Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Use this philosophy forum to discuss and debate general philosophy topics that don't fit into one of the other categories.

This forum is NOT for factual, informational or scientific questions about philosophy (e.g. "What year was Socrates born?"). Those kind of questions can be asked in the off-topic section.
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Bini
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Post by Bini »

I don't think the question is whether I feel or even think I am or not, but if the philosophier deems a topic worth discussing or questioning. If so, then it stands to reason that it is the topic infact that is causing mankind to question, and not the other way around.
Vision101
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Vision101

Post by Vision101 »

I certainly consider myself a Philosopher but not just any Philosopher. I respect everything that the previous students of the subject but I have my own lane. This is a new generation of problems and issues with so many things to cover as topics. We can't keep going back in time and looking for information that ancient Philosophers once thought. What about the great minds of today. I don't think it is fare that today's thinkers are constantly getting overshadowed by deceased individuals. This is our season and I will stand firm and represent the new age of Philophy and its Philosopher so that this will be a defining time in history that will give hope to a dying world. Vision101
Invictus_88
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Re: Vision101

Post by Invictus_88 »

Vision101 wrote:I certainly consider myself a Philosopher but not just any Philosopher. I respect everything that the previous students of the subject but I have my own lane. This is a new generation of problems and issues with so many things to cover as topics. We can't keep going back in time and looking for information that ancient Philosophers once thought. What about the great minds of today. I don't think it is fare that today's thinkers are constantly getting overshadowed by deceased individuals. This is our season and I will stand firm and represent the new age of Philophy and its Philosopher so that this will be a defining time in history that will give hope to a dying world. Vision101
And what is "your own lane"?

The world isn't dying, but philosophy might be. Until we have philosophers better than AC Grayling, Peter Singer, and Alain de bloody Botton, the older philosophers will continue to predominate because they're they last people who said anything of particular interest and relevance.
Vision101
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Post by Vision101 »

That is very true my friend. My approach on the subject, confidence, thought patters does hepl me create my own Lane. However, that's not the only reason I consider to be in my own lane per say. I'm not necessarily saying the lane is just for me just in case u want me to be more specific. Its a lane that consists of other thinker like you and I perhaps. I can tell just by how u responded to my post. Understanding the language in which we speak in these days and time as Philosophers is more advance than ever before. That has yet to be proven by the mass or a few for that matter because not many are taking the time out to be who we really are. I am who I am and the same goes for u and if we rise and do something in this day & time we can accomplish what others only dream about doing. That is the lane but the way in which it goes and how wide it is of course is up to us. Hopefully this can give u an idea of what I am talkn about. I like how u said that its about interest and relevance. How about we make it more relevant then.
Invictus_88
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Post by Invictus_88 »

...where are you from?
Wittgenstoned
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Post by Wittgenstoned »

The ones of you saying that philosophy is dying and that modern philosophers are overshadowed by past philosophers: none of it is true. We have more able philosophers today than ever before, and the topics that are being discussed are being discussed more rigourously than ever before. The only possible reason you can believe that isn't the case is because you never open a book and only sit around here to hear your own voices. :D
Mariakaptain
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Joined: September 13th, 2010, 11:35 am

Post by Mariakaptain »

Patrarch wrote: Everyone is an equally great philosopher, but it is the dedication (the dedication level is how I think most people distinguish "Great" philosophers from "not so great," though I disagree with this) that is normally most salient; the amount of dedication one has to loving wisdom and the pursuit of truth. Everyone is equal in my eyes, every philosopher has value to offer and the only judgment that can be made in my eyes is how receptive they are to ideas that do not agree with their own.
I agree with the statement that someone to be a philosopher means that he devotes much of his time to wondering about life.But although I believe that everyone can be wise,and discover as much as he can the truth,at the end life determines if he will be a philosopher or not.And with this idea I mean that whatever the possibilities everyone has,it's the choice of life that he is doing that really determines if his is a true thinker or he can't just think at all.It's profound then that his action has the relative consequencies at his life.

So,upper of devotion for hours I put the action that he makes to think,that brings many hours of dialectic.Because noone can't reflect for hours without wanting to seek for truth and choosing to do it.

