What would you say that you're trying to accomplish in all of that? What is/what are the end goal(s)? — Terrapin Station
For me the point is to move on to more exciting philosophy . . . — macrosoft
I appreciate the answer there--that helps give some insight into differences. I was sincerely asking you, not in a critical way, because I was getting the impression that you want philosophy to more or less serve as a tool for some other end, but I wasn't sure what end. — Terrapin Station
I love national parks, etc.--I would have enjoyed a career where I spent most of my time in national parks), — Terrapin Station
In philosophy, ontology and philosophy of science were two of my big focuses. I did a lot of logic, too. On the other hand, I also put extra time into aesthetics--because of my music/art background, but probably unsurprisingly, an overarching philosophical obsession for me is a critical approach to logical argumentation, though moreso informal logical argumentation than formal. — Terrapin Station
Philosophically, I'm not really driven by a notion of any "big mysteries." G.E. Moore once said that a significant part of the attraction to philosophy for him was the "curious things" that philosophers tended to say--where the idea was more or less that they were saying things that seemed fit for a loony bin, and it piqued his curiosity why they'd say such things. I feel very much the same way. The "big mysteries" for me tend to be "What in the world is so and so talking about and why (is he/she saying it that way)?" — Terrapin Station
In some ways, though, although I'm not at all a misanthrope, I'm not that philosophically interested in humanity qua humanity. I'm someone who finds the phrase "the human condition" annoying. I don't want artworks to be primarily about "the human condition" either. When it comes to fiction, I like fantastical stuff, humorous stuff, surreal stuff, etc. The more "straight drama"/realist drama and soap-opera like something is, usually the less interested I am in it. Outside of that, I also hate our politics (in terms of day to day politics, the sorts of political systems we've created, etc.). I hate people moralizing (in the negative sense a la being highly judgmental/self-righteous/etc.)--though also partially because I don't agree with a lot of conventional moral views. I typically get annoyed watching the news, because of the way it reflects the things that people care about and just how they care about it, both of which I often disagree with. — Terrapin Station
So that might give some insight into the different frameworks we're coming from, the different interests we have, etc. — Terrapin Station
Anyone who has studied anything can easily see that. — hks
But then you could just also be overly sensitive — hks
I don't need to give it my best shot. Aquinas has already done so. Have you heard of him perhaps? — hks
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.