Can a Philosopher be humble ? How much are we dying to give the answers to what we think it's right ?
Here are my two cents :
As a matter of fact, I think for the most part, we do.
I see it happen everyday.
Our egos are so caught up in their own omniscience,we rarely silent our voices when asked a question, we hurry to be the first to answer and 'we hardly ever verbalize the magic words ' I don't know'. The imagined 'superiority' of having limited knowledge,in my opinion, is counter-producent to the advancing of that knowledge in the first place.
We may think we have the answers,we struggle to be heard and we delude ourselves with unneccesary elation at the first sight of approval.
Instead,we could learn inmensely more if we just listen,either by truly trying to comprehend the depth of the proposition in question, or by paying attention to other people's answers.
stillmind
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"Man has been forced to vegetate in his primitive stupidity: he has been taught stories about invisible powers upon whom his happiness was supposed to depend. Religious opinions are ancient monuments of ignorance, credulity, cowardice, and, barbarism of their ancestors."
stillmind. I agree with every word you have said. Welcome to A2K.
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cavfancier
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 02:59 pm
Hi stillmind. Welcome to A2K! I do subscribe to your postulation that there are people who seek to gain approval from others (or money) via pseudo-knowledge. I also agree that listening is our greatest strength as human beings, and grossly underused as a skill these days. As well, admitting that we just don't know is a cornerstone of civilized debate. However, it is "counter-productive", not "counter-producent," and that's my two cents. You have raised an interesting question. Welcome, and have fun!
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Letty
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 03:08 pm
Hey, Cav. A man has a right to coin a new word should he like. Now you stay humble.
Eager to please; a penchant for honesty; mutually exclusive
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stillmind
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 03:12 pm
Hey,you guys are lucky that I can spell at all,I'm italian,lol
stillmind
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Letty
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 03:18 pm
and stillmind. I'm lucky that I can speak at all. I'm Floridian..
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cavfancier
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 03:21 pm
stillmind is Italian, which brings to mind that it's truffle season, and cool new words are just fine by me. Sorry for being unhumblelike. There you go, my own word. Excuse me while I speak in couplets again....
The truffle's scent is in the air,
new words pop up everywhere,
let's all try to get along,
stillmind's post is very strong!
Humility is not my trait,
but I like still, I'll keep it straight.
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Letty
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 03:46 pm
Now that's a real phil-os-ophy,
Loving you-loving me.
Them eye-talians paint ceilings well,
Amore, truffles, kiss and tell.
Hey, stillman. We're just having some fun, a subset of the more serious type...to reiterate, I still agree with what you said, and I'll shut my mouth and listen.
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cavfancier
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 04:42 pm
I hope someone else pipes in here, I find myself agreeing with most of what stillman said, and think it will be an interesting debate.
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dlowan
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 05:29 pm
Ok - here you go - yes, I believe a philosopher (although not, perhaps, one with a capital "P" - lol) can be humble. In fact, I would argue that a kind of humility ought to be the essence of philosophy, since it is ideally a journey of rational inquiry and reasoned discourse, through which some seek to discover the nature of being.
Both inquiry and discourse imply some humility - inquiry because it implies that all is not known and discourse because it implies listening and hearing the responses and critiques of others.
Now - have at me!
Of course, Stillmind is correct about what usually happens in discussions.
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Letty
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Sat 6 Dec, 2003 05:36 pm
Still listening.
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rufio
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 01:37 am
I think in order to be a philosopher by trade you have to be full of yourself. Otherwise you can't spend your life proclaiming things that may or may not be true.
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Frank Apisa
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 05:21 am
Re: Humility in Philosophy
stillmind wrote:
Can a Philosopher be humble ?
Jeez, I really don't know, Stillmind.
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metaethics
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 05:39 am
I'm listening... alhtough I want to tell my story I'd better witness everything first so that I can be humble.
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cavfancier
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 05:58 am
If philosophy involves gentle discourse in the name of learning, and the growth of the human soul, that does not necessarily make it a humble pursuit. In fact, it's a rather elitist pursuit, historically the realm of well-educated people with money and society (even Karl Marx had a full-time maid), and elitism does not walk hand in hand with humility.
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Letty
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 06:13 am
I have always been intrigued with an old arabic saying:
He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is simple; teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep; waken him.
But he who knows, and knows that he knows is wise; follow him.
and Cav, an elitist does not have to be wealthy.
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cavfancier
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Sun 7 Dec, 2003 06:16 am
True enough Letty. I am a fine example myself. Personally, I have always maintained that while I'm full of opinions, I really know nothing, save for my craft.
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