20100321

鳥、魚、限制、自由

我從前愛鳥,尤愛鷹,愛牠在天空翱翔的姿態,每見之必昂首而望,認為自由者莫過於此矣。籠中鳥,那就是失去自由的最佳象徵。

我現在則更愛魚。魚,被限制於水中,出水必死,而且沒有手腳,限制大得似乎連縛手縛腳也不如。然而,魚仍可有自由,在水裏游來游去的自由,在水裏覓食交配的自由,在水裏展現自己精彩之處的自由。

是魚,讓我領略到任何東西都有它的限制,物如是,人亦如是;是魚,令我看清楚我們的自由必然是在限制中的自由。有很多限制我們都不能衝破,但在這些限制中我們依然可以有所作為;嘗試衝破自己的限制,衝不破,則不要忘記在限制內可能還有偌大的空間。

其實,鳥的自由多少是個錯覺。鳥不也是被限制於空氣中嗎?鳥的自由,始終是限制中的自由,只是限制不明顯吧了。莊子的〈逍遙遊〉由鯤寫到鵬,大概是指鵬比鯤逍遙自在;不過,即使鵬能飛得極高極遠,也不過是飛到天池而已;那天池,仍然是一個界限。

25 則留言:

  1. I really like this entry. Thanks for writing this.

    http://boundaryinterfaces.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/freedom-is-an-illusion-its-overrated/

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  2. RandomCoil,

    Glad that you like it.

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  3. 讀鍾偉民的舊文,他說最愛的魚,是鮑魚這種魚,笑死我!

    「在限制內可能還有偌大的空間」--這是一種無可奈何的接受嗎?還是叫做「知足」?

    另:「晚境」的確比「晚景」更正確,「晚景」比較樂觀,不會太過悽涼。

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  4. karol,

    我也喜歡鮑魚,不過無錢吃。

    這不是無可奈何的接受,而是知所進退,奮力而為。

    我也查到「晚境」「晚景」均可。

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  5. 阿哲學家,為何魚令你想起自由,鮑魚卻只會令你想到吃呢?難道鮑魚與吃之間,只得一個等號?喜歡吃而無錢吃,是否自由受到限制之一種?鮑魚又可否享有不被吃的自由呢?

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  6. 鮑魚不是魚呀,karol!

    喜歡吃而無錢吃,當然是一種限制,但你不夠吃鮑魚的錢,你還是有自由選擇怎樣去用的。

    鮑魚被捉到了,便沒有不被吃的自由,但被捉之前還是有點自由的。

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  7. 哲學佬 Wong,

    //我也喜歡鮑魚,不過無錢吃。

    我看你是有錢不捨得吃。

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  8. yan,

    唉,給你一眼看穿了。

    不介意我問的話,你是哲學佬嗎(假定你是男人)?

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  9. Wong,

    我是男人,並且是哲學佬/牛/分子/友/家...

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  10. 鮑魚非魚,哲學家非家,怪不得白馬非馬,熊貓又不是貓,還有人不像人,鬼不像鬼,嘻嘻......Mr Wong這些是否哲學問題呢?

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  11. Maybe I am a bit older than you, that's why the issue of constraints seems quite obvious to me.

    Time to all the living would be a constraint. There are many others and apply to many to varies degrees. In that sense, an achievement is defined differently by each individual according to his/her own set of constraints. (human beings as we are)

    As such, achievements cannot be compared and so, whether one chooses to go beyond his own set and reach the limits set by his constraints, is entirely an individual choice based on needs, whether that be a basic need or a need to achieve that satisfies the spirit.

    I have great respect for philosophers and would appreciate your thoughts on the topic of "fate". I have developed a conceptual framework that's based on 中國玄學,Christianity and some thoughts from other religion. You are most welcome to comment when you have time and your comments will be highly valued.

    This is the third article, but you can find the first two in it and the final two on the right column. Thanks in Advance :)

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  12. Sorry, here is it:

    http://justlittlesomething.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/%E5%91%BD%E9%81%8B%E7%9A%84%E5%95%9F%E7%A4%BA%E4%B8%89/

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  13. JLS,

    Thanks for your comments. I am not sure I would be the best person to discuss the topic with, for I don't believe that there is such thing as fate. I will check out your articles though.

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  14. Wong,

    我邊度?我只不過是閒來讀/想哲學o既打工仔。

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  15. yan,

    難得難得。唔知點解我總係覺得你係中大嘅。

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  16. umm... 我反而羞怯於同人講我閒來讀/想哲學僻好。至少,這並不是什麼了不起的事。

    中大?有何相干呢?

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  17. yan,

    不是什麼了不起的事,但也算是好事吧。

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  18. 引述文章 [女同學] 的 comments:

    選擇是自由一種表達。 選擇的機會;權利;能力都重要。

    聽說到 2020 年,順著人口的變化,或許1/4 歐洲人會有伊斯蘭教徒家庭背景。
    catcat 不開心,覺得女同學受限制。
    不過,可能他人也覺得 catcat 受限制?

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  19. catcat,

    你竟然找到這篇舊文來留言,真令我佩服。

    人人都受限制,只不過我特別痛恨宗教給人的無謂限制。

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  20. oh...don't mean to ask for your 佩服.
    catcat wants to ask if you're concerned of 2020 issue ?

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  21. catcat,

    //聽說到 2020 年,順著人口的變化,或許1/4 歐洲人會有伊斯蘭教徒家庭背景。//

    - 如果真的如此,那就很可悲。

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  22. yes, i feel very sad about it too...

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  23. //鳥不也是被限制於空氣中嗎?// They are also not free from gravity. They can't fly 24/7 for weeks non-stop, can they?
    The comment mentioning about constraints made me think about optimization under constraints. Okay, that's math. But we can do the like in our life. In that case, it is more an art than a science. What am I talking about here. I have to take it back. I am so lazy. Optimize for what? No, it's too much work. --zpdrmn

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