On Medium: Philosophy For Those Who Are Neither Vulgar Nor Wise
Read on for a critical introduction to the philosophical journey, for those who don't want to specialize in philosophy but who are suspicious of mainstream opinions.
I hate it when I see people talking about their ''personal philosophies''. But that doesn't exist because there is only one philosophy. They confuse ideology with philosophy.
I like to think of philosophy in comparison with science in this way
Science is harder to understand than to accept
Especially when it is produced for the common good
Already philosophy is easier to understand than to accept
To understand and practice science you need to be smarter
To understand and practice philosophy you need to be more existentially mature
[You need to be somewhat more emotionally intelligent to understand and manage your emotions and prevent them from ruling your thoughts]
Perhaps there's some such confusion. But there's also how we each process philosophy according to our worldview. That would be a subjective aspect of philosophy. There's philosophical truth which is objective and universal, and then there's our personal or social grasp of philosophy.
There is, of course, a subjective aspect to philosophy. But people tend to take it in a way that reduces philosophy to a function submitted to the personal rather than to the universal.
Psychiatry traditionally considers only irrational thoughts related to the personal sphere as delusions. Therefore, delusions of a political, ideological, moral, and scientific nature are not considered potential symptoms of any disorder.
However, it seems to me that the vast majority of human beings, if not all of us, to a greater or lesser extent, have an irrational personality disorder, precisely because of the extreme frequency of delusions about political, ideological, moral and scientific issues.
Opposition to the myth that we are all more rational than irrational
Psychiatrists do so because they beg the philosophical, moral question of whether societies can be in the wrong. As I argue in a few articles, psychiatrists define mental disorder as being relative to social functions. Thus, there can be no religious delusions because religions are organized, mass cults. That doesn't stop religious beliefs and practices from being crazily irrational and thus effectively delusional.
I hate it when I see people talking about their ''personal philosophies''. But that doesn't exist because there is only one philosophy. They confuse ideology with philosophy.
ReplyDeleteI like to think of philosophy in comparison with science in this way
Science is harder to understand than to accept
Especially when it is produced for the common good
Already philosophy is easier to understand than to accept
To understand and practice science you need to be smarter
To understand and practice philosophy you need to be more existentially mature
[You need to be somewhat more emotionally intelligent to understand and manage your emotions and prevent them from ruling your thoughts]
Perhaps there's some such confusion. But there's also how we each process philosophy according to our worldview. That would be a subjective aspect of philosophy. There's philosophical truth which is objective and universal, and then there's our personal or social grasp of philosophy.
DeleteThere is, of course, a subjective aspect to philosophy. But people tend to take it in a way that reduces philosophy to a function submitted to the personal rather than to the universal.
DeleteIf philosophy is regarded as a personal way of life, then a person can say that his personal philosophy includes believing in God.
DeleteThis is the way people generally think about their personal philosophies/ideologies.
Psychiatry traditionally considers only irrational thoughts related to the personal sphere as delusions.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, delusions of a political, ideological, moral, and scientific nature are not considered potential symptoms of any disorder.
However, it seems to me that the vast majority of human beings, if not all of us, to a greater or lesser extent, have an irrational personality disorder, precisely because of the extreme frequency of delusions about political, ideological, moral and scientific issues.
Opposition to the myth that we are all more rational than irrational
Psychiatrists do so because they beg the philosophical, moral question of whether societies can be in the wrong. As I argue in a few articles, psychiatrists define mental disorder as being relative to social functions. Thus, there can be no religious delusions because religions are organized, mass cults. That doesn't stop religious beliefs and practices from being crazily irrational and thus effectively delusional.
Delete''Whereas philosophy has been associated with the pursuit of wisdom, most folks don’t seem interested in becoming wise.''
ReplyDeleteThe biggest difference between the wise and the fool is that the wise know that he is not wise and therefore seek to be more of what he is not.
It seems that most human beings do not seek wisdom because they think, secretly or openly, that they are wise.
Indeed, that was Plato's patronizing, cynical view which I more or less share.
Delete