What is Philosophy?

[meshou]

Existentialism, absurdism, and a good dose of Buddhism.

[wyrdsister]

Existentialism, absurdism, and a good dose of Buddhism.

Erm I don't think all Philosophy is based on this... your comments are in reply to?

[reason]

I agree with wyrdsister, that not all religious traditions are authoritarian, particularly Buddhism, for which I have great respect, precsiely for its nonauthoritarianism. This is in contrast to the Judeo-Christian or Islamic traditions, which tend to be, though not need be, highly authoritarian.

SolitaryWalker, the problem with rationality (what you call reason), is that for many so-called rationalists, the authority of The Bible or Qu'ran has simply been exchanged for the authority of science or logic. Thus, many who hold traditionally Eastern religious beliefs, are right to to regard such "rationalists" as hypocritical and unenlightened, slaves to authority and spiritually shallow.

[SolitaryWalker]

I agree with wyrdsister, that not all religious traditions are authoritarian, particularly Buddhism, for which I have great respect, precsiely for its nonauthoritarianism. This is in contrast to the Judeo-Christian or Islamic traditions, which tend to be, though not need be, highly authoritarian.

SolitaryWalker, the problem with rationality (what you call reason), is that for many so-called rationalists, the authority of The Bible or Qu'ran has simply been exchanged for the authority of science or logic. Thus, many who hold traditionally Eastern religious beliefs, are right to to regard such "rationalists" as hypocritical and unenlightened, slaves to authority and spiritually shallow.

Not sure if I followed you there.


Religions talk about eschatology, questions of what happens after our death. Metaphysics cant reach that far, so we cant rationalize about that. Hence eschatological ideas could be accepted only on authority.

[logan235711]

Philosophy has no absolute definition, even with philosophers, even they argue what it means. But in the 20th century many thought of it as the attempt to clarify thought and language--thought being the lesser of the two. But seeing as the twentieth century is over and logical positivism is fading, if not faded--this is once again in the air.

[Splittet]

I kind of like the definition that philosophy is the pursuit of problems unsolvable to humans.

[The Ü™]

Philosophy is simply rational understanding. (Some schools actually call biology "Natural Philosophy.")

[Xander]

Philosophy is simply rational understanding. (Some schools actually call biology "Natural Philosophy.")

Wouldn't that be more like what you get once you understand philosophy?

[The Ü™]

Okay, let me rephrase:

Philosophy is the theoretical branch of Logic.

Mathematics is the bridge -- the theory-to-application branch of Logic.

Science is the applied branch of Logic.

[TaylorS]

Philosophy is about using logic and reason to explain what can and cannot be said to exist, what is the nature of what exists, what counts as true knowledge of what exists, what is meaningful, and what is moral.