Elves -
[This
text assumes (and this includes the text itself) that 'emotions'
(and everything derived from 'emotions') are 'subjective' and
that a concept such as 'objective' is relatively meaningless.
{Actually there is a connection between the concepts
emotions-subjectiveness-relativity and
nonemotions-objectiveness-absoluteness. Therefore both literally
and figuratively 'objective' has no meaning 'relatively'.}
Some concepts may seem to be objective despite being derivable to
emotions. Those concepts are still not objective, but they are
inter-subjective...]
Note:
- Don't dig too deep in the above reasonings :)
Elvish philosophies
Elvish Philosophies (excerpts from the
journals of Garth [- you may have travelled with him in Dark
Age])
"I have never
encountered a people like the elves. They are so utterly
different from the other intelligent races in Acathia. I remember
having heard of them by some sailors in a tavern in Port Kyrin
(in the western parts of a land called Karn). I had been
searching for the means of bringing my friend Darill back to
life. All I had left of him after 15 years since his death were
the memories of when we had been children, playing fondly in
Iceguard, where we were born and raised..."
"Elves are an exceptionally uncommon sight nowadays. They
seem to have vanished from human populated lands and I have no
idea as to why...
The sailors in the tavern were speaking of an Elvish Book of
Wisdom. This book was rumoured to contain all knowledge of
life..."
"If this is true, then I must find it. There must be
something written about retrieving the dead..."
"The sea journey to find the elves was long and arduous. It
started with the problems to hire a daring crew..."
[Later notes -
much later...]
"So, what are the elves like", you may be asking me.
Well they are different in every imaginable way, and this is
because their emotional lives are different from ours.
It varies between species just like everything else, like eye
sight for example. Did you know that insects can see colours
which we can't? Yes, indeed, in their 'eyes', flowers look
entirely different and because insects travel around pollinating
flowers, the flowers have focused on these colours (- many
flowers are beautiful in the colours we can see too).
I have been told that these 'invisible' colours are very
spectacular (= emotional)...
It is the same thing about other impressions (- 'Impressions'
trigger 'Emotions').
Elves feel differently and though many of their emotions seem
like ours, there are many which are not.
I learned much from them during my 4 year stay (- I will return
to the elves, but dangers are again knocking on the door), and
the first thing I was taught was that all behaviour has
consequences, like any other happenings in nature. Cultures and
traditions are made up from interacting, collective behaviours
where (in the human cases) rules have been established in an
attempt to guide and restrict. This is, according to the elves
(and now myself), a sign that something has gone wrong - an
abstract, outside set of rules should not be called for... rather
an insight in what life is about and a firm base which...
Cultures are not static, though. As the environment changes, so
will the culture. Even though changes are not fast, cultures and
traditions are dynamic...
The elves think that emotions
are the corner stones of life. Without emotions there would not
be life. Emotions are what motivates life to live and to develop.
Of special interest to the elves, has been to search for original
primitive emotions. Something which could be considered a
foundation from which mind and behaviour has developed. It seems
as if 'self preservation' was this base. This is coherent with
the elvish life hypotheses. Those include for example that 'the
meaning of life is the preservation of life'...
The foundation evolved differently depending on species and
environment. At first, it seems as it gave way for early base
emotions such as 'Egoism', coupled with 'Hunger', 'Fear', 'Love',
'Anger' and so.
(- compare with colours and the ranges, shades and intensities of
those; there are three base colours; Red, Yellow, Blue. Emotions
can further be symbolized as mixable and this will create a
flexible emotional status)
'Egoistically' shaded emotions were part of and furthered a
'competitive' environment.
'Competition' seems to be a common and unsophisticated form of
maintaining a kind of balance in nature.
In the competitive environment a reaction (or other approach)
appeared.
It was using other 'shades, intensities and ranges' of emotions
where an emotion of 'Altruism' permeated (ie instead of
'Egoism').
