rationalism through the use of the scientific method to justify
that all questions in the natural world can be solved through human intellect and deductive reasoning
skills, and that the overcoming of suffering would likely be approached and overcome in the natural
world.