Toughest Philosophical Questions

@manfred,

ok,how about this:What's the point of discussing a Philosophical question if you already know the answer to it?

@Deftil,

Does life have any purpose?

0 Replies

@Deftil,

The question of evil
The question of first cause
The question of epistemology
The existential questions
The ontonological questions

1 Reply

@vajrasattva,

The thing about philosophical questions is in what form do we expect to find an answer?

Like "is there a god?" ...... well if we find out there is, would the answer be philosophical? Surely it is experiential with philosophical consequences.

I suppose one of the most difficult questions would be "now that i know there is a god, what should i do about it?"

and "now that i know there isn't a god, what should i do about it?"

Not knowing leaves extra doubt ..... and therein lies the perfect excuse for most behaviour. So tough in what sense? Tough to find the answer or tough to know what to do having found the answer?

What about "should i be less selfish than i am?"

In other words, what is the best percentage strategy from a moral point of view? If there is a god ..... maybe it loves a bit of selfishness! And if there aint, maybe being less selfish short term is better from a long term selfish point of view.

I wish i hadn't asked now. Playing the percentage game is the obligation of the intelligent. Previously I was happy with the simple excuse of ignorance for most of my behaviour.

I just remembered! I am a pagan. ........ now thats a great excuse for most of my behaviour.

There are no tough philosophical questions. Smile

0 Replies

@Deftil,

The toughest philosophical question is and must be

The existence of existence?

1 Reply

@validity,

What is the meaning of life?

0 Replies

@Deftil,

...Lets pull a bit further...

...is "Holistic Cause" Causal ?...
...Can a event be local ?...
...Is there really a WHY ?...
...What is Imaginary ?...
...IS What ? What What is ?...
..."Can X be referred ?"...
...If Doubt has to be an Absolute statement, how can we doubt ?...
...Where is the Mermaid ?...:bigsmile:

Cya all soon !

Regards>FILIPE DE ALBUQUERQUE

1 Reply

@Fil Albuquerque,

I'm new here, but I might have something to add.

My question is, what would you do if you knew the answers to all these questions?

How philosophical that is, is up for debate, but its something interesting to consider.

0 Replies

@Deftil,

Whats more important your own opinions or the opinions of others?

3 Replies

@trev wilton,

trev wilton;110505 wrote:

Whats more important your own opinions or the opinions of others?

Neither as they are only opinions, such as this one I'm putting forth which we can agree is unimportant.

0 Replies

@Deftil,

But surely opinions are important as they are our thoughts and beliefs that that essentially make each individual who they are. How can there be philosophy with out them?

1 Reply

@Deftil,

A question can only be relevant to the answer desired, else why ask the question at all! Questions are transient as there can be no definitive question or answer, because life is transient.
Who am I? causes much argument because it is open ended, and invites as many answers as there are recipients of the question.
What am I? Allows a more definitive answer, i.e. a finite living-being conscious of my environment and responding to it. As is true of all living things.
Why am I? Allows the most meaningful answer to our existence because in the fabric of life each thread can be seen, and its part in the overall construction of the tapestry understood.
From the waters of the oceans and its inhabitants to the ground of the land and its inhabitants, the womb to produce the offspring that is human was fertilized.
Why then was humankind born, when the pre-existing life of Earth patently had no need of humanity for its continued survival?

The answer lies in what that birth produced that no other birth could produce:
Earth's ability to become self-aware through higher conscious for the first time.

As Earth's consciousness matures it is no surprise that its potential is only held back by the constraints of ego, vanity and greed.
We realize these limitations individually as we mature from child to juvenile to adult.

Free will allows these constraints; it also allows us the ability to break the chains that bind us to the short-term results of such pursuits.

But there is a time limit to what our common body can endure.
If it is overcome by the cancerous actions of malignant thought, then we will lose our common body's ability to support consciousness and we will die, killing each other for what is left of the resources that once supported us in abundance.

This is not doomsday bell ringing and if any part of what I've said is untrue you will know it, and dismiss it accordingly.
But if the premise rings true then you will know that the power to alter thought is held by you, and that what you think is what will be.

0 Replies

@Deftil,

:devilish:How you mean though? To answer properly, or to formulate the question at all?

0 Replies

@trev wilton,

trev wilton;110505 wrote:

Whats more important your own opinions or the opinions of others?

The informed opinions of both

0 Replies

@Deftil,

Pepijn Sweep, you ask "How do you mean though? To answer properly, or to formulate the question at all"?
That's a good question. As a question is an inquiry for a solution, it follows it came from a perceived problem. As we can't always be exactly sure of the problem, more often it is the nature of the problem that begs an answer.

