Philosophy Anybody?

[Theland]

I am particularly interested in replies from Naomi, Jim, Mibs, and anybody else of a cerebral persuasion to my questions.

Are there any philosophers who have influenced your thinking?

Any relevant to today?

[pixie374]

Parenting mostly, theland... and other influences, such as experience, friends, education, personality, etc, all make a difference.
Morals and honesty would be my first choice with society... but we really would have to start from scratch and that is just never going to happen.

[Theland]

And moral authority?

[pixie374]

That is the same, theland. Parents are to teach what is right and wrong, hopefully schools confirm the same. Most people, I believe, won't instinctively hurt somebody else just for enjoyment ( I know some will...), so education- and most of all, children learn by example.

[Khandro]

naomi; //rather than seek truth in philosophy, seek the endorsement of other men for what you already believe. //

You clearly do not understand what philosophy actually is; it isn't a subject studying solely what others have said to be learnt by rote - like a foreign language say, it is a process which by the use of reason a person attempts to understand such things as the nature of the real world and existence, the use and limits of knowledge, and the principles of moral judgment.

jim; The fact remains that I have known people with Oxbridge double-firsts whose lives have been chaotic, and I wouldn't be too optimistic at the thought of them running the country .

[pixie374]

Khandro, there are some essential traits, such as compassion, empathy, fairness, justice, kindness, sincerity.... that are just not measured by an IQ test. Some of the "most educated" on here, are also the most irrational, when they want to be.

[jim360]

Sure, but I don't see why you'd want to turn to someone with, say, two crappy A-Levels and who never even completed their crappy Poly degree instead.

[pixie374]

With what, Jim? I'm sure we all have friends that we might go to with one problem, but a different one with a different problem?
Nobody excels at everything.

[Khandro]

jim; There have been some great statesmen with very limited formal education, - Abraham Lincoln for one springs to mind.

[jim360]

Indeed not. Still, isn't the idea not to have *one* intellectually-gifted person running things, but a whole group of them?

I still don't know if it would be that effective -- horses designed by committee and all that -- and in any case what I'd really want isn't so much for smart people to run everything but for smart people to be listened to more seriously by the people who actually make the decisions. Still, I may as well do my bit to defend the idea that intellectual ability isn't a vice.

[Theland]

Has anybody been very influential in your life? In your thinking?

[pixie374]

It certainly isn't a vice, unless people start believing their own publicity and think they know about everything. A mixture is the best bet.

[pixie374]

My mum would be the most obvious influence, theland. As it is with everyone. Then it is a mixture where you see and hear and make up your own mind.

[mibn2cweus]

I haven't actually kept a tally but it would not surprise me if I haven't learn as much (or more) what not to think and do form other people as what to think and do. In that regard I have indeed been influenced by many other people.

[mibn2cweus]

Let me try that again -
I haven't actually kept a tally but it would not surprise me if I haven't learned as much (or more) what not to think and do from other people as what to think and do. In that regard I have indeed been influenced by many other people.

[fender62]

The laughing priest by Harry Wills book, i havent seen it for many many years Regency P (1968) ASIN: B0000COCK0, its a great read.
i think all religious folk should try and find it, it's an eye opener.

[Khandro]

Indeed. In fact in the world of the arts you can learn more from bad art than from good.

In fact, when I think about it, that applies to other spheres too. eg Any politician following the career of Theresa May has an object lesson in how not to do it!

[naomi24]

Khandro, //You clearly do not understand what philosophy actually is//

Don’t be ridiculous. You - clearly - didn’t like what I said.

[Peter Pedant]

// Sure, but I don't see why you'd want to turn to someone with, say, two crappy A-Levels//

yes Jim but I dont think A levels were around in Jesus time !

rather than spend time wondering about this thread Theelie I would try - Language Truth and Logic AJ Ayer

other ABers may suggest further titles worth spending time over

[Khandro]

A sentence can be logically perfect and yet untrue - I dig that (as we used to say). Good ol' Freddy.