The good thing about studying philosophy is that it opened me up to other trains of thought that I never would have considered. But this doesn't mean that I am going to model my mind or my life after any of them.
In the end, you make your own philosophy.
Philosophy - is it worth the bother?
by Abaddon 28 Replies latest jw friends
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LongHairGal
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willy_think
Irongland
I see the validly of your statement, but to me the main argument is in the definitions not in what fallows. If we are in complete agreement as to what something is, like right, wrong or love for example then what follows is a matter of classification not philosophy.
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Narkissos
Inasmuch as we claim to think anything -- it is worth learning how thinking is done around us and was done before us. Most instances of so-called "non-philosophical thinking" are nothing but poor philosophy, just as "non-theological religious teaching" (e.g. JWs) is very often poor theology.
The way from religion to philosophy is a somewhat frustrating -- perhaps ascetic -- one for some. At first we might come to a great philosopher as we once came to a prophet or a Messiah, to a system as to a revealed Truth -- we've gotta learn to tread lighter.
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Pole
I'm with Narkissos on this one.
What my philosophy classes have taught me is that you can't escape philosophy. Ideologies which claim to reject "philosophy" do so to divert attention from the quality of their own petty patchwork "philosophies" which don't even begin to compare with the ones that get trashed.
Pole -
talesin
It's really good for those who need to learn critical thinking skills, and logic. I think you're already ahead of the game in those things, though.
The other thing about philosophy, in my opinion, is that it is just interesting! What is existentialism? nihilism? Do we have a soul? Is abortion wrong, and how do we feel about the violinist? How would you solve the prisoner's dilemma? How do we determine ethics? Reading philosophy really exposed me to different viewpoints, in a way that would not have otherwise happened.
You may enjoy it, Abaddon, for you seem to be like me, in that you are a sponge who has a real thirst for knowledge, and enjoys having his brain stimulated.
If you take a course, you will do really well, as the term papers are based on presenting a sound argument, using logic and reason.
tal
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jaffacake
Having just touched on it briefly, recently, I think anything that makes you consider different ways of thinking, and many viewpoints, must be a positive thing. Lets face it, no one philosopher is correct. I don't think anyone who studies philosophy could become a JW for example (I bet someone proves me wrong on this) Some aspects of science have taken over where philosophy started to run out of explanations, especially in the last 20 years or so.
For me, dipping my toe is enough, however.
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Siddhashunyata
Can't understand why "poppers" post is being overlooked . Are we still so far away from understanding that the problem is the "thinking process" itself . There is more in direct perception than in all the philosophies that have ever been and will ever be..
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inquirer
"My philosophy is ENJOY."
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talesin
Siddha,
If you read Ab's initial post, you will know the answer to your question. :D
There's a big difference between reading/studying philosophy for educational/fun purposes, and looking for 'the answer'. I happen to agree with poppers, but I was answering the query, which was "what reasons would people give for wanting to read philosophy".
I find reading philosophy from time to time to be quite a bit of fun ... by the way, how did you arrive at your conclusions regarding life and the universe? Did it just 'come to you' as you reached the age of reason? Or did you, perhaps, begin by educating yourself about different schools of thought?
tal
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Siddhashunyata
talespin, your right ,all of it can be done and enjoyed . I go on binges with all these things but they do not resolve the conflict that is within me, so I always return to what is being overlooked. The present
Experiencing Ego death at the age of 28, bringing that insight into Jehovah's Witnesses and subjecting myself to the Governing Body as something I could do because of knowing this fundamental truth, led to a full understanding of the fallacy of Belief without Ego death. As a Witness, I became a "believer" in every sense of the word however I noticed that my belief made me an "actor" whereas Ego death transformed me. There was no peace in "acting" only anxiety.
After much suffering , it became clear that I was in the wrong place simply because of the insight about Ego death.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Krishnamurti, D.T. Suzuki, Alan Watts, Nagarjuna, Jesus Christ, St Francis, William Blake,Spinoza,Ingersoll, William James, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Aldos Huxley,Mark Twain, The Tibetan Book of the Dead : All of these have helped , especially Krishnamurti.
As children the unity of life was palpable. That fact, which is in our memory,is still right in front of us. Perceiving it changes everything , including our philosophy.
The quality of lifes oneness, which is palpable to children, comes from their feeling the relationship of the world of "relatives" to the Absolute World which is the Source. When we separate these we are like children touching only a single point on a rod instead of like children touching the point as well as the entire rod. Perception is like that.
I understand the suffering we are going through and have tried , from the beginning , to point a way out. I see others trying to help. I'm sorry if I misunderstood your post, I'm always trying to get that one point across... the problem is in the mechanism we are using to solve the problem...Thinking. We don't have to disgard it permanantly, just long enough to uncover its wily ways.