I want to become a philosopher!
- Mark_Lee
- Posts: 24
- Joined: November 8th, 2017, 9:42 pm
I want to become a philosopher!
Bold statement. I know. That's just how I am. But on a serious note...
How does one become a philosopher? What books should I read and how should I conduct my life? I know that to some of you I'm being silly. But believe me when I say that I'm very serious with this whole thing. How can I become a renowned philosopher who gets recognized worldwide the same way people like Nietzsche and Socrates are recognized?
Is formal education necessary? Or can I get by, by reading books?
Thanks.
P. S. = Ignore my avatar. It's a trollface, I know. But I'm not a troll. I'm serious when I say that I want to become a philosopher. It's how I want to be remembered when I die.
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- Joined: September 12th, 2017, 6:03 pm
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
- Burning ghost
- Posts: 3065
- Joined: February 27th, 2016, 3:10 am
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
Usually philosophers that matter are recognized after they've died. If you want fame go into showbiz!
If you haven't already figured that out then you've got a very steep slope to climb.
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- Posts: 460
- Joined: September 12th, 2017, 6:03 pm
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
- Burning ghost
- Posts: 3065
- Joined: February 27th, 2016, 3:10 am
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
So what?Maxcady10001 wrote:I think Goethe is the only philosopher to have lived a "happy" life.
-- Updated November 9th, 2017, 2:16 am to add the following --
I am not trying to annoy btw, just trying to get you to express why you feel philosophy is the right choice for you and what it is you expect to gain from studying philosophy.
To be brutally honest it looks like you're expectations may not be met wholly by a philosophical pursuit.
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- Joined: June 15th, 2011, 5:53 pm
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
Solve all the outstanding problems of philosophy and publish a YouTube video to present your answers. Also, now that Twitter has doubled the number of characters in a tweet, you might consider that as a medium.How can I become a renowned philosopher who gets recognized worldwide the same way people like Nietzsche and Socrates are recognized?
- Burning ghost
- Posts: 3065
- Joined: February 27th, 2016, 3:10 am
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
I am a "jump in the deep end" kinda person when I've really set my mind to something.
Why I suggest Kant is because you will learn, by example, a very particular style of philosophical writing. It is by no means the only style of philosophy, but it is one which I strongly feel anyone who cares to take up philosophical studies should come, grudgingly or not, to appreciate.
If Nietzsche appeals to you I would not recommend tackling Thus Spake first. It is a very obtuse piece of writing and unless you're already familiar with esoteric texts or religious fables, I would look toward his other works for guidance before tackling such a dense piece of writing.
Many people recommend the ancient Greeks, but I really never found a great need ... just depends on your own position and what you hope/wish to achieve. The Greeks should be taken on at some point, but as a starting position I don't see it as a rule of thumb like many other do.
And just for perspective, I am not academically schooled regarding philosophy. My interest is a personal one and one which general holds the position of utter ridicule toward anything "philosophical". My rule of thumb is "study what you think is stupid/nonsense as much as that which you value as important/significant."
- Gulnara
- Posts: 496
- Joined: October 20th, 2011, 7:02 am
Re: I want to become a philosopher!
2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month
Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023
Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023