Ask a normal guy studying philosophy anything

[h3h3]

where are you from?

Slovenia, European country, east of Italy.

[marcus142]

i think, therefore i am. thinking about getting this tattoo..wish i knew more philosophical quotes that are short to get tattooed.

[h3h3]

What do you think of Peter Singer?

Aware me on him, not familiar with his work.

[magog704]

i think, therefore i am. thinking about getting this tattoo..wish i knew more philosophical quotes that are short to get tattooed.

one of my favorite soto quotes

Before Enlightenment chop wood carry water, after Enlightenment, chop wood carry water

[Tharsos]

No, I don't think anyone really looks forward to a hard life, but sometimes the hard way is the only way it can go. I find being poor spiritually and not being a stable person is far worse than being poor financially. I don't fear death and when it comes I'll welcome it. I believe with death many questions will be answered, or I will simply cease to exist. I'm willing to take that chance and if being unemployed brings me closer to the answers, I guess it's not that bad.

Strong Apology/Crito response

Not necessary, if you study philosophy you will have to read a lot of books and most likely will find joy in reading them. You can teach like you said, you can work in a library or anything similar to that, anything that operates with books. You should be very literate and if a bit talented you could get a job at a newspaper company to write columns for them, or you can simply be a genius and write your own book, and teach very advance stuff to other professors(not likely to happen).

If you get an undergrad degree in philosophy and don't plan on going to graduate school you are either a hippie or semi-retarded.

It's not about the money comparison, you missed my point. I'm 100% sure you can get in better shape and a lot easier if you workout in a gym, but you can get in beast shape if you use both.

It's same with studying, sure you can go study alone in library, but who will tell you if you understood the content correctly? Who will you discuss it with? It's a lot easier if you have someone to guide you and discuss with you, than being all alone and trying to figure out stuff by yourself.

There is a lot of secondary literature that you can read.

Can you explain Kant's categorical imperative to me? I saw it mentioned earlier today and I tried reading explanations but I am still confused. Only do things that are good enough to be laws for the universe? What does that mean?

An imperative is an objective law that the subjective, imperfect, will must follow. A categorical imperative is an imperative that follows from pure reason and is therefore a good in itself, rather than a good as a means to something else (hypothetical imperative).

From the categorical imperative along with other ideas Kant reaches the conclusion in his Formula of the Kingdom of Ends which states "Act in accordance with the maxims of a member giving universal laws for a merely possible kingdom of ends." This basically means act in such a way that you treat everyone as ends in themselves and in such a way that, as a rule, you would want others to act.

[h3h3]

i think, therefore i am. thinking about getting this tattoo..wish i knew more philosophical quotes that are short to get tattooed.

Lots of discussion with this quote, some accuse it of being inaccurate because they believe that "therefore" stands for deductive way of making conclusion. The most accurate I think is : "I think, I exist."

[Tharsos]

Aware me on him, not familiar with his work.

He's mostly known for his arguments for animals and for alleviating poverty (jumping into a pool to save a drowning person and ruin your clothes thought experiment). Look him up on youtube.

[eurolift_old]

Sorry, I didn't see it. No, I don't think so. I don't think there's anything wrong with being homosexual, feeling affection and love for another human being is normal, no matter the sex, having butt sex is just taking it a step further, just a way to pleasure our bodies, the love between two human beings is what counts in my opinions. Homosexuality has been around since many thousands of years ago, and it was completely normal. The problem with our today's view of homosexuality is that the church has made it this way. Church has banned and marked any kinds of open sexuality as a sin, and with its powerful influence in the dark ages they could force any belief they wanted and that could benefit them.

What is a disease to you?
This is is exerpt from Wikipedia:
In humans, "disease" is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person

That being said, if a disease can be classified as a condition that causes social problems, is homosexuality a disease as long as society shuns it? I.e. Is it a disease in Saudi Arabia but not in the Netherlands?
Is societal rejection of homosexuality it's own justification, "It is a disease because we think it is a disease"?

[Mbalz-Iz-Hari]

Shoot.

OP, what is your opinion on human consciousness and how it relates to both the physical and metaphysical world?

[SlurpDerp]

That's awesome OP, good for you. The world needs more philosophers and people who think outside the box; the people making fun of you for pursuing that degree will most likely end up with shiet jobs or jobs they hate anyway. Always do what you love.



Anyway, listen to some Alan Watts as well, he's pretty much the GOAT:

[magog704]

What is a disease to you?
This is is exerpt from Wikipedia:
In humans, "disease" is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person

That being said, if a disease can be classified as a condition that causes social problems, is homosexuality a disease as long as society shuns it? I.e. Is it a disease in Saudi Arabia but not in the Netherlands?
Is societal rejection of homosexuality it's own justification of the rejection thereof? "It is disease because we think it is a disease"?

some people think it's a disease and some people dont. this is based on wat rawls called reflective equilibrium. if you were askin me personally, i would say that it's not a disease based on my own subjective justification. so it depends who you ask.

