philosophy

What is the single most important purpose and function of philosophy? In another thread someone said that philosophy is not about truth, that it's neither true nor false. If the objective isn't truth then what is it? Philosophy The search for wisdom. The rational investigation of...

Philosophy The discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology. The general beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group. Popular Appealing to a majority of people. Accepted by or prevalent among the people in general. By philosophy I...

Having touched upon some elements in another thread that I've now abandoned, I thought I'd bring some useful parts of it here to pose a question. If you were going to have Philosophy and Ethics as a post-compulsory subject taught to students in Years 11 and 12 (essentially, the final two years...

Perhaps I am wrong, but my understanding is that lottery winnings are taxable in the US. Now, suppose that there is a "Lunch with a Celebrity" lottery. There are some particular celebrities who have contracts with the lottery organization. The winner of the lottery gets to choose any one of...

What Philosophies to you subscribe yourself to? Cynicism, Materialism, Naturalism, Skepticism, and Existentialism are the schools of thought I subscribe to.

For those who may be interested, the first issue of an online philosophy e-zine is now available, called Esophy. It is an attempt to offer new perspectives in philosophy, which I think is quite a challenge. I am partly plugging it because I am one of the contributors, with an article titled...

The Philosophy of LotusMegami 1. There exists a “some-thing” which is doing the observing. 2. All that is perceived is internal, therefore perception is all that exists. 3. No human consciousness can comprehend the underlying order of the Universe, whether an external Universe exists or...

Does philosophy evolve in a linear way, like science and technology, going from the simpler or cruder to the more complex and sophisticated, or does it do something else entirely? Is it possible that the history of philosophy has been one of slow regression?

I would like for you to boil your philosophy into 10 sentences, numbered like so: 1. 2. 3. Etc... I see that you're getting a beating over in PSA's thread and you say that everyone is leagues behind you. So, spell it out simply, like you might for a 3 year old. Ten sentences, make it coherent...

The customs/culture of one's country and it's laws are never in sync with personal beliefs. There are always areas of disagreement and disharmony. If very serious conflicts between your country's policies or culture and your philosophy or religious values/ideals developed, would you renounce...

2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. 2:3 [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also...

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Does every individual need a personal philosophy? Why or why not? Is it possible to live without one? I've been thinking about my personal philosophy, and it's hard to identify. For most people, they don't follow an established or formal philosophy, it's more of an ad hoc type (improvised...

What do you consider to be the most dangerous or worst idea in philosophy/theology? I think one is "original sin". The idea that man is fatally flawed by things outside his control, Adam and Eve's behavior that tainted mankind forever, unless you obey a church's teachings you are hopeless etc...

I find it interesting that some here put themselves (occasionally) and others (frequently) in distinct philosophical camps. You're a materialist, a theist, an empiricist etc. Pretty obviously, no person fits into a single philosophical mold (or mould, for you Brits). When I speak of "my...

I have only been a member of this forum for a short while in comparison to many others, lifegazer included, but I have noticed that with a few notable exceptions, those who debate lifegazer tend to be relative newbies, indicating that he is adept at wearing out those who would disagree with him...

Is there any philosophy that you see holding a more/less popular position in the world today? I think that marxism is on the wane from a once high position. Religion is decreasing, specifically metaphysics, in popularity in most of the world. Probably due to the increasingly important role of...

Simply put, if one's political and philosophical views are based on genetics, which the evidence suggests, strongly - is there any real point in discussing politics with anyone? How many people do you know that defined themselves as definitely liberal/conservative/whichever and then switched...

Is there one philosopher that you think is the greatest/wisest? I keep coming back to Aristotle because of the rational, systematic way he dealt with the major questions. And the lack of mysticism, which is just stupid in philosophy. I guess rationalism or empiricism would be my pick for...

Explain your answers, unless "you" means "lifegazer", in which case we've heard it ad Nauseum already.

Interesting Ian claims that Math is a philosophy. I claim it is a science. I acknowledge that there are such things as mathematical philosophies, but mathematics, I think, is a science. Surely, looking up the definition across the internet, it appears that it is a science; and the texts I...

Hey all, I have a question that I’d like to be tackled from the philosophical POV. I’m not going to judge right or wrong, moral or immoral, but this has been digging at my brain for awhile. From talking to atheists here and IRL, the general consensus seems to be when you die, that’s it, you’re...

This post could have gone either in this Philosophy forum, or in the science forum. Anyway, people often say that philosophy is BS or mental masturbation, that it doesn't do anything, is worthless, etc. Well, I think our big brains, brought about by evolution, enable us to be more...

Slightly inflamatory thread heading so as to generate some interest! I posted this elsewhere and was wondering if someone could help with philosophy 101. This has always fascinated me. Science I can understand because by understanding the way things work/behave/are we can improve our lives...

The stage is yours lifegazer. please give us your sound and fury.

In this thread (sorry, I have no idea how to link an individual post), Lifegazer makes the comment that science cannot know certain things (namely, what caused the Big Bang and what was its reason), but philosophy can. I am not entirely sure what he is getting at, but it raises a question for...

If I had to choose one philosopher that has contributed more to elevate the role of philosophy then I would have to choose Wittgenstein. By rejecting the traditional conception that philosophy was supposed to provide answers to universal questions such as what is the nature of reality?, does...

Ian's thread on the Newcomb problem has me wondering: Is philosophy always like that? Does it just swirl around in a muddy vortex of wordplay, with participants commenting on each other's papers with no hope of making any real progress? Has it been like this for thousands of years? Are we...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, without speaking, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the...

I note that certain posters invoke philosophical arguments to advance positions on various paranormal issues. The question that I have is is there any particular value to philosophy in the understanding of the paranormal or for anything else for that matter. Personally, I find such arguments...