'Why Study Philosophy'

[Unkotare]

Physics is about the real world, and how it works. Philosophy and religion is more about the human psyche and intuition, arts and mysticism.

You just demonstrated that you do not understand any of the three fields.

 

[jillian]

Physics is about the real world, and how it works. Philosophy and religion is more about the human psyche and intuition, arts and mysticism.

You just demonstrated that you do not understand any of the three fields.

you've become reality impaired

 

[Unkotare]

Physics is about the real world, and how it works. Philosophy and religion is more about the human psyche and intuition, arts and mysticism.

You just demonstrated that you do not understand any of the three fields.

you've become reality impaired

 

[Asclepias]

There are many different types of philosophies. Some are detrimental to survival. Others lead you astray. A study of all of them is definitely beneficial. People paying for the privilege to obtain a degree in a specific discipline only tells employers you have the aptitude for the work. It has almost nothing to do with being a well rounded human.

 

[WelfareQueen]

And the philosophies of the west and east are so different. How have they helped or hurt their respective cultures.

It is an interesting question. Wish I knew the answer.

 

[midcan5]

And the philosophies of the west and east are so different. How have they helped or hurt their respective cultures.

It is an interesting question. Wish I knew the answer.

Interesting question, all philosophies are ways of framing the world, of making sense of it. Consider the very different world views of the Chinese and the American. The Chinese have a culture that is more about community than America, which is more about the individual. Which is best or what combination works best is the hard part. If you doubt this visit Chinatown in any America city or even wonder why there is no Irishtown?

I want to add a book on Science and one on the Philosophy of science to this thread for interested readers. Sagan's book should be required reading for everyone, the other book I just came across and while it is topic I find interesting I do not yet have an opinion on it.

'The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark' Carl Sagan

'It Started with Copernicus: Vital Questions about Science' Keith Parsons

"What is the use of studying philosophy if all that it does for you is to enable you to talk with some plausibility about some abstruse questions of logic if it does not improve your thinking about the important questions of everyday life?" Wittgenstein
.

 

[Unkotare]

And the philosophies of the west and east are so different.

The more familiar you are with both, the less so it seems. This is the case with many things/peoples/etc.

 

[Unkotare]

The Chinese have a culture that is more about community than America, which is more about the individual.
.

Only to a degree. Many people tend to exaggerate this distinction on both sides.

 

[Moonglow]

There is no need at all to go to college to study liberal arts.

You can do it on your own for free. The funny thing is that the public is convinced that they have to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to read a book.

Shows your lack of knowledge on the subject...

 

[Moonglow]

Hell religion is a philosophy and yet we have not heard one person say anything bad about it as a major in college, that it's a waste of time...

 

[Youch]

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 aren’t 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 you’re part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If you’re 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."

Please show a correlation between a degree in the liberal arts and being a good citizen!?!?

Why study philosophy? Because it is thought-provoking.

Tip for the casual reader....if you don't yet know what you want to be "when you grow up" then a far wiser degree than a liberal arts degree would be a business degree; doing so not only provides a foundation for your personal economic growth and stability, but it opens far more doors of opportunity than a degree in liberal arts. I'd get a degree in liberal arts because a topic is interesting....I'd get a degree in business because of the greater relative value.

 

[midcan5]

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 aren’t 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 you’re part of the upper class, you can enjoy the luxury of a liberal arts education. If you’re 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."

Please show a correlation between a degree in the liberal arts and being a good citizen!?!?

Why study philosophy? Because it is thought-provoking.

Tip for the casual reader....if you don't yet know what you want to be "when you grow up" then a far wiser degree than a liberal arts degree would be a business degree; doing so not only provides a foundation for your personal economic growth and stability, but it opens far more doors of opportunity than a degree in liberal arts. I'd get a degree in liberal arts because a topic is interesting....I'd get a degree in business because of the greater relative value.

You seem very sure of a philosophy of life that makes little sense to me. Did for instance a business degree make any of those who helped create the great recession question their motives and actions or did it just give them the tools to stay legal without any consequences? Would then a more liberal arts study help make a more moral business person? Who knows but it is clear a business degree may give you business tools, does it give you citizen tools is the harder question. And do this sometime, check out the degrees of some of our top business performers. Carly Fiorina for instance. You lived in a world that is Socialist in form, now try the corporate world for a different life experience - Been in both mostly the latter.

Sagan's book above gives a great many comparisons between cultures and education, it should be required reading for all Americans imho. Read it read it read it.

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." President Dwight Eisenhower

"The imposition of short-term profit methods in an area which is only indirectly and in the long run profit-oriented could not possibly have worked. Expecting business methods and market forces to do the job of government, when business and the market fought desperately against every humane and social accomplishment of government over the last two centuries, makes no sense at all. The public interest and the profit motive may be made to cooperate through wise political leadership, but they are not interchangeable. They are nevertheless being treated as if they were. What this implies is that the public does not believe that the governmental structures work. But then the politicians and the public servants don't believe it either." John Ralston Saul 'Voltaire's Bastards'

"In this country we’re unprecedentedly safe, comfortable, and well fed, with more and better venues for stimulation. And yet if you were asked, 'Is this a happy or unhappy country?' you’d check the 'unhappy' box. We’re living in an era of emotional poverty, which is something that serious drug addicts feel most keenly." David Foster Wallace

"Turns out selfishness actually destroys society. Who could’ve guessed?" Alan Greenspan testified before a senate committee in the aftermath of the financial crisis, in October of 2008.


