If I were you, I'd avoid talking about philosophy with people who are just then having their morning coffee. Some people are very irritable in the morning and she might smash a chair over your head for bringing up heavy topics. Try a bar with people who have had just enough beer to be slightly lubricated.

Philosophy flows better with beer in the evening than with coffee in the morning.

LOL. I hate beer.

What kind of philosopher hates beer? That's absurd.

I do like Camus. (but I'm a long way from explaining that one to my coffee group!)

I guess I could hang out in a bar where other people are drinking.. but I've found that drinkers are usually suspicious of non-drinkers.

No, I tend to keep to myself in regards to philosophy. Philosophical discussions with those who don't have a background in philosophy nor take the material seriously are usually disappointing in depth and field.

if you were asked to explain philosophy to someone who didn't know much about it... where would you start?

but drinkers are usually suspicious of non-drinkers — anonymous66

As well they should be.

Don't they serve hard liquor where you live? Do you dislike vodka, gin, whisky, and bourbon too?

Maybe you could find a socialist or atheist study group. They are usually relentlessly sober, and drink coffee in the evening.

As well they should be. — Bitter Crank

I do like port. And Mike's Hard Lemonade. And Mudslides... and Long Island Iced tea. I drank a bottle of Angry Orchard hard cider the other night.

Ah, there you go. Enjoy your discussions.

if you were asked to explain philosophy to someone who didn't know much about it... where would you start? — anonymous66

Yes, so long as they seem genuinely interested. When discussing philosophy with some friends a few months back, the topic came up: what even is philosophy? All sorts of answers (it's how you live!, it's like science but less cool!, it's kinda stupid!) were given until I, the great darthbarracuda, laid waste to the terrain and enlightened everyone with my unquestionably superior view, that philosophy is rational speculation into the nature of the world and humanity's relationship to it.

Many heads nodded in agreement and two days later I received an envelope in the mail asking if I wished to be the head lecturer at my university's philosophy department. I declined, of course, because I won't support the nihilistic regime known as contemporary analytic philosophy.

This is 100% true.

I am a person that does not know much about philosophy and I talk to myself all the time.
So yes, yes I do.

it's kinda stupid... rational speculation into the nature of the world and humanity's relationship to it. — darthbarracuda

Very true.

I don't explain philosophy to them, I just get them to talk about their beliefs, pose non-aggressive but inquiring questions, and so forth. People like to talk about the big questions!

For example, I recently visited an old friend at the countryside. His uncle was at the table with us, and he is a peasant who doesn't know how to either write or read. So I said like: "I notice a lot of people here going to Church, is there a lot of belief here?" And the uncle said "Well some believe in Mohammed, others in God, others in Zeus, others in Allah - one doesn't know what to believe anymore"

Obviously his lack of culture shows - but he makes exactly the same point that many atheists make for not believing - many big headed atheists with a lot more refinement than him. He clearly for example doesn't understand that Mohammed is a prophet, and Allah is the God, and so forth. He doesn't understand the differences because of his lack of knowledge and culture. And yet he makes a fair point - if there are so many options to believe one can't be expected to know what is true anymore,

So even those who aren't learned at all enjoy talking about the big issues, but you have to be able to talk in their language, and talk at their level. Don't try to teach everyone something, not everyone can be taught. But discuss the issues, explore their beliefs.

Philosophers are a bunch of oddballs.

I talk to myself all the time. — m-theory

Quite so. It's often the only way to have a conversation with someone intelligent.

Actually, I do like to talk about some areas of philosophy with other people who may or may not know much about it, but I find it fairly difficult to find those people who are interested and have the time.

but I find it fairly difficult to find those people who are interested and have the time. — Bitter Crank

I'm still looking. :s

Obviously his lack of culture shows - but he makes exactly the same point that many atheists make for not believing - many big headed atheists with a lot more refinement than him. He clearly for example doesn't understand that Mohammed is a prophet, and Allah is the God, and so forth. He doesn't understand the differences because of his lack of knowledge and culture. And yet he makes a fair point - if there are so many options to believe one can't be expected to know what is true anymore, — Agustino

But did he really not understand? Did you give him the chance to explain himself?

were given until I, the great darthbarracuda, laid waste to the terrain and enlightened everyone with my unquestionably superior view, that philosophy is rational speculation into the nature of the world and humanity's relationship to it. — darthbarracuda

I like to think it's mostly about critical thinking and thinking about the way we think...(but, yeah.... "rational speculation into the nature of the world and humanity's relationship to it" sounds pretty good) and I don't want to lecture, either.

But did he really not understand? — anonymous66

Not understand what?

@agustino
I was referring to this:

He clearly for example doesn't understand that Mohammed is a prophet, and Allah is the God, and so forth. He doesn't understand the differences because of his lack of knowledge and culture. — Agustino

Yes, no doubt about that.

"Do you talk about Philosophy w/ people who don't know much about it?"

I post on these forums don't I?

I know that is horrible, but the set up was too good to resist.

"Do you talk about Philosophy w/ people who don't know much about it?"

I post on these forums don't I?

I know that is horrible, but the set up was too good to resist. — Jeremiah

What is it that you know about philosophy, that others on these forums don't?

Relax it was a joke.

Relax it was a joke. — Jeremiah

Didn't see the question coming? In reality, I am relaxed. I honestly wondered what it was that you deemed important for us to know.

The one thing my education taught me is that philosophy is everywhere. I know some like to think it is an exclusive club, but it has spread into most academic disciplines. So you can find common ground with just about anyone who takes personal education seriously.

I know some like to think it is an exclusive club, but it has spread into most academics disciplines. — Jeremiah

I find that most people just find it off-putting, because they don't quite get it.

My suggestion is that the problem is most likely a communication barrier.