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Poll

Well, are they?

Yes
- 7 (33.3%)
No
- 5 (23.8%)
Sometimes
- 9 (42.9%)

Total Members Voted: 6


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Author Topic: Are Philosophers Cracked?  (Read 5678 times)

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Brian Wolf

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Are Philosophers Cracked?
« on: December 31, 2006, 04:38:56 AM »

My idea is that much like Psychologists get interested in Psychology because of some disorder of their own that they want to fix, Philosophers don't really understand the point of life, they can't 'deal' well with people and they need to understand some deeper order to the universe that makes sense to them in order to live 'normal' lives.
One examples is the idea of isolating oneself in a cave completely away from mundane society until they become 'enlightened'. In other words, until the world makes sense to them again.
'Normal' people already know how to 'deal' and don't need to spend much time thinking about the meaning of life.
The great Philosophers actually make progress in understanding the world simply by obsessing over the great questions until they make some sort of sense, in order for them to feel like they are a useful part of society.
What do you guys think?
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Taors

  • Guest
Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2006, 10:06:16 AM »

As in they smoke crack?
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cerpntaxt

  • Guest
Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2006, 10:48:19 AM »

Always.
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Taors

  • Guest
Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2006, 10:59:05 AM »

Always.

You still sound a little scared. Try to take a deep, deep breath before you call in. It helps.
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Jason Orr

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2006, 11:22:37 PM »

That's a really interesting theory, and I'm sure that in some cases it's true.  Some philosophers, though, I feel were motivated by a genuine desire for truth rather than a coping mechanism for themselves.  I would be wary of saying "always" to just about anything.
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“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money”

--Alexis de Tocqueville

ladyattis

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2006, 11:57:54 PM »

I would say no, only because most that I do know tend to be down to earth people. It's just they're the kind of people that can analyze complex situations and give you easy answers to them, insomuch that their answers are about the universal/unparticular nature of the situations themselves.

-- Bridget
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Bill Brasky

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2007, 12:11:47 AM »

My idea is that much like Psychologists get interested in Psychology because of some disorder of their own that they want to fix, Philosophers don't really understand the point of life, they can't 'deal' well with people and they need to understand some deeper order to the universe that makes sense to them in order to live 'normal' lives.

I will agree to the vast generalization, but specifics wreck the argument. 

That sounded kinda retarded, but I'll leave it. 

Its like saying doctors want to cure illness because they are sick, or carpenters want to build nice houses because their own houses are shambles. 

I've had some experience with Psychiatrists and their kind.  They are doctors.  Psychologists are not.  Whatever, its a good profession, and the ones that are good are really good.  Thats the way the cookie crumbles in the medical profession. 

Why they do it?  Thats a case by case scenario.  Some are just assholes who enjoy fat paychecks.  Some are wonderful people who want to help people and are trained properly, they spend their whole life seeking knowledge and applying it to problems.  I wont badmouth the profession, just the ones who suck at it.

Philosophers are a little different.  Its difficult to determine the good that can come out of the philosophers work.  Maybe its a noble cause to dissect the reasons people do what they do, but most of them dont matter.  All they can do is teach the next breed to think in their own fashion if they themselves are not spectacular participants in the philosophy game. 

Peters Principle applies to the philosophy game.  People rise to the level of their incompetence.  They can go no further.  I think when they reach that point, they owe it to the student to admit their flaws but most scholars wont ever do that. 
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bonerjoe

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2007, 12:42:05 AM »

I need some more spumante.
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Bill Brasky

  • Guest
Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2007, 01:05:17 AM »

I dislike wine.  Champagne.  All that stuff. 

Not that I wouldnt drink it.  I'm an uncultured prick. 

Its like giving Glenfiddich to someone who drinks Yukon Jack. 

It should be noted I'm wrecked on Blackbush. 
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ladyattis

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2007, 01:17:23 AM »

Bill, the first alcoholic drinks were beer. Even in Sumeria, beer recipes were considered so sacred, that they were kept secret under pain of death. :shock:

-- Bridget
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Brian Wolf

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2007, 02:48:07 AM »

I did not mean to say that all psychologists were disturbed prior to their taking up that profession, but I do know that a lot of them do get interested in the field for that reason. There is nothing at all wrong with that. I myself suffer from a mental illness.
And I did not mean to come off as disrespecting philosophers in any way.
In tribal societies the 'shaman', who was the tribal equivalent to a Philosopher/Psychiatrist, would often be a person who suffered though some great illness themselves.
In some tribes, Shamans were referred to as the "Wounded Healers", and it was believed that having gone through illness themselves that the Shamans had a better perspective how their patients were feeling.
Also I think that part of my point has been lost, I have not been very clear.
I am not saying that the great philosophers were crazy when they wrote their defining works. I am saying that they started out that way, and once they learned the secret of how to live their own lives, the healed themselves, and then shared with the rest of the world their stories.
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cerpntaxt

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2007, 08:05:57 PM »

That's a really interesting theory, and I'm sure that in some cases it's true.  Some philosophers, though, I feel were motivated by a genuine desire for truth rather than a coping mechanism for themselves.  I would be wary of saying "always" to just about anything.
Just about anything eh? Generalizations are fun.
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aquabanianskakid

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2007, 08:22:05 PM »

Hey I've been drinking Yukon Jack all week!
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Bill Brasky

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2007, 08:28:09 PM »

That sucks
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Rillion

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Re: Are Philosophers Cracked?
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2007, 08:29:06 PM »

My idea is that much like Psychologists get interested in Psychology because of some disorder of their own that they want to fix,

....or somebody else's disorder that they want to fix.  Or maybe they want to know why people believe certain things.  Or why they act certain ways.  Or maybe they want to make people happier by understanding themselves better.  Or maybe all of the above. 

Quote
Philosophers don't really understand the point of life, they can't 'deal' well with people and they need to understand some deeper order to the universe that makes sense to them in order to live 'normal' lives.

That implies that non-philosophers do  understand the meaning of life, as opposed to wandering through their existence not bothering to think about it.    Not to mention that there is  a meaning in life, not even to mention the  meaning of life. 

Maybe psychologists and philosophers are people who actually wouldn't mind figuring out something about why people think and act the way they do before they die.  And get paid for it.  Just a thought. 
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