I also believe that people who seek truth can be regarded as thinking persons but I would never call them wise or philosophers.Wise people know that they don't know anything and I don't think that we all feel that way.This doesn't require the same way when we understand that knowledge is always gained and we have a lot of things to learn.Also,''wise'' persons don't stop reflecting trying to feel that reality.But people who only think about some issues and don't reflect on life all the time cannot be regarded as wise.Despite the fact that they are able to understand situations and distinguish good from bad and fair from unfair.They sure can't comrehend all and in the point wise people can.

In the end,I don't consider everyone who does as above a philosopher because the philosopher feels and is aware of things in a different way than that of a person who thinks about issues.So,he has a knowledge that no one of us has and he is also able to inspire it from us and make us put it out.This is why I can't regard everyone of us around us as a philosopher.He can't be as Platon or as Socrates.Because if these were to be philosophers there would be in some way different than us.

I don't regard my self a philosopher but I think that I am a person who tries to find the truth in things and that's enough.

And I think that if everyone tries to be as better as he can,that's the ideal point,we don't have to be philosophers.We have to be ourselves and that's more difficult than if anybody could be a philosopher.
Needs pain and inspiration.
Stanley Huang
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Joined: April 7th, 2011, 9:52 am

Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Post by Stanley Huang »

What is philosophy?

Maybe no one in the past could understand philosophy.

And those people who try to define or express may be a risky business.

When I was 16 years old, my classmate used to say that I am a philosopher.

And I read many books, from Confucius to Zen monks in Tang period, from Buddha to Nagarjuna, from Thales to Kant.

But I do not claim that I understand philosophy, even though I read and write pretty much.

Like if you ask me: "Do I believe in God?"

I cannot answer that question with yes or no.

I do not know whether or not is there a God.

Many Christians want to preach me.

But to me, to say that there is a God is just as dangerous as to say that there is no God.

Maybe there is a God.

Maybe there is no God.

But if you say that it is dangerous to say there is God, then, it may also be dangerous to say that there is no God, because is there a proof to prove that God does not exist.

But I feel Zen is the most liberal philosophy, because the Chinese Zen monks do not fix to a word or an idea.

Sometimes, Zen monk says there is Buddha.

Other times, Zen monk says there is no Buddha.

But whether or not is there a Buddha is not important to Chinese Zen monks.

When hungry, just eat.

When tired, just sleep.

Is that correct?
Wittgenstoned
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Joined: July 16th, 2011, 1:10 pm

Post by Wittgenstoned »

Vision101 wrote:Seems like Mr Wittgen has a broom up his butt lol Reading several books doesn't mean that you are gathering solid information. I've read plenty of books but the best book to read its even written. I want u to think about that for a moment before u get somewhere u don't want to be in life. We do not have to agree on everything but what makes your world better may not make mine better unless it was equal knowledge & understanding. You are not better than anyone just because u listen to philosophers of this day and time while having the conclusion that they are more advanced. If they were so much more advance then where are they now. Do u even know where the word Philosophy came from? It didn't start with the Greeks my friend. Adopted concepts and theories does not make u right. You are a waste of time and I don't even know why I even responded to u but it is what it is.
Haha, wtf is your problem? I just reacted to the onesided bis displayed in the tread. All I said is that it is not the case that philosophy is standing still. That there are many philosophers, a good share of which are producing knowledge that can easily compete with the greatest of "the old ones". The only difference is that know the field is more segmented, and the theories aren't as sweeping. I believe that most of you haven't read contemporary philosophy, and I suspect that is why you believe there isn't any. And the reason you don't read about them in the history books is that, first of all, the field is so vast and the thinkers so many, and second of all it is contemporary, meaning that they are brawling and testing ideas right now. The best of them will survive, and the history of philosophy will summarize how we came to pick out the ones we did. Just try to broaden up your perspective a little. I am not saying the old ones are lame, or that everybody should read the same, I am only saying that the old ones aren't the only stuff around: that many topics have been explored in depths that we could never have imagined bu contemporary minds. So ruling them out as inferior is stupid IMO.
Vision101
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Joined: March 12th, 2011, 12:55 am

Post by Vision101 »

I agree 100% bro lol The subject is very vast and believe me. I do not depend on the old Philosophers at all.
Stanley Huang
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Joined: April 7th, 2011, 9:52 am

Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Post by Stanley Huang »

Recently, I read a book called 'Existentialism' and the book said that the existentialist thinkers think that Western philosophers in the past concern too much about trying to know whether or not is there an order in what a person sees, missing out the basic important question such as: Why do we live in this earth?

