Maslow, Self-Actualizing, and Creation
Maslow felt that psychology had spent too much time focusing on the sick and psychologically disturbed and decided to start studying individuals he believed to be self-actualizing. A self actualizing individual was explained by Maslow as being outstanding humans. They are people who have a number of extremely desirable characteristics, however, this does not leave them without fault. Even people who are strong, give into the lesser of human characteristics. Maslow grouped people into the self-actualizing catagory if he felt they were above the average man.
I want to take this idea Maslow had of ideal characteristics and apply it to what I think God had in mind when he began creating humans. I know Maslow only thinks the above average individual can achieve self-actualization, but what if we are all capable of being above average? I want to focus on a couple of the characteristics Maslow thinks are particularly important.
I like the idea of being independent of environment and culture. I think it can go along with God calling us to be in the world but not of the world. I also like the idea of perceiving reality accurately and fully. God tells us that we can live life to the fullest because he sent his son for us. If we were to perceive that reality accurately and fully, our lives would be so much more meaningful just from that.
What if we look back at what God created us for and try to become self-actualizing Christians?
Maddy Spell on Kierkegaard and Humanity
7:20 pm, 10.07.13
That is a really good point! I like how you explained your thinking in each of the stages. He is hard to categorize since his concepts cover such a large amount of information. I felt like this was a great way to categorize him.
Maddy Spell on Kierkegaard: Creation or Redemption?
7:17 pm, 10.07.13
I agree with you connecting this to redemption. The idea of redemption is something that can be used in figuring out your self. Figuring out who an individual is on the inside is a large part of existentialism. I would not have thought of this, had you not said it, I think it was an awesome connection.
Maddy Spell on Goethe and Redemption
7:12 pm, 10.07.13
This is a great connection to redemption. The only way we have the ability to live life with passion and the ability to grow is because of redemption. Bad can turn to good with redemption, so we are able to lead a “good” life if we choose to.
Maddy Spell on Francisco Petrarch
8:47 pm, 09.22.13
The influence of and on people is a great thing to apply to redemption. You did a great job applying Petrarch and explaining your choice in redemption.
Maddy Spell on
8:44 pm, 09.22.13
I really like the way you applied Averroes to this assignment. You made me think about these concepts in a way that I have not before. Great Job!
Maddy Spell on The "Jewish Plato"
8:38 pm, 09.22.13
I really like the way you thought to apply this. Knowledge goes well with the thought of creation. Philo’s understanding of knowledge coming from God, goes along with everything coming from God. I would not have thought to use him in this assignment, so great job!
Maddy Spell on Epicureanism and Redemption
11:36 pm, 09.09.13
Kasey, that was a wonderful way to apply what we have learned to the blog prompt. I feel like gaining knowledge about the world and ones self comes with living, and living comes with failing at things. Without redemption, once we failed that would be it. I agree that redemption is necessary in attaining the “good life”, at least in respect to what I want out of life.
Maddy Spell on Plato, Creation, and The Fall
11:31 pm, 09.09.13
I really enjoyed what you had to say about creation. It was a great place to interject some of Plato’s theories. I love that you are making me think about things beyond the facts that we are given. Great application of the concepts we are learning!
Maddy Spell on Aristotle- Creation
11:26 pm, 09.09.13
Lindsey, yes! I love the way you applied this. For some reason, I had not thought about Aristotle and the exact question of “what are we doing here”. He was so curious about understanding the base of who and what we are, it is great to connect that to creation.