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Popularization of Philosophy

SolitaryWalker

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This thread is primarily for those who have an interest in philosophy or a potential interest and wish to advance into the field further. However, it may also be of use to the advanced students of this intellectual enterprise.

Here I shall post over a dozen discussions between Bryan Magee and eminent philosophers of the 20th century. (The filming took place in 1970)

Bryan Magee is chiefly a popularizer of philosophy, in other words his purpose is to make the subject accessible an interesting to every intelligent person. Arguably his greatest accomplishment was the Confessions of a Philosopher, which is his intellectual autobiography introducing the reader to a wide range of philosophies (starting with the pre-socratics and finishing with Russell and the late 20th century thought). I highly recommend this piece, it was the first philosophy book I have studied thoroughly and provided my first overview of the thought of Western Civilization.

Amazon.com: Confessions of a Philosopher


The following dicussions are now published in his the Great Philosophers, Amazon.com: The Great Philosophers: An Introduction to Western Philosophy: Bryan Magee: Books.

And a few of them in 'Talking Philosophy'.

Amazon.com: Talking Philosophy




If anyone has ideas or questions with regard to the material posted below, I am available to answer them in this thread and via PM. I have watched all of those videos and am reasonably well acquainted with the ideas discussed, thus for the sake of further inquiry all are encouraged to contact me as well.

1 Aristotle

Amazon.com: The Great Philosophers: An Introduction to Western Philosophy: Bryan Magee: Books


2 Plato

YouTube - Miles Burnyeat on Plato: Section 1


3 Medieval Philosophy

YouTube - Anthony Kenny on Medieval Philosophy: Section 1


4 Husserl and Heidegger

YouTube - Hubert Dreyfus on Husserl and Heidegger: Section 1

5 Nietzsche

YouTube - J.P. Stern on Nietzsche: Section 1

6. Kant

YouTube - Geoffrey Warnock on Kant: Section 1

7. Hegel and Marx

YouTube - Peter Singer on Hegel and Marx: Section 1

8. Schopenhauer

YouTube - Frederick Copleston on Schopenhauer: Section 1

9. Frege, Russell and Modern Logic

YouTube - Ayer on Frege and Russell: Section 1

10. Philosophy of Language


YouTube - John Searle on the Philosophy of Language: Section 1

11. Philosophy of Science and Mathematics

YouTube - Hilary Putnam on the Philosophy of Science: Section 1

12. Pragmatists, James, Pierce and Dewey

YouTube - Sidney Morgenbesser on the American Pragmatists: Section 1

13. Logical Positivism

YouTube - Ayer on Logical Positivism: Section 1

14. Spinoza and Leibniz

YouTube - Anthony Quinton on Spinoza and Leibniz: Section 3

15. Philosophy and Literature

YouTube - Iris Murdoch on Philosophy and Literature: Section 3

16. Locke and Berkeley

YouTube - Michael Ayers on Locke and Berkeley: Section 1

17. Hume

YouTube - John Passmore on Hume: Section 1

18. Quine

YouTube - On the Ideas of Quine: Section 1
 

disregard

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Cool. I've always wanted to get into philosophy, but I had no idea where to begin.
 

RaptorWizard

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RaptorWizard's responce to SolitaryWalker's Popularization of Philosophy thread:

Rather than connecting the ideas developed by all the great philosophers into a greater whole, I would advise a less holistic point of view. Instead, we should at least be open to all those ideas, but we should also tenaciously chase those that fit our ideals in a radical and less balanced drive to fulfill our visions. Most importantly of all however, is to create our own individualized philosophy, and to walk the solitary paths of our own planning ahead.

:wizfreak:
 

Tiltyred

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Or not taking, that you're supposed to be taking?
 

Mole

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Gaining Gravitas

Arguably his greatest accomplishment was the Confessions of a Philosopher, which is his intellectual autobiography introducing the reader to a wide range of philosophies (starting with the pre-socratics and finishing with Russell and the late 20th century thought). I highly recommend this piece, it was the first philosophy book I have studied thoroughly and provided my first overview of the thought of Western Civilization.

My first job was a bank clerk in the Commonwealth Bank in Lakemba. And at lunchtime I would go next door to the cake shop and buy two pies, one coke and a neenish tart and read, during my lunch hour, "The History of Western Philosophy".

My bank manager, Mr Withers, told me not to use big words and to try and be like everyone else.

However I think the best approach is to fall in love with a particular philosopher. So I first fell in love with Martin Heidegger and his book, "Time and Being".

Of course falling in love with a philosopher is only the beginning, for we equally find there are philosophers we hate.

But just as we fall in love and become illusioned, in the fulness of time we fall out out of love and become disillusioned. But this leaves us free to fall in love with our next philosopher.

So philosophy is bit like a delicious meal - we eat, we digest and eliminate and eat again, all the time gaining gravitas.
 

1487610420

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My first job was a bank clerk in the Commonwealth Bank in Lakemba. And at lunchtime I would go next door to the cake shop and buy two pies, one coke and a neenish tart and read, during my lunch hour, "The History of Western Philosophy".

My bank manager, Mr Withers, told me not to use big words and to try and be like everyone else.

However I think the best approach is to fall in love with a particular philosopher. So I first fell in love with Martin Heidegger and his book, "Time and Being".

Of course falling in love with a philosopher is only the beginning, for we equally find there are philosophers we hate.

But just as we fall in love and become illusioned, in the fulness of time we fall out out of love and become disillusioned. But this leaves us free to fall in love with our next philosopher.

So philosophy is bit like a delicious meal - we eat, we digest and eliminate and eat again, all the time gaining gravitas.
My first job was...
























 

ZPowers

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Man, I haven't been around here for months. That's still your thing? I would've thought you would move onto ornithology or canasta or something at some point.

Well, I guess it's all good. But if you ever use the phrase "you're one of the good ones," take a step back.

j/k, I know you don't think there are any good INTPs
 

Zarathustra

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Oh, Victor, you DO :heart: America!!!

:static::static::flirty::static::static:

But just as we fall in love and become illusioned, in the fulness of time we fall out out of love and become disillusioned. But this leaves us free to fall in love with our next philosopher.

Or, better yet, ourselves.

So philosophy is bit like a delicious meal - we eat, we digest and eliminate and eat again, all the time gaining gravitas.

Sometimes a bit too much...
 
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