Toughest Philosophical Questions

hey Deftil.. thanks for this forum.. i have to apologize as i just read that you were not looking for responses or answers specifically.. although i must say that not encouraging that is preventing more questions to surface. if you don't mind i will continue to comment and post questions as they come to me. i'm new to the philosophy world and am trying to weed out the intentionally pretentious stumpers and stick to the thought provoking, barely answerable. at any rate thanks again.. you've given me a lot to think about.

....What is man?

a species.. like rabbit or fruit bat. what else you got?

Prove to me that you are not figments of my imagination. - Solipsist.

I do martial arts and spar on a regular basis. It's very difficult to buy this philosophy when a fist meets my nose. Why would I let a figment of my imagination get away with that?

it could be your sub conscious keeping you from becoming too relaxed in your discipline.

why is time now?
it isn't.. there is no now.. there is constant near future and recent past. by the time you finish saying "now" it's already then. unless you mean literally, "why is time (right) now" in which case.. it isn't because i have a calender from 1973.. they had time then it seems. i do have to end this though by saying that i do not believe in time.. too inconsistent.

....What is man?
What is man not?

i'm gonna stick with my rabbit and fruit bat here.. pretty sure in the very least man is neither a rabbit or a fruit bat.. but this is just my opinion.

most of these questions are science related, opinion based on an unimaginative level or just empty questions.. is there a supreme being? what happens after you die?... ok i've got a couple, what does tuesday weigh? how many ducks are allowed on jupiters 3rd moon? what is the opposite of a lamp?.. these are not philisophical questions in my mind.. they are silly things designed so one pretentious jackass can shut another pretentious jackass up. i'm new to this whole philosophy world but i was under the impression that it had a purpose. philosophy questions don't have short answers.. the answers come in the form of the discussion that follows posing a question. if you can't get an answer or have no information before asking your question, then it is not philosophical. it's not deep.. in fact i find them to be remarkably shallow bordering on insulting. or perhaps i have missed the point completely... which i am not too proud to accept.

What do you think are the toughest philosophical questions to answer? I'm not looking for your answers (that would be too much for one thread), but I'm looking for your specific questions. What philosophical questions do you find yourself unable to answer? Which ones, if any, do you think are impossible to answer?

Questions:
1. could god make a 10 dollar bill that is not counterfeit?
2. since an oak tree, by definition, has to come from an acorn that came from an oak tree, could god make one of those if he isn't an oak tree?
3. a squirrell and a man are moving around a tree in the same clockwise direction but on opposite sides of the tree never seeing each other. which one is circling the other?
4. (and of course) There are two errors in in this sentence. (is it true or false?)

Why is there something rather than nothing? - Heidegger
Quite the impossible question, isn't it.

WAIT!!! i've got it.. it's simply because it has yet to be removed. your turn.

You don't need god for all that! Man can do it.

You don't need god for all that! Man can do it.

wow.. first of all.. all what? i don't know what you are commenting on... AND he isn't omnipitent is he (assuming you are referring to the money thing).. because he just can't do it... or did you completely miss the point? i guess we're all really new to this philosophy thing.. the answers are in discussion.

Why is there something rather than nothing? - Heidegger

My apologies but i have not come across this question before and it has upset me because of it's unanswerability (yeah.. that's a word right?) but after about 10 hours of thinking this is what i have....

QUESTION - why is there something rather than nothing?
ANSWER - Since everything is made up of tiny moving parts right down to particles that never stop (thanks grade 10 science) if there is something there then it is because it has not yet been removed/displaced/reformed or otherwise to reveal nothing. i.e. it's just on it's way to somewhere else.

reword it on a larger yet smaller scale.. Q - "why is there someone instead of noone?"
A- "because he's still waiting for the bus."

Your question


For the religious, god can do anything. For us atheists, god doesn't exist.
Since man is the one who "creates" the 10 dollar bill, he can make a 10 dollar bill that is not counterfeit. Go the the US Treasury, and you can seem them make billions of them.

Your question


No, god doesn't exist. Remember?
Man can make oak trees - either by grafting or from an acorn.

Your question


It's just a matter of distance from the tree and the speed at which the squirrel and man are traveling.

Your question


There is only one error; "in" is written twice. Therefore, false.

fair enough.. you read them and gave an automatic assumption of what you think the answers might be... but they aren't.. are they?
remember.. we are discussing philosophy here.

ok.. 1 and 2.. you are too closed minded about to discuss.. i can accept that.
3. again, you missed it.. they are travelling at the same speed never seeing each other pressed against the tree moving in the same clockwise direction.. think further about that one.
4. it says two (2) errors.. you found one.. the information in the whole damn sentence is wrong. try again.

Everything is "broken" in nature.

i just read this quote of yours and have realized that you do not belong on this site.. i have read and respect what you are saying but you are in the wrong place for it. nature isn't broken... in fact i saw some grass growing through the sidewalk today.. nature is going to be just fine, we just need to learn to co-exist with it... even beavers have to teach their kids how to swim.

Nothing is something in its self. Only by having nothing can you appreciate the small and grand effect of something. So I believe nothing is very real and most likely more real in its effects unseen than something alone could ever be.


the question is WHY is there something? not what IS something? or what IS nothing?.. why is something where nothing could completely take over? why is that something to begin with? and why can the something decide where to be but the nothings location is just.. well.. a result of something settling elsewhere?.. or there for that matter?

FYI, I can participate in any thread on a2k that I wish to participate in. If you don't like my postings, just ignore me. You are not my boss, and you can go to hell.

BTW, nature is not broken; it is what it is. But I will conclude that you are broken.

FYI, I can participate in any thread on a2k that I wish to participate in. If you don't like my postings, just ignore me. You are not my boss, and you can go to hell.

it's not a question of whether or not i like your postings.. i just think you miss the point of philosophical "discussions".. it's ok that you are upset that my questions made you think rather than react. oh and you said, "go to hell"? i thought you were an atheist? athiests don't believe in hell.. FYI.

BTW, nature is not broken; it is what it is. But I will conclude that you are broken.

yeah.. i believe i stated in my post that "nature is not broken".. you're right.. thank you for backing me up.. although i'm not sure how i am any more or less broken than anyone else. you were a tad vague there. explain.

When I say "go to hell," it's rhetorical.

The reason I participate in philosophical blogs is to learn. Excuse me for not being perfect to meet your level of participation.