I am cold/hungry what should I do? The question is germane to the situation, but the solutions can vary. You could take from nature to solve the problem yourself, or you could ask for help from another, or you could take from another without asking.
What the answer is will depend on the attitude of the person asking the question, it is they who will determine whether the answer is proper or not, but that answer may not be proper someone else.
My point is that, until we have a common attitude towards our shared existence here on Earth, we will have a problem answering any question "properly" because the questions will be as transient as the circumstances that gave rise to it, which will in turn make the answers transient.
A common attitude towards our place here would not beg as many questions to be asked in the first place, so, whatever answers were needed would not require constant amendments to accommodate "Yes, but what about me?" questions.
I hope this makes a modicum of sense to you, if not, blame me for the inadequate answer I tried to give, because there was nothing wrong with your question.
With almost 7 billion of us here, and no "common" reference to our purpose past survival within the systems we inhabit, I doubt we're going to make it for much longer. Particularly as probably 6 billion of us work for the remainder, and they don't have any motivation for changing the status quo, just the opposite.
On the bright side, that's got to be good for the anti-depressant industry.

0 Replies

@trev wilton,

trev wilton;113887 wrote:

But surely opinions are important as they are our thoughts and beliefs that that essentially make each individual who they are. How can there be philosophy with out them?

The most profound question is the "existence of existence" all other questions must flow out from that one primordial question?

0 Replies

@Deftil,

Here are a few thoughts that need no "knowledge" to substantiate truth.

We are a part of the universe. (As is everything else)
The universe brought us into existence. (As it did everything else)
As vast as the universe is, it is also at our core. (As it is to everything else)

Our core is our soul.
Earth is the essence of soul brought into life.
Life is consciousness.

Consciousness completes the trilogy of soul and essence when it is cognizant of all three in harmony and the potential to be as one is released into actuality.
Potential is limited when harmony is not considered.
The inherent desire for harmony is the only indicator free will has for direction.

It is the same throughout the universe. The soul does not need life habitation of every celestial body to be aware of existence, anymore than a human body needs every cell to be cognizant of the consciousness it carries; it is enough that consciousness is aware of the connection.

This is not to say Earth is the only conscious planet in the universe; just the only one we are aware of.
As such, it behooves the consciousness of Earth to reflect on a possible higher purpose than the self-gratification it is presently inclined to.

It is only our "attitude" towards truth that denies acceptance of our true potential in favor of singular gain.

Faith is knowing in oneself what is true.
Faith in oneself is where it must begin if an end is to be realized.
Faith in others is rendered unnecessary when each feels the same.

1 Reply

@bsfree,

bsfree;128560 wrote:

Here are a few thoughts that need no "knowledge" to substantiate truth.

We are a part of the universe. (As is everything else)
The universe brought us into existence. (As it did everything else)
As vast as the universe is, it is also at our core. (As it is to everything else)

Our core is our soul.
Earth is the essence of soul brought into life.
Life is consciousness.

Consciousness completes the trilogy of soul and essence when it is cognizant of all three in harmony and the potential to be as one is released into actuality.
Potential is limited when harmony is not considered.
The inherent desire for harmony is the only indicator free will has for direction.

It is the same throughout the universe. The soul does not need life habitation of every celestial body to be aware of existence, anymore than a human body needs every cell to be cognizant of the consciousness it carries; it is enough that consciousness is aware of the connection.

This is not to say Earth is the only conscious planet in the universe; just the only one we are aware of.
As such, it behooves the consciousness of Earth to reflect on a possible higher purpose than the self-gratification it is presently inclined to.

It is only our "attitude" towards truth that denies acceptance of our true potential in favor of singular gain.

Faith is knowing in oneself what is true.
Faith in oneself is where it must begin if an end is to be realized.
Faith in others is rendered unnecessary when each feels the same.

Not again, I'm starting to think you need to be confined to the evangelism subforum.

0 Replies

@trev wilton,

trev wilton;110505 wrote:

Whats more important your own opinions or the opinions of others?

This question seems to lack direction. What exactly are you asking?

I hope you do not think that all opinions are equal. They are most certainly not. A doctor's opinion about colon cancer after working and treating patients for twenty years, is much different than mine, having absolutely no experience in the field or with patients who have the disease. He has an educated opinion, I do not. So, in this case, the doctor's opinion would be more important.

But again, what exactly are you asking?

bsfree wrote:

We are a part of the universe. (As is everything else)
The universe brought us into existence. (As it did everything else)
As vast as the universe is, it is also at our core. (As it is to everything else)

I suppose you mean the second and third sentence figuratively. Though I have no clue what they mean.

Boy do people say the strangest things when they want to sound profound/mystical.

1 Reply

@Zetherin,

Zetherin;129315 wrote:

This question seems to lack direction. What exactly are you asking?

I hope you do not think that all opinions are equal. They are most certainly not. A doctor's opinion about colon cancer after working and treating patients for twenty years, is much different than mine, having absolutely no experience in the field or with patients who have the disease. He has an educated opinion, I do not. So, in this case, the doctor's opinion would be more important.

But again, what exactly are you asking?

I suppose you mean the second and third sentence figuratively. Though I have no clue what they mean.

Boy do people say the strangest things when they want to sound profound/mystical.

Another instance of asking about nothing in particular.

0 Replies

Toughest Philosophical Questions

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know