'Why Study Philosophy'

[Corazon]

Why study philosophy? In my opinion, philosophy helps you to better your life.
Some philosophers were really wise. Not all of them but the most ancient are good role models for all of us ( Buddha, Lao-Tse, Socrates, Plato, The Stoics...and many others)

 

[midcan5]

A philosopher picks his favorite Americans of the 20th Century

http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2018/10/my-five-favorite-americans-of-the-20th-century.htm

'My five favorite Americans of the 20th-century'

1. Eugene Debs. Stalwart if unsuccessful socialist agitator for an alternative to devotion to the market.

2. H.L. Mencken. Merciless critic of religious, patriotic and other bullshit, with his own parochial prejudices to be sure, but a great writer who punched up, down, and sideways without apology.

3. A. Philip Randolph. The most important labor and civil rights leader of the century, who made MLK possible, and who always championed, from the beginning, the interdependence of racial and economic progress.

4. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He betrayed his class and saved America from fascism and probably saved the world from the Nazis. The Reagan reaction of the last forty years was against his vision for social democracy.

5. Bayard Rustin. He organized the 1963 March on Washington, and worked with A. Philip Randolph on behalf of the same goals: Randolph and Rustin were a team. He did all this as a gay African-American, and in the face of enormous bigotry both within and outside the movement. A person of enormous dignity and courage, whom I had the privilege to interview in the early 1980s. I will never forget it.

Your favorites? Comments may take awhile to appear, so post only once! But I'm curious to hear from readers and I will require you to post with your full name and valid e-mail address

Usually I would select writers or artists but this time I selected people who actually did good things for all Americans.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Harry S. Truman
Jimmy Carter
Pete Seeger

History of Philosophy - Summarized & Visualized

An interactive summary of the history of philosophy showing the dis/agreement relationships between ideas

www.denizcemonduygu.com

 

[Unkotare]

fdr? "For all Americans"? What a crock of shit.

 

[task0778]

Jimmy Carter? Really? What a crock of shit.

 

[denmark]

fdr? "For all Americans"? What a crock of shit.

Maybe I missed it in your previous posts, but who is YOUR favorite “philosopher”?

 

[denmark]

Jimmy Carter? Really? What a crock of shit.

Same question as my previous post.
Who is YOUR favorite philosopher?

 

[Unkotare]

fdr? "For all Americans"? What a crock of shit.

Maybe I missed it in your previous posts, but who is YOUR favorite “philosopher”?

It's not a flavor of ice cream.

 

[DrLove]

I often read that students should study some field of knowledge that leads to productive work. But consider that my eventual working world did not even exist when I started college. My degree was eventually in Liberal Arts as I was never sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. When you examine the degrees of many of the national leaders in technology or business, their degree is often not related to their work. How is that, some even dropped out of school. So then maybe we need to ask what makes a person a good citizen and a productive member of society. Could it be a liberal education steeped in philosophy?

"Is a liberal arts education for everyone? Probably not. Some people would rather do just about anything than major in philosophy, and that is fine. But a liberal arts education forms students to be a thoughtful and concerned citizens, and that is the subtext here. Educated, concerned citizens arent going to sit back and let the economic elite run the show. McCrory can critique the educated elite all that he wants, but when you pal around with the likes of Art Pope you really have no business accusing anyone else of elitism.

McCrory himself studied political science and education. Bennett, who was interviewing him, has a PhD in you guessed it philosophy. The underlying assumption appears to be that if youre part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If youre lower or middle class, the public institutions that are supposed to be part of the mythical American dream, that level playing field, should only offer courses in skilled trades. Wealthy young people will get a liberal arts education. Poor and middle class young people will choose a trade."

Femmonite: Notes from an Employed Philosopher

Smart post - WoW, 7 years old? Dang! Yes, I was also one of those kids who when I hit college, had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up and hence went Liberal Arts. One of the things I became very interested in was both Eastern & Western philosophy. It didn't make me more money (thankfully i was good at sales) but it added substantially to my life and understanding of people.

Make the subject MANDATORY at the high school level. That and Government/Civics classes - You know, the one's Trump skipped.

 

[DrLove]

Jimmy Carter? Really? What a crock of shit.

Same question as my previous post.
Who is YOUR favorite philosopher?

Get it that the question isn't for me, but I'll answer it anyway
To me, Jiddu was one of the great minds of the 20th century. One of John Lennon's favorites also.

J. Krishnamurti Quotes (Author of Freedom from the Known)

1078 quotes from J. Krishnamurti: 'It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.', 'The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.', and 'You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must...

www.goodreads.com

 

[Corazon]

Jimmy Carter? Really? What a crock of shit.

Same question as my previous post.
Who is YOUR favorite philosopher?

