What makes a philosopher




















Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom. As an academic discipline philosophy is much the same. To make such a pursuit more systematic academic philosophy is traditionally divided into major areas of study.

At its core the study of metaphysics is the study of the nature of reality, of what exists in the world, what it is like, and how it is ordered. In metaphysics philosophers wrestle with such questions as:. Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It is primarily concerned with what we can know about the world and how we can know it.

Typical questions of concern in epistemology are:. The study of ethics often concerns what we ought to do and what it would be best to do. In struggling with this issue, larger questions about what is good and right arise. So, the ethicist attempts to answer such questions as:. To this end philosophers employ logic to study the nature and structure of arguments.

Academic philosophers are far too busy with their own thoughts and are not looking out for wonderful untrained geniuses. If you want to be a philosopher then, if you can, study philosophy and logic at a recognised university.

You need to know all of the history of philosophy, there are no short cuts. If you want to be a doctor then study medicine, if you want to be a philosopher then study philosophy. Philosophy is hard work and will make your brain hurt. Shaun Williamson developed the Ask a Philosopher cgi script question. He did his postgraduate studies on the philosophy of Wittgenstein. You are commenting using your WordPress. Ellin, J.

Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace. Evers, D. Feinberg, J. Ferracioli, L. Fischer, J. Frankfurt, H. Gewirth, A. Goetz, S. Goldman, A. Greene, P. Hanfling, O. Hare, R. Hauskeller, M. Hooker, B. Athanassoulis and S. Vice eds. Hosseini, R. Kahane, G. Kamm, F. Kass, L. Kauppinen, A. Kekes, J. French and H. Wettstein eds. Kraay, K. Landau, I. Le Bihan, B. Levinson, J. Levy, N. Lougheed, K. Mackie, J. London: Penguin Books, Markus, A.

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Smith, Q. Dyke ed. Smuts, A. Street, S. Rosen et al. Svensson, F. Swenson, D. Swinburne, R. Tabensky, P. Tartaglia, J. Taylor, C. Taylor, R. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Boooks, — Thomas, J. Thomson, G. Tooley, M. Essays on the Axiological Consequences of Theism , K.

Kraay, ed. Trisel, B. Velleman, J. Visak, T. Waghorn, N. Wielenberg, E. Wiggins, D. Sayre-McCord ed. Williams, B. Rorty ed. Williams, C. This might explain why a vast number of philosophers were outcasts; in their isolation they had time to commit themselves to pursuits beyond social gatherings.

In addition to having time, the philosopher is often legitimately at odds with the time in which they live. From inside we do not see: we conform and abide.

That is, philosophy is not a simple art of forming, inventing, or fabricating concepts, because concepts are not necessarily forms, discoveries, or products. Indeed, each great philosopher seems to have their own great concepts. Essentially, then, one is not merely a philosopher by way of philosophising alone.

The true philosopher must live in and for their philosophy. Even if the philosopher acts in contrast to their own philosophy as has so often occurred , it must occupy their thoughts unceasingly. A simple yet efficient definition of a philosopher is found in the online Urban Dictionary , known for its colloquial, straight-forward approach.

A person that just thinks about things, which then enables other people to do things. There is something in this. Without a philosophical foundation, various other professions can lose their meaning and their moorings.

For instance, a doctor can save lives; but why save lives?



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