If you are interested in existentialism, then you will like Zen, because I feel the existentialist thinkers were influenced by Chinese Zen monks.

Because you said: "Many people writing in this forum do not seem to read modern philosophy."

Well, maybe you can read the book called 'Existentialism' and also, you can read about American philosopher John Dewey.

Dewey was American philosopher.

He was interested in Chinese thinkers, where Chinese philosophers helped Dewey to develop his pragmatic thoughts.

Dewey believed that he thinks not just for the sake of trying to get knowledge, but rather, he thinks for the sake of functioning effectively in his daily life.

Because the logical positivists failed to give us a clear answer to metaphysical questions, when they try to clarify words or concepts.

And Albert Einstein arguments against Bohr made us feel that there is something lacking in traditional Western thinkers, from early as Thales.

So this is why some Western scientists turn to Chinese thoughts for help.
Vision101
Posts: 4
Joined: March 12th, 2011, 12:55 am

Post by Vision101 »

I am not interested in Western Philosophy at all because in America we live by so many forms everyday. I read a few chp in one of Zen books a few months back but I forgot the name. It is very interesting and I will check it out again soon. There is so much info that can be gathered and so much can be done with that information. Most people can't even handle a portion of truth that differs from their traditional way of life. It is important that we move beyond our limitations. If we all made our mind up to do something, we could do it together instead of waiting for others to join along or take heed to what we are saying. Just something to think on nothing major.
Stanley Huang
Posts: 525
Joined: April 7th, 2011, 9:52 am

Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Post by Stanley Huang »

All animals want happiness and do not want sufferings.
I believe we all want happiness and not sufferings.
But how can we find happiness?
I believe philosophy is the saviour of mankind.
If we can apply philosophy to life or lives, then, we can find true happiness.
And Zen is the best philosophy.
Because the Chinese thinkers were interested in how to make philosophy helpful or relevant to us!
This is different to Western thinkers who think just for the sake of thinking, where Western people seem to miss the question: How can philosophy help living creatures?
So I feel although Western thinkers think a lot, they fail to make philosophy relevant to daily life.
While Indian thinkers seem to hate life or Indians want to escape from life, where they see life as suffering.
But Chinese thinkers were practical in how to make philosophy helpful to life.
And because of this, Chinese influenced existentialist thinkers and John Dewey, where some modern Western thinkers felt something missing, and so they turned to Chinese thoughts, where they became more practically, trying to make philosophy helpful to society.
Why do we live in this earth?
Is there a meaning?
These are important questions.
I feel all modern scientists must be able to apply philosophy wisely for benefits.
Where I believe science is an art.
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Discordia
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I don't know what a philosopher is.

Post by Discordia »

What is...a philosopher? :P

I'm an amateur philosopher with no published books, thus no public spotlight. I am a philosopher-for-fun, but I'm not a pure philosopher--I am not only a philosopher. My interests or activities are more diverse, although most of them, or at least most I spend more time on, either involve art, intellect, literature/language, computers/Internet or things for pure entertainment purposes.

My philosophy involves modern and postmodern philosophy, continental philosophy and eastern philosophy, though I wouldn't consider or call myself a "postmodernist" or "postmodern philosopher", and I feel continental and analytic philosophy can be "bridged", and that Eastern philosophy can still be understood through Western concepts (although it takes a little more effort).
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Bermudj
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Re: Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Post by Bermudj »

Yes and we all are. Whether our approach and our thoughts make an impact or not, that is a different matter.

What do you think this could mean, "nothing in the world belong to us, we are only responsible for what we care about"?
Do whatever you do, do what a good man would do, and what is a good man?, I do not know, but at every point, every turn, do what a good man would do.

Jesús Antonio Bermúdez-Silva
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