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What is philosophy to me
What is philosophy to me
What is philosophy to me
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The Definition of Philosophy
A personal or moral philosophy is an idea about how one should live, or how one should act. Often we will hear a person state that their philosophy about life is to “live it to the fullest” or to “take the bull by the horns” or any number of clichés. The usage of the word philosophy by these people, while correct by definition, differs from the word so closely associated with the great thinkers of our past, present and future. Philosophy, as it means to those in the quest for knowledge, the meaning of life, and the truth of all things, has a much greater, but much less concise meaning. I would say that the grand definition of philosophy is the relentless pursuit of truth and the intentional ignorance of preconceived notions and common sense in order to validate the search for that truth.
On the subject of the intentional ignorance of preconceived notions, it is generally difficult for humans to ignore their own beliefs and accepted truths for the purpose of argument. If we are to ask questions about the meaning of life to someone who is deeply spiritual and religious, we are likely to get answers which indicate this lifestyle choice. We may be referred by Christians to the Bible which states, “Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” (Isaiah 43:17) That is to say that most Christians believe our purpose on earth is to honor God and worship him and to accomplish what he wishes of them. Atheists may argue that there is no purpose to life and that we are simply “the product of millions of years of an unpurposed evolution.” (Lewis, 1954)
These explanations of the meaning of life could be true, or not, but the fact is that e...
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... but as a challenge. A philosopher may look at a question like a puzzle: each question is another piece of the final answer, and each brings about another potential problem to solve. I offer that there would be nothing more detrimental to the study of philosophy than a book with the answers to all of life’s questions. While we may colloquially define our moral philosophy as the way we choose to live our life, a philosopher lives his life to ask, to listen, and to offer answers until he finds one that cannot be clearly rejected and to reject the answers of others until his argument against theirs is the weaker of the two.
Works Cited
Lewis, J. (1954). An atheist manifesto. New York: Freethought Press Association.
Plato, & In Woohead, W. D. (1953). Socratic dialogues: Containing the Euthyphro, the Apology. the Crito, the Phaedo and the Gorgias. Edinburg: Nelson.
Philosophy – a subject that had driven people insane for as long as humans know their history. All the time people try to find a meaning, and later controvert it. For example, critics view a novel by Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as a quest for maturity story, Carroll’s view on Victorian Society and even existential meaning on life. All of those interpretations come from philosophical “drive” of the critics. The truth is that anyone can point a finger at the book and come up with their own “deep” meaning of the story, but if one looks at facts, well known, and obvious things – it is clear that the story is simply a children tale intended for entertainment and nothing more.
Works Cited Plato. The. The "Crito". Annotated text. The Last Days of Socrates.
Hare, R.M. Plato. London: Oxford University Press, 1892
Plato, . The Trial and Death of Socrates, "The Apology". Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Third ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2000. 34. Print.
(9) Plato, The Apology, in: The Works of Plato, The Nottingham Society, New York, vol. III, p. 91. (the year of publication unknown).
Plato. "Apology." The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and David L. Pike. Compact ed. New York: Pearson, 2008. 559-75. Print.
Stocks, J. L. "Plato and the Tripartite Soul." Mind, New Series ns 24.94 (1915): 207-21.Jstor.
Our purpose in this life is a question that has been asked countless times and answered in various ways. One of the central rational arguments for the existence of God is the teleological argument. This argument focuses in on how intricately designed aspects of life that could not have just fallen into place on their own, they must have had a creator. One of the central practical arguments for the possible existence of God is Pascal’s Wager. This argument is based on weighing the consequences that result from the gamble of believing in God or not believing in God. These arguments can be viewed as comparable and also as diverse.
We go through life drifting from one superficial disagreement to another without truly ever taking the time to ponder about the meaning of life. Such a question will not be easily resolved but by trying to answer it we stop daydreaming and extend our conception of ourselves while gaining knowledge of the external world (Solomon 10). Unfortunately anyone who attempts to answer that question quickly realizes that it isn’t just one broad question but rather it’s the slogan to an overwhelming amount of enquiries. Out of all possible question the one that has had the most influence on humanity is the notion of whether or not God exists. Philosophers and non-philosophers alike from ancient civilizations to our modern era have contributed their own two cents to the argument. Through the course of the following pages the idea of God will be defined, explained, and defended by the Ontological Argument to ultimately prove that God exists.
3 Wests, Thomas G and Grace Starr. Plato's Apology of Socrates. Taken from Texts on Socrates. P. 81
Everything that we do in life, it is all based around our goal that we want ourselves to attain. Every path you take and every choice you make all results in you trying to get closer to your goal. The goal of which will bring you to having a good life. Additionally, having a philosophy makes it easier to make decisions regarding yourself. You already know what goal you have in mind to achieve. Thus you choose the path that can make you reach that goal. To choose without having a philosophy makes it even harder since you would be even more indecisive. Irvine agrees with this notion;
Plato, Phaedrus, trans. R. Hackforth, in Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, eds. The Collected Dialogues of Plato (New York: Pantheon, 1966).
Philosophy is amongst the most difficult and challenging subjects anyone can discuss. Philosophy has changed throughout the years and it can be inquiring and critical. Most philosophers have different theories on how the world should be and there are many issues and questions that arise. What is real; what is truth; what is good; is the mind something separate from the body; and are we free, or are our actions determined so that we no longer have any control or influence? Immanuel Kant and Ayn Rand are two Philosophers that are respected for their different philosophies. Their lives, influences, and thoughts of how we should be as a society are ideas that make them so different.
Philosophy was an activity that people would seek to understand the fundamentals of truth, relationships with others and themselves. Philosophers will ask, seek answers, and argue the answers to the questions they are seeking the truth for. There are so many philosophers from Aristotle, Confucius, Plato, Socrates, to Thomas Hobbes. Who all had quotes that have been taught and have a lot of meaning, Aristotle quoted-“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst”; a man who has no boundaries is a dangerous person, he also quoted-“the roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet”; it is hard to study and have a family but the outcome is wonderful. Confucius quoted- “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure”; being prepared for what life might through at you if not you wont concur. Plato quoted-“Good actions give strength to ourselves and in spire good actions in others”; one good deed spreads like wild flowers. Socrates quoted-“To know, is to know that you know nothing That is the meaning of true knowledge”; knowledge is the key to unlocking doors that can take you any were, the more you know the more you don’t know. Thomas Hobbes quoted- “Understanding is nothing else than conception caused by speech”; understanding can be caused by speech in many ways
Melchert, Norman. The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy. 4th ed. Toronto: McGraw Hill Companies, 2002.