Philosophy

LUFTKILOMETER Philosophy

The foundation: Plato’s World of Ideas

The basic principles of LUFTKILOMETER are found in Plato’s work. By means of many examples Plato shows his readers repeatedly, that assumptions seeming to be plausible at first can lead to contradiction very soon: all human knowledge is incomplete and it is doubtful whether any definite conclusion can be reached at all.

So why should Plato’s ideas be of use to the workability of LUFTKILOMETER if ultimately he questions everything? Plato compels those, who are willing to get involved in the subject, to rethink seemingly self-evident basic patterns of thinking and challenges them to search for the ultimate reason, for the real cause of the visible world.

The real cause is not homogeneous; it manifests itself in various parts or aspects, in Ideas that are the basis of reasonable thinking and speaking. Plato postulates a hierarchy of Ideas, in which the Ideas of Beauty and Good are at the top. Between the “real cause” and our World of Appearance lies the World of Ideas - as a mediating realm of Being. According to Plato, this “World of Ideas” really exists. Ideas are not merely useful constructions of thoughts but that “what really Is”. It is true that they have no colour, no form and no substance, but they are “eternal”, “uniform” and “everlasting”.

Access to the unreachable World of Ideas

If Ideas – and among them the “real cause” as the supreme Idea- lie beyond any empirically intelligible causality and they moreover cannot be perceived by human senses even though they really exist, the question is raised as to how their existence can be experienced at all? The way to the realm of Ideas is through irrational knowledge. Plato outlines a kind of fitness program, giving instruction on how to reach a condition of receptivity by practising philosophical exercises. This condition is essential for the truth seekers in order to “see” the Ideas in a kind of Revelation. But Plato’s requirements are so demanding that not everyone is capable of experiencing such a Revelation, and if someone is capable then only after a lot of practising.

Who can find the TIME for practising?

Admittedly, the prospects are quite frustrating, if we consider that we might not be able to take the last steps towards our goal after having gone a long and hard way of practising. Does it then make any sense for the individual to even start the journey? And even if we answered the question with “Yes”, would we have enough TIME for practising? The preliminary exercises are based on rational thinking and philosophizing; after indulging in physical beauty, focus has to be shifted to science and rationality. Rationality, however, is still not sufficient for reaching the ultimate truth. Dialectic discussion in the sense of a well- regulated discourse is nonetheless of vital importance, as it prepares the “Soul’s eye” for “seeing” the Ideas.

Knowledge, Opinion and Madness

In emphasizing the irrational nature of true understanding, Plato mentions a criterion for distinction between knowledge and opinion: only that which is conceptually definable is true knowledge, everything else is belief or opinion; yet Plato argues that language is basically insufficient for conveying thoughts and ideas and thus cannot serve as an instrument for evaluating truth content. Consequently the knowledge of Ideas cannot be conveyed in an objective way. According to Plato, the ultimate truth cannot be fully understood rationally as it always contains a spark of divine madness (“Irrationality”), which is of higher value than human wisdom.

LUFTKILOMETER – Impulse for the Idea

The LUFTKILOMETER is a building derived from Plato’s assumed realm of immaterial, eternal and unchanging entities, the Ideas. Contrary to the pure Idea, this building has a certain form: from a circular base of 112, 8 mm in diameter a cylindrical construct of ideas rises to a height of 1000 m.

A person who is blessed with the right aptitude, who has in-depth practice especially in science and in right thinking and who has already had a kind of enlightenment experience, would immediately understand the idea of such a LUFTKILOMETER. Someone less experienced in general has difficulties with the position uncertainty inherent to an idea when trying to grasp the idea solely rationally or to convey it in an objective way.

Thus the LUFTKILOMETER is provided with a base plate of 112, 8 mm in outer diameter, which represents the rational basis of the LUFTKILOMETER and indicates its existence (see image).

LUFTKILOMETER base plate

Building regulation for air buildings needed!

So if accessing the world of ideas requires so much effort, then probably only a few people are aware of the impact that the use of ideas can have on their environment. Any air castle that someone builds- thoughtlessly or consciously- within the living space of a third (or second) person, could have an effect on that third (or second) person, even if the latter was not able to perceive the phenomenon. Now it is normally inherent to air castles that they are related to something beautiful and pleasant, thus encounters with air castles certainly have positive effects on the one being confronted with them. On the other hand, we repeatedly discover air buildings and tissues of lies which are filled with something unpleasant, with worries, pain or deception. It is necessary to protect ourselves from their influence, and this can be effectively ensured only by a stringent building law for air buildings.

The LUFTKILOMETER project wants to initiate the establishment of controlled conditions in the air building industry and the promotion of irrational competence. 50 Luftkilometer will be placed at various locations and their impact on the environment will be observed in a long- term study.

A condition precedent to putting up a LUFTKILOMETER on someone’s premises is the consent of the property owner. This approval implies that at least on the spot where the LUFTKILOMETER stands freedom of thought is granted and that within the 10m³ volume of the LUFTKILOMETER irrationality is permitted without restrictions.