Philosophy Now Forum

Philosophy Explorer wrote:

marjoram_blues wrote:MB: What's a philosopher?

PhilX : I asked this question a long time ago.
It could be a very inquisitive person.

MB: Yeah, I know - it's a perennial favourite, innit
is that the definition of a philosopher. A head-banger?

So, if a philosopher is someone who likes to ask questions - do you think the average person likes to ask questions?
Does it depend on the type, purpose and context of the question - the tone of Voice, the Nature of the girl on the bus?

From experience, in a classroom, most people don't ask inquiring questions about things they'd be curious about because of fear of looking foolish. In my daily walk of life, I find most people don't ask questions (maybe they're silent philosophers).

Can you clarify what you mean by "the Nature of the girl..."?

PhilX

Thanks for asking the questions, many posters here don't follow up...(myself included).
Yes, a classroom - or a teacher - sometimes inhibits questions for all kinds of reasons not just fear of looking foolish. For example, the need to focus on a specific topic within limited time. However, for the truly interested, there are so many ways to research by DIY...
I'm not sure this closed-in physical environment is an 'average' situation which reveals who an 'average person' is and how they think.

Really? Where do you walk...and talk ? I find that more and more people are asking questions e.g. of political decision-making; of the impact of their diet...so many questions...so many googles...and the answers lead to even more questions...

I like the idea of 'silent philosophers' - a bit like the silent majority.

'The Nature of the Girl on the Bus' - that phrase came to me when I was thinking about the average person and their judgment and queries.
It's a hypothetical person with a fair amount of education and intellect but sitting there 'invisible'. Perhaps I should have picked 'Grannie' as a representative. And no, ye cannae shove yer Grannie aff the bus !

It sprang from the idea of 'The Man on the Clapham Omnibus'. If curious and you really need to know, then Google

marjoram_blues wrote:

Philosophy Explorer wrote:

marjoram_blues wrote:MB: What's a philosopher?

PhilX : I asked this question a long time ago.
It could be a very inquisitive person.

MB: Yeah, I know - it's a perennial favourite, innit
is that the definition of a philosopher. A head-banger?

So, if a philosopher is someone who likes to ask questions - do you think the average person likes to ask questions?
Does it depend on the type, purpose and context of the question - the tone of Voice, the Nature of the girl on the bus?

From experience, in a classroom, most people don't ask inquiring questions about things they'd be curious about because of fear of looking foolish. In my daily walk of life, I find most people don't ask questions (maybe they're silent philosophers).

Can you clarify what you mean by "the Nature of the girl..."?

PhilX

Thanks for asking the questions, many posters here don't follow up...(myself included).
Yes, a classroom - or a teacher - sometimes inhibits questions for all kinds of reasons not just fear of looking foolish. For example, the need to focus on a specific topic within limited time. However, for the truly interested, there are so many ways to research by DIY...
I'm not sure this closed-in physical environment is an 'average' situation which reveals who an 'average person' is and how they think.

Really? Where do you walk...and talk ? I find that more and more people are asking questions e.g. of political decision-making; of the impact of their diet...so many questions...so many googles...and the answers lead to even more questions...

I like the idea of 'silent philosophers' - a bit like the silent majority.

'The Nature of the Girl on the Bus' - that phrase came to me when I was thinking about the average person and their judgment and queries.
It's a hypothetical person with a fair amount of education and intellect but sitting there 'invisible'. Perhaps I should have picked 'Grannie' as a representative. And no, ye cannae shove yer Grannie aff the bus !

It sprang from the idea of 'The Man on the Clapham Omnibus'. If curious and you really need to know, then Google

I overlooked that nowadays, many people get on the internet to get information.

With Grannie, don't throw her under the bus! With politics, it is the time for it in the US with all the debating and campaigning going on. I also like to add that I find philosophers tend to be critical and some of them extreme.

PhilX

duszek wrote:

Jaded Sage wrote:I am so much different from the average person because of philosophy that I would become sad if I were not so different.

So you want people to realize that you are different because of your investment in philosophy.

Being different can be hard to endure.

How about not being different for a while and seeing how it feels like and comparing the two modes of existence ?

I have started to immerse myself in "social life" which means mainly impudent gossiping, supposing what may be the case although it is none of my business, making stealthy approaches etc. I feel like a fish in a swarm of fish and want to see how my mood gets influenced by it.

Opting out is easy, becoming an accepted fish is far more difficult.

I don't want to sound rude, but I did all that in highschool. It was boring. That's why I decided to invest in philosophy.

No, a philosopher is more interested in philosophy than a non-philosopher.

I find this distinction useful from http://www.uri.edu/personal/szunjic/philos/whystudy.htm:

Little Questions are asked by All Human Beings; Big Questions are asked by Scientists, Experts, and Technocrats; Fundamental Questions are asked by Children, Curious Individuals, and Philosophers.

Also, it's not that I want people to recognize I'm different. I just am, and they recognize it. Unless you meant to focus on the fact that it was caused by philosophy, then yeah. I'd like people to know that. It's a proud difference, not a shameful one.

Philosophy is the poor man's bread. Philosophy is akin to thinking. For instance what makes a women different from a man? Not much aside from sexual organs right? This is essentially philosophy. Looking for consistency in the logic of an idea.

Sounds like the rich man's bread.