I know you didn't ask me denmark but I want to answer anyway
My favorite philosphers are:
1) the Stoics
2) Epicurus
3) (last but not least) Arthur Schopenhauer

 

[denmark]

Currently, my favorite “modern” philosophers are Rousseau and Bertrand Russell.
Favorite Ancient philosophers are Socrates and Epicurus.

 

[midcan5]

A few links for the interested reader.

'Is there anything especially expert about being a philosopher?'

Is there anything especially expert about being a philosopher? | Aeon Ideas

How useful is a career in philosophy? As useful – and hard – as engineering, technology or science, but only if done right

aeon.co

'Is our universe fine-tuned for the existence of life – or does it just look that way from where we’re sitting?'

Why does our Universe appear specially made for us? | Aeon Essays

Is our Universe fine-tuned for the existence of life – or does it just look that way from where we’re sitting?

aeon.co

'Philosopher Tim Maudlin sees advances in free will, morality and the meaning of quantum mechanics'

Philosophy Has Made Plenty of Progress

Philosopher Tim Maudlin sees advances in free will, morality and the meaning of quantum mechanics

blogs.scientificamerican.com

The Defeat of Reason - Boston Review

Two new books—one on quantum physics, one on Thomas Kuhn—seek to reestablish the authority of reason and evidence.

bostonreview.net

 

[Unkotare]

How many people who cry "useless degree!" over and over and over could actually complete the work to successfully earn a degree in Philosophy?

 

[midcan5]

"We set ourselves to achieve a society which would be maximally-tolerant. But that resolve not only gives maximum scope to the activities of those who have set themselves to achieve the maximally-intolerant society. It also, and more importantly, paralyzes our powers of resistance to them." David Stove

We Americans collect so much stuff, for me it is books, so instead of collecting dust, I have been donating or giving them away to others. But as I was going through them I picked up David Stove's book and of course couldn't put it down. Bad habit. He forces me / us to think a bit harder about some topics and even when you disagree and call him our contemporary pejoratives, your thoughts are modified. In today's America, our so called conservative thinkers are simply followers, David Frum is an exception, but Stove will force you to think. Since labels are only labels check him out.

"To explain something is to explain why things are not otherwise. But there can be no explaining why something is not otherwise, which could not be otherwise." David Stove

Against the Idols of the Age

Little known outside his native Australia, David Stove was one of the most illuminating and brilliant philo-sophical essayists of the pos...

www.goodreads.com

 

[esalla]

I often read that students should study some field of knowledge that leads to productive work. But consider that my eventual working world did not even exist when I started college. My degree was eventually in Liberal Arts as I was never sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. When you examine the degrees of many of the national leaders in technology or business, their degree is often not related to their work. How is that, some even dropped out of school. So then maybe we need to ask what makes a person a good citizen and a productive member of society. Could it be a liberal education steeped in philosophy?

"Is a liberal arts education for everyone? Probably not. Some people would rather do just about anything than major in philosophy, and that is fine. But a liberal arts education forms students to be a thoughtful and concerned citizens, and that is the subtext here. Educated, concerned citizens arent going to sit back and let the economic elite run the show. McCrory can critique the educated elite all that he wants, but when you pal around with the likes of Art Pope you really have no business accusing anyone else of elitism.

McCrory himself studied political science and education. Bennett, who was interviewing him, has a PhD in you guessed it philosophy. The underlying assumption appears to be that if youre part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If youre lower or middle class, the public institutions that are supposed to be part of the mythical American dream, that level playing field, should only offer courses in skilled trades. Wealthy young people will get a liberal arts education. Poor and middle class young people will choose a trade."

Femmonite: Notes from an Employed Philosopher

Philosophy kicks in where science leaves off so dumb shits can have fake answers to the unanswered

 

[Votto]

"We set ourselves to achieve a society which would be maximally-tolerant. But that resolve not only gives maximum scope to the activities of those who have set themselves to achieve the maximally-intolerant society. It also, and more importantly, paralyzes our powers of resistance to them." David Stove

We Americans collect so much stuff, for me it is books, so instead of collecting dust, I have been donating or giving them away to others. But as I was going through them I picked up David Stove's book and of course couldn't put it down. Bad habit. He forces me / us to think a bit harder about some topics and even when you disagree and call him our contemporary pejoratives, your thoughts are modified. In today's America, our so called conservative thinkers are simply followers, David Frum is an exception, but Stove will force you to think. Since labels are only labels check him out.

"To explain something is to explain why things are not otherwise. But there can be no explaining why something is not otherwise, which could not be otherwise." David Stove

Against the Idols of the Age

Little known outside his native Australia, David Stove was one of the most illuminating and brilliant philo-sophical essayists of the pos...

www.goodreads.com

Hilarious!