(-'Egoism' and 'Altruism' are like the same base colour but on
opposite sides of the range of the base colour)
This 'Altruism' emotion has tainted the elvish minds. They don't
have an active 'egoistic' emotion and to us (- as in humans) this
is very strange.
The Elves, however, think that if nature develops intelligent
beings who are capable of drastically changing the nature, then
these beings must not be too egoistically inclined, because if
they are, they will destroy the balance in nature... on the other
hand, Black Dragons (-they are the first (and most) tainted by
the 'egoism' emotion) think the same about Altruism, so we have
the 'good' vs 'evil' thing here, again.
...Further, I learned about 'the behavioural system':
In the foundation there are emotions. These are prerequisites for
a conciousness and a language (body and/or any other). Language
will develop a parallell (to emotions) conciousness of thoughts.
Thoughts will develop reasoning. Reasoning will (partly) control
behaviour.
On the other side we have the emotions, (again) also (partly)
controlling behaviour. Emotions can be balanced and harmonized by
using different mental techniques, known to the elves.
I have thought about it and I think it could be displayed like
this (- pardon any crudenesses):
Language <-> Thoughts <-> Reasoning <->
/ ------------------------------------------------------------
Behaviour <-> (if the individuals are socially inclined)
<-> Society*
Emotions <-> Balancing, Harmonizing <->
*: including culture and traditions. Many arrows are two way
arrows, meaning that they can affect each other mutually (like
feedback or learning).
One might wonder if emotions can be introduced/removed. I think
not - unless one uses magic ('advanced engineering') or over
time. Having short life cycles enables for faster changes with
future generations. Elves (as a species) change much slower
because of their very long life cycles. They seldom have more
than two children. On the other hand, I don't think that elves
need to change any further...
Now, as I sad, Altruism is a major factor in the elvish minds,
whereas Egoism is a strong factor in human minds.
Human emotions are (furthermore) not being balanced properly
which gives them an instable behaviour and this is why humans are
regarded as primitive by the elves (- despite any human
'technological' advances).
"What about their society", you may ask. I'm coming
there now:
Societies are classified according to 'who rules' and 'in who's
interest the ruling is'.
Note that these are only definitions of ideal concepts. There are
many kingdoms in Acathia who claim to be 'Monarchies' but are
more inclined to 'Tyranny', for example.
One ruler & selfish interest (egoism) -> Tyranny
One ruler & for the good of all* (altruism) -> Monarchy**
Minority & selfish interest -> Oligarchy
Minority & for the good of all* -> Aristocracy**
Majority & selfish interest -> Democracy
Majority & for the good of all* -> Politeia**
*: within the society, that is.
**: This society is extremely rare and often considered utopian
by humans. I have read ancient scrolls about them, though.
While the humans are spread along these base societies, the elves
are either Monarchy, Aristocracy or Politeia but with the
addition of 'for the good of all life', which means that they see
themselves as protectors of life and are concerned with the
balance of everything they perceive. Obviously, this demands a
certain emotional life and will not work if you are too egoistic
and self absorbed.
Elves have extremely long lives (compared to other intelligent
beings) and this may be a factor as to why they have evolved such
a unique emotional life.
In the elvish language, this 'Altruistically' tainted emotional
life is reflected by (for example) the absence of concepts like
'to own' and possessive pronouns like 'mine, yours', but not
concepts like violence (- even though elves try not to be
violent), etc.
An 'egoistically' based resource managing/exploiting
system/behaviour (eg: like the common human trade
system/behaviour) is also nonexistant. Among elves there is no
'competition' and this may seem strange to other more
'egoistically' inclined species.
'Altruistic' motivations further yield a society which has the
'good' side of being (for example) 'secure' and without
'proneness to corruption' which further strengthens a stable
emotional life...
But the conflict between Black Dragons and Elves is not the only
conflict. A new side has appeared - The Undead!
How do the Undead perceive things? Do they feel/think? Why do
they fight us? Can they be reasoned with?
Well, as I am on my way to Count Karstein, I guess I will get an
answer soon...
[End of Elvish
Philosophies (Journals of Garth)]