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What is the point of Philosophy?

 
 
Reply Fri 3 Oct, 2003 09:24 pm
Speculating about this and that. What is the ends to it all? What if someone finally figures it all out - then what happens...

What is the point of philosophy?
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 6,575 • Replies: 113
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cicerone imposter
 
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Reply Fri 3 Oct, 2003 11:07 pm
No one person is going to "figure it all out." Philosophers, theologians, and scientists have been asking that question from the very beginning. You must remember that our concepts and perceptions are limited by our senses, and limited life spans. I think physics and biotechnology will provide some interesting revalations, but they will still be very limited in approaching what it's all about. Philosophy asks the question, what is reality?
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cicerone imposter
 
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Reply Fri 3 Oct, 2003 11:09 pm
BTW, IDEAL Singh, WELCOME to A2K. c.i.
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Craven de Kere
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 01:14 am
" What is the point of Philosophy? "

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
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Monger
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 01:36 am
Let me tell ya a parable, singh..

One day a priest went to a pasture and there he confronted the sacred cow while She was contentedly grazing.

The priest asked "Why don't you do something worthwhile? --What is your Purpose in Life, anyway?" The sacred cow replied "MU", and upon hearing this absolutely no one was enlightened. Primarily because nobody could understand Chinese. Smile
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Letty
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 05:39 am
singh, I have often thought about this and wondered the same thing. I think we all just like to understand another person, really, and philosophy is one way that we have of doing it, but in actuality, it's just seeing how one fits in the realm of attitudes and consensus as compared to other humans. I still believe that the best philosophy is the simplest philosophy.
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 07:55 am
Nicely quoted Monger..

But then What is the simplest philosophy ?
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Letty
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 07:57 am
Never wound another's soul.
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 08:13 am
Now this is a very complex Answer...
Please elaborate...
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Letty
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 08:24 am
singh, There is a big difference in hurting someone's feelings; wounding egos or treading on toes. The difference lies in the fact that when we see and recognize a need in another, we should try and do what we can to compensate for that "missing" something that is so illusive. I think that we all know the "soul" when we feel it. There's truly nothing complex about it, we just have been so used to trying to see the broader picture, that we often lose sight of what's right here in front of us every day.
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 10:27 am
Letty wrote:
singh, There is a big difference in hurting someone's feelings; wounding egos or treading on toes. The difference lies in the fact that when we see and recognize a need in another, we should try and do what we can to compensate for that "missing" something that is so illusive. I think that we all know the "soul" when we feel it. There's truly nothing complex about it, we just have been so used to trying to see the broader picture, that we often lose sight of what's right here in front of us every day.


Really Nice viewz... today I learned something... Thanx... But I will continue with my yearningz on this subject...
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 10:38 am
It strikes me that the role of philosophy should be an attempt to answer the really deep questions that count, not necessarily the dry technical questions over pedantics and semantics. I would be putting a series of questions, Let us discuss and find the deeper meaning... Ok Let me initiate with the first one, which is a obivious one...

1. Does God exist?
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 10:39 am
Well in my perspective:

GOD exists only as an illusion and not physically. No one has seen Him or talk to Him. We cannot explain His existence...

If you can Plz tell me also.
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cicerone imposter
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 10:45 am
IDEAL, There are other forums on the question of theism that you should visit. I doubt very much the same people are willing to repeat what they have already opined about this subject.
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 10:47 am
Yeah you are perhaps right... actaully this forum so huge dont know where to share my views in this forum...
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cavfancier
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 11:22 am
Share them all over like you have been Singh, you have already raised many interestin questions with your posts. The simplest philosophy to me, is "be".
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IDEAL Singh
 
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Reply Sat 4 Oct, 2003 08:43 pm
What are your most important questions?

Below is my list (TAKEN). Please make up your own in reply!


1. Does God exist?

2. How can Muslim and Western world views co-exist?

3. What can Buddhism teach us?

4. Should abortion be legal?

5. Is there such a thing as good and evil?

6. What's the best way to live?

7. Should we care about animals?

8. Should we be more compassionate?

9. What is consciousness?

10. Are mind and matter the same thing?

11. Does time flow?

12. Are we the same person we were five years ago?

13. How do you know you're not dreaming?

14. Is there such thing as cause and effect?

15. Do we have a free will?

16. Is time travel possible?

17. What is truth?

18. What is reality really like?

19. What is the ideal state of the future?

20. Should America rule the world?

21. Are wars justified?

22. What is the role of punishment?

23. Is democracy the answer?

24. Is globalised capitalism a good thing?

25. Should there be borders?

26. Can scientific theories be true?

27. What is the role of science in society?

If we had the answers to these, philosophy could save the world! What are your most important questions?
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Terry
 
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Reply Sun 5 Oct, 2003 12:14 am
The point of philosophy is to obtain enough wisdom to understand it all.

Nothing happens when you figure it out unless you can transmit your wisdom to everyone else, a daunting task since so few are listening.

Re your list of questions, various people are convinced that they have the answers to some or all of these questions.

Regretfully we cannot agree on whose answers are right.
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InfraBlue
 
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Reply Sun 5 Oct, 2003 01:13 am
The point of philosophy is to come to understand that we do not know, and that the basis of anything that we think, let alone do, is ultimately arbitrary.

"gnothi seauton" is the begining of all philosophy.

"I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."
Socrates
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BoGoWo
 
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Reply Sun 5 Oct, 2003 07:54 am
the simplest answer is, i think singh, 'it's what we do, and we really can't help ourselves.

If you don't think, you don't exist.
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