Author Topic: gE philosophy thread (Read 1213 times)

nicname · « **on:** December 12, 2021, 05:27:40 PM »

Do you enjoy philosophy? If so, which one(s)? Do you use it/them in your daily life? Maybe you hold a degree in philosophy and can tell us more.

If religious have you found a philosophy that's compatible to your faith? Are you formerly (or never) religious? Do you find philosophy as a suitable replacement for religion?

All is welcome.

Pete · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2021, 06:33:36 PM »

Mostly I find philosophy to be a massive waste of time. I have a philosophy degree from undergrad, and it was a huge waste of resources for everyone involved.

"Do the next right thing" is definitely the most effective philosophy I have ever encountered.

Also, I think it's helpful to differentiate spirituality from religion. Religion is an organization. Spirituality is your faith.

nicname · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2021, 07:16:25 PM »

Quote from: Pete on December 12, 2021, 06:33:36 PM

Mostly I find philosophy to be a massive waste of time. I have a philosophy degree from undergrad, and it was a huge waste of resources for everyone involved.

"Do the next right thing" is definitely the most effective philosophy I have ever encountered.

Also, I think it's helpful to differentiate spirituality from religion. Religion is an organization. Spirituality is your faith.

Stoicism!

nicname · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2021, 07:17:57 PM »

Also, it's very neat that you prob know so much about philosophy. I'm fascinated by it.

catastrophe · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2021, 10:35:05 PM »

Got a philosophy degree in undergrad at KSU. Mostly enjoyed the program and set me up pretty well for law school. My favorite is ancient philosophy, but I think there are plenty of neat thought experiments to bother from various philosophers over throughout history.

nicname · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2021, 10:37:52 PM »

Dudeism rules.

Pete · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2021, 07:37:58 AM »

Quote from: nicname on December 12, 2021, 10:37:52 PM

Dudeism rules.

I could get down with this. When I picture my higher power, I picture the Dude, so this would be an easier transition for me.

steve dave · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2021, 07:50:25 AM »

You guys ever read any of this chump Plato? Dude kicked the living crap out of strawmen for breakfast.

Sandstone Outcropping · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2021, 09:23:08 AM »

Quote from: Pete on December 12, 2021, 06:33:36 PM

Mostly I find philosophy to be a massive waste of time. I have a philosophy degree from undergrad, and it was a huge waste of resources for everyone involved.

"Do the next right thing" is definitely the most effective philosophy I have ever encountered.

Also, I think it's helpful to differentiate spirituality from religion. Religion is an organization. Spirituality is your faith.

Is Viktor Frankl saying the same thing? I think that Man's Search for Meaning is the most interesting and accessible book related to philosophy (I think you can call it a philosophy book) that I've read outside of the writings that are particular to the Christian spirituality/religion that I practice.

"We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life - and instead think of ourselves who were questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist in right conduct."

“Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.”

-Viktor Frankl, 'Man's Search for Meaning'.

I've thought about the second quote many times since I first read the book about 20 years ago.

Cire · « **Reply #9 on:** December 13, 2021, 09:32:49 AM »

Never understood philosophy.

Cire · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2021, 09:34:06 AM »

I mean the application of philosophy.

Took the Philo 101 or whatever, read plato, machiavelli, sun tzu etc.

cfbandyman · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2021, 09:48:08 AM »

Never got too into it, being eclectic is the correct answer to me, sticking to one specific regiment causes things to become rigid and calcifying, but I do think you have to have some core principles.

That being said, epicureanism definitely has some very interesting points, as does stoicism. And while you can't call Marx a philosopher (and I feel the eyes rolling on this) but from a pure trying to synthesize history/economics/philosophy, his use of Hegel is quite impressive and from pretty useful from a dialectic standpoint.

catastrophe · « **Reply #12 on:** December 13, 2021, 09:53:29 AM »

Quote from: Cire on December 13, 2021, 09:34:06 AM

I mean the application of philosophy.

Took the Philo 101 or whatever, read plato, machiavelli, sun tzu etc.

At its core I think philosophy just boils down to an exercise in logic. Kind of the same way that you take a class like chemistry or biology primarily to learn the scientific method, but instead you’re dealing with issues of truth, morality, and metaphysics instead of observable phenomena.

And like the hard sciences, it’s a lot easier to challenge/disprove a philosophical argument as unworkable/illogical than it is to affirmatively prove it is sound.

Pete · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2021, 10:31:14 AM »

I mostly just did drugs with my professors....and drug Limestone along on some of those escapades.

Trim · « **Reply #14 on:** December 13, 2021, 11:09:48 AM »

I remember taking the intro class and that it really pissed me off.

star seed 7 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 13, 2021, 11:19:32 AM »

I took political philosophy at squawk u and all I really remember was every other student had coats that smelled like stale cigarettes

Kat Kid · « **Reply #16 on:** December 13, 2021, 04:36:37 PM »

Socrates was the first crap poster.

nicname · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2021, 06:03:53 PM »

Quote from: cfbandyman on December 13, 2021, 09:48:08 AM

Never got too into it, being eclectic is the correct answer to me, sticking to one specific regiment causes things to become rigid and calcifying, but I do think you have to have some core principles.

That being said, epicureanism definitely has some very interesting points, as does stoicism. And while you can't call Marx a philosopher (and I feel the eyes rolling on this) but from a pure trying to synthesize history/economics/philosophy, his use of Hegel is quite impressive and from pretty useful from a dialectic standpoint.

I'm a big fan of the practical aspect of stoicism. I've been leaning into it pretty heavily to help overcome some of my own shortcomings. To be honest, i'm probably more of a "the dude" at heart.

https://dudeism.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudeism

The Dudeist belief system is essentially a modernized form of Taoism stripped of all of its metaphysical and medical doctrines. Dudeism advocates and encourages the practice of "going with the flow", "being cool headed", and "taking it easy" in the face of life's difficulties, believing that this is the only way to live in harmony with our inner nature and the challenges of interacting with other people. It also aims to assuage feelings of inadequacy that arise in societies which place a heavy emphasis on achievement and personal fortune. Consequently, simple everyday pleasures like bathing, bowling, and hanging out with friends are seen as far preferable to the accumulation of wealth and the spending of money as a means to achieve happiness and spiritual fulfillment. As the Dude himself says in the movie: "the dude abides", which essentially just means to keep existing.

Pete · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2021, 08:54:25 PM »

Yeah the whole “you can only achieve serenity when your conscience is aligned with your conduct” thing. Very true in my experience.

nicname · « **Reply #19 on:** March 07, 2023, 12:01:15 PM »

Wayne Dyer reads the Tao te Ching w/ ambient music and nature sounds. This is bliss to my heart and gives me peace. Hopefully it will for you as well.

Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TQ6039pIhXceMykGqneC8?si=GYDkOA1ETMSCObmiV0EgNA&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A3POtZl0k181uEk9EXzgduw

mocat · « **Reply #20 on:** June 28, 2023, 10:16:53 AM »