So Conservatives are the followers as they rub up against the cancel culture and group think.

Ever been shouted down by a Leftist retard at a major university because they felt threatened about your worldview?

 

[Unkotare]

...
Philosophy kicks in where science leaves off ...

Philosophy is the father of all science. Without it, there is no direction or purpose to any other science, and no meaning to any results of the blind groping of scientific inquiry.

 

[denmark]

I often read that students should study some field of knowledge that leads to productive work. But consider that my eventual working world did not even exist when I started college. My degree was eventually in Liberal Arts as I was never sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. When you examine the degrees of many of the national leaders in technology or business, their degree is often not related to their work. How is that, some even dropped out of school. So then maybe we need to ask what makes a person a good citizen and a productive member of society. Could it be a liberal education steeped in philosophy?

"Is a liberal arts education for everyone? Probably not. Some people would rather do just about anything than major in philosophy, and that is fine. But a liberal arts education forms students to be a thoughtful and concerned citizens, and that is the subtext here. Educated, concerned citizens arent going to sit back and let the economic elite run the show. McCrory can critique the educated elite all that he wants, but when you pal around with the likes of Art Pope you really have no business accusing anyone else of elitism.

McCrory himself studied political science and education. Bennett, who was interviewing him, has a PhD in you guessed it philosophy. The underlying assumption appears to be that if youre part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If youre lower or middle class, the public institutions that are supposed to be part of the mythical American dream, that level playing field, should only offer courses in skilled trades. Wealthy young people will get a liberal arts education. Poor and middle class young people will choose a trade."

Femmonite: Notes from an Employed Philosopher

Philosophy kicks in where science leaves off so dumb shits can have fake answers to the unanswered

Before “modern science”, philosophy and science were in the same academic boat.
Science used to be called “natural philosophy” a few hundred years ago.
Since they diverged, philosophy is the basis of scientific thought and methodology.
For example, there is Philosophy of Science, and Science itself.

 

[denmark]

"We set ourselves to achieve a society which would be maximally-tolerant. But that resolve not only gives maximum scope to the activities of those who have set themselves to achieve the maximally-intolerant society. It also, and more importantly, paralyzes our powers of resistance to them." David Stove

We Americans collect so much stuff, for me it is books, so instead of collecting dust, I have been donating or giving them away to others. But as I was going through them I picked up David Stove's book and of course couldn't put it down. Bad habit. He forces me / us to think a bit harder about some topics and even when you disagree and call him our contemporary pejoratives, your thoughts are modified. In today's America, our so called conservative thinkers are simply followers, David Frum is an exception, but Stove will force you to think. Since labels are only labels check him out.

"To explain something is to explain why things are not otherwise. But there can be no explaining why something is not otherwise, which could not be otherwise." David Stove

Against the Idols of the Age

Little known outside his native Australia, David Stove was one of the most illuminating and brilliant philo-sophical essayists of the pos...

www.goodreads.com

"To explain something is to explain why things are not otherwise.“

The above makes sense.
Below? Convoluted.

“But there can be no explaining why something is not otherwise, which could not be otherwise.”

 

[esalla]

I often read that students should study some field of knowledge that leads to productive work. But consider that my eventual working world did not even exist when I started college. My degree was eventually in Liberal Arts as I was never sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. When you examine the degrees of many of the national leaders in technology or business, their degree is often not related to their work. How is that, some even dropped out of school. So then maybe we need to ask what makes a person a good citizen and a productive member of society. Could it be a liberal education steeped in philosophy?

"Is a liberal arts education for everyone? Probably not. Some people would rather do just about anything than major in philosophy, and that is fine. But a liberal arts education forms students to be a thoughtful and concerned citizens, and that is the subtext here. Educated, concerned citizens arent going to sit back and let the economic elite run the show. McCrory can critique the educated elite all that he wants, but when you pal around with the likes of Art Pope you really have no business accusing anyone else of elitism.

McCrory himself studied political science and education. Bennett, who was interviewing him, has a PhD in you guessed it philosophy. The underlying assumption appears to be that if youre part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If youre lower or middle class, the public institutions that are supposed to be part of the mythical American dream, that level playing field, should only offer courses in skilled trades. Wealthy young people will get a liberal arts education. Poor and middle class young people will choose a trade."

Femmonite: Notes from an Employed Philosopher

Philosophy kicks in where science leaves off so dumb shits can have fake answers to the unanswered

Before “modern science”, philosophy and science were in the same academic boat.
Science used to be called “natural philosophy” a few hundred years ago.
Since they diverged, philosophy is the basis of scientific thought and methodology.
For example, there is Philosophy of Science, and Science itself.

Philosophy is BS when thinking science. As I said philosophy is now a way for stupid liberal professors to deny God and teach communist manifestos