Essence Vs. Action in Determining Principles
There is such a thing as overpreparing, but no such thing as overpreparedness overall.
This is because over preparing is a matter of actions taken, for example accumulating supplies and planning countermeasures to foreseen catastrophes, things which are quantifiable and can be done to excess. Overpreparedness is holistically impossible, because part of being prepared overall is to be prepared to be unprepared for those things that do not require preparation.
This clarifies the distinction between some types of principles--like preparedness--and the actions taken according to such principles, which more clearly resemble overpreparing. The essence of unity and wholeness is only superficially or practically related to progress, if progress is only seen as the essence of action.
In other words, while holistic progress may take the form of action, it depends on something else for its essence. We would do well to attend to the essence before we assume the shape of success, since the shape is the symbol, and once we take the symbolic form, we have the obligations of the good even if we are not good ourselves.
Many principles are a form of preparedness, a way of managing action through essence. Thus, like prepardness they have an active form which can be done to excess, and an essential form that is moral, because it sustains meaning.
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The preceding, as well as all other parts of Nathan's Philosophy and Writing are pending copyright (c) 2006, Nathan Coppedge
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