Interesting web sites below, the quotes are funny and the source was from Brian Leiter's excellent blog.

Philosophy Professor Quotes

Leiter Reports: A Philosophy Blog

The Browser | Writing worth reading
Rust Belt Philosophy
Edge.org
Aeon Magazine ? ideas and culture

 

[Youch]

You seem very sure of a philosophy of life that makes little sense to me.

I've not stated a philosophy in this thread. Thus, your comment, and all that follows, is shallow and baseless. If you care to discuss political philosophy, bring it on...

Did for instance a business degree make any of those who helped create the great recession question their motives and actions or did it just give them the tools to stay legal without any consequences?

You missed the point entirely, despite the fact that I spelled it out clleearly the first time.

Rather than repeat myself, are you engaging me in an argument? If so, I am very happy to comply. But to date, I've not seen anything deserving of a towlette.

Would then a more liberal arts study help make a more moral business person?

Who knows but it is clear a business degree may give you business tools, does it give you citizen tools is the harder question.

And do this sometime, check out the degrees of some of our top business performers. Carly Fiorina for instance. You lived in a world that is Socialist in form, now try the corporate world for a different life experience - Been in both mostly the latter.

Sagan's book above gives a great many comparisons between cultures and education, it should be required reading for all Americans imho. Read it read it read it.

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." President Dwight Eisenhower

"The imposition of short-term profit methods in an area which is only indirectly and in the long run profit-oriented could not possibly have worked. Expecting business methods and market forces to do the job of government, when business and the market fought desperately against every humane and social accomplishment of government over the last two centuries, makes no sense at all. The public interest and the profit motive may be made to cooperate through wise political leadership, but they are not interchangeable. They are nevertheless being treated as if they were. What this implies is that the public does not believe that the governmental structures work. But then the politicians and the public servants don't believe it either." John Ralston Saul 'Voltaire's Bastards'

"In this country we’re unprecedentedly safe, comfortable, and well fed, with more and better venues for stimulation. And yet if you were asked, 'Is this a happy or unhappy country?' you’d check the 'unhappy' box. We’re living in an era of emotional poverty, which is something that serious drug addicts feel most keenly." David Foster Wallace

"Turns out selfishness actually destroys society. Who could’ve guessed?" Alan Greenspan testified before a senate committee in the aftermath of the financial crisis, in October of 2008.

 

[Vikrant]

Well, to do anything worthwhile in the field of philosophy, you will need a very creative brain. The unfortunate reality of the evolution is that not all of us have been endowed with a creative brain. So there will always be people who will be drawn towards vocational field of study such as a degree in business. There is nothing wrong with it and please understand that I am not trying to trivialize the achievement of someone who has acquired a diploma in business.

Philosophy is for thinkers. There is not a single serious academic discipline out there which is not indebted to the methods of philosophy. Philosophy is a discipline which promotes logical thinking. It is preposterous to assume that we can make significant gains in the field of science and technology without being capable of logical thinking.

 

[Unkotare]

Well, to do anything worthwhile in the field of philosophy, you will need a very creative brain. The unfortunate reality of the evolution is that not all of us have been endowed with a creative brain. So there will always be people who will be drawn towards vocational field of study such as a degree in business. There is nothing wrong with it and please understand that I am not trying to trivialize the achievement of someone who has acquired a diploma in business.

Philosophy is for thinkers. There is not a single serious academic discipline out there which is not indebted to the methods of philosophy. Philosophy is a discipline which promotes logical thinking. It is preposterous to assume that we can make significant gains in the field of science and technology without being capable of logical thinking.

^^^ Best post on this thread.

 

[Vikrant]

Well, to do anything worthwhile in the field of philosophy, you will need a very creative brain. The unfortunate reality of the evolution is that not all of us have been endowed with a creative brain. So there will always be people who will be drawn towards vocational field of study such as a degree in business. There is nothing wrong with it and please understand that I am not trying to trivialize the achievement of someone who has acquired a diploma in business.

Philosophy is for thinkers. There is not a single serious academic discipline out there which is not indebted to the methods of philosophy. Philosophy is a discipline which promotes logical thinking. It is preposterous to assume that we can make significant gains in the field of science and technology without being capable of logical thinking.

^^^ Best post on this thread.

Thank you for the kind words!

And, it is not just science and technology which is indebted to philosophy. Think about our modern justice system. The entire concept started with philosophical questions and serious deliberations upon them.

Why should we punish?
Whom should we punish?
How should we punish?
How much should we punish?

These were the philosophical questions that were initially entertained by philosophers who pioneered the philosophy of justice.

 

[Mount Brocken]

I have a BA in Philosophy and have had nothing but trouble in the job market. I think this stems from the laziness of businesses that would prefer specialized degrees over training a well rounded, educated person.

 

[Unkotare]

I have a BA in Philosophy and have had nothing but trouble in the job market. I think this stems from the laziness of businesses that would prefer specialized degrees over training a well rounded, educated person.

Don't blame businesses for your failure to prove yourself fit for a position. Learn to sell yourself better, or go enhance your skills. Sitting around blaming the companies that didn't hire you is real laziness.

 

[Mount Brocken]

Oh, sell myself or be lazy...hmmm...I think there maybe an informal fallacy here...Sounds like either be a prostitute or be lazy....

 

[Mount Brocken]

This sounds like libertarian philosophy....I don't subscribe to it.