[Rigour]

Aware me on him, not familiar with his work.

He's a bioethicist, and one of the most prolific writers of our time. He provided the intellectual foundation for the animal rights movement with his book "Animal Liberation," and his opinion about the sanctity of human life is regarded as extremely controversial. Above of all though, he's a preference utilitarian.

For example, he has an extremely controversial opinion on infanticide: http://www.wnd.com/2006/09/37903/

[eurolift_old]

some people think it's a disease and some people dont. this is based on wat rawls called reflective equilibrium. if you were askin me personally, i would say that it's not a disease based on my own subjective justification. so it depends who you ask.

If a disease is thus a subjective opinion, does this not force us into cultural relativism? Are we acting wrongly by pressing for gay rights in foreign countries?

Edit I mean moral relativism

[h3h3]

Wrong. The table is made of atoms. Jesus is made of half atoms, half Holy Spirit. Got you.

You're 1 cheeky **** mate i'll smack you in the gabber, swear on my mums

[TINutrition]

Do you believe in uncaused events?

[Tharsos]

What is a disease to you?
This is is exerpt from Wikipedia:
In humans, "disease" is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person

That being said, if a disease can be classified as a condition that causes social problems, is homosexuality a disease as long as society shuns it? I.e. Is it a disease in Saudi Arabia but not in the Netherlands?
Is societal rejection of homosexuality it's own justification, "It is a disease because we think it is a disease"?

No, if anything it means homophobia is a disease

[h3h3]

What is a disease to you?
This is is exerpt from Wikipedia:
In humans, "disease" is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person

That being said, if a disease can be classified as a condition that causes social problems, is homosexuality a disease as long as society shuns it? I.e. Is it a disease in Saudi Arabia but not in the Netherlands?
Is societal rejection of homosexuality it's own justification, "It is a disease because we think it is a disease"?

If it is a disease, it can be cured. But how can you cure such thing? And I don't think social problems is sufficient definition for a disease, all together is very accurate, but I don't think you can isolate just this one factor and treat is a whole definition.

"It is a disease because we think it is a disease"? This could very well be, but some of them think it is, some of them don't. We have yet to come to an agreement. I have no problem with homosexuality and it doesn't affect me in any way.

[h3h3]

He's a bioethicist, and one of the most prolific writers of our time. He provided the intellectual foundation for the animal rights movement with his book "Animal Liberation," and his opinion about the sanctity of human life is regarded as extremely controversial. Above of all though, he's a preference utilitarian.

For example, he has an extremely controversial opinion on infanticide: http://www.wnd.com/2006/09/37903/

Very interesting point of view, and I must say I kinda agree with him. Even though I haven't put much thought in it but I also think that if it's in the best interest of the family, they should be allowed to kill their own child, but i wouldn't allow it over a certain age and it has to be some kind of the disease for child to be killed.

[eurolift_old]

If it is a disease, it can be cured. But how can you cure such thing?

You are incorrect, there are many conditions out there that we consider disease that we cannot cure.

And I don't think social problems is sufficient definition for a disease, all together is very accurate, but I don't think you can isolate just this one factor and treat is a whole definition.

Thanks, I think this answer could satisfy me

[h3h3]

Do you believe in uncaused events?

Could you elaborate please?

[magog704]

If a disease is thus a subjective opinion, does this not force us into cultural relativism? Are we acting wrongly by pressing for gay rights in foreign countries?

Edit I mean moral relativism

people like to make that leap. that because i say morality is a socio-cultural construct, then you could potentially defend nazism. but im not defending nazism, so i don't really think of myself moral relativist beyond reflective equilibrium.

everything is on a spectrum. ****s and evil and you name it.

[h3h3]

You are incorrect, there are many conditions out there that we consider disease that we cannot cure.

That we cannot cure yet! Homosexuality is a state of mind I think, and it defines a person which is homosexual and it gives him different characteristics. To "cure" him, would mean for him to cease being what he is.

[TINutrition]

Could you elaborate please?

An event without a cause... like being from non being, something from nothing, existence from non existence

[magog704]

An event without a cause... like being from non being, something from nothing, existence from non existence

it doesnt get much more western than this line of reasoning. being and non being are contingent upon your lexicon. define existence.

things exist and they do not exist. its pretty simple.

[VaiKing]

how do you apply philosophy in a financial/capitalism driven world?

people struggle all their life to be successful and make a decent living (or become wealthy), so what makes you think they give a **** about your thoughts on individuals and society?

[eurolift_old]

That we cannot cure yet! Homosexuality is a state of mind I think, and it defines a person which is homosexual and it gives him different characteristics. To "cure" him, would mean for him to cease being what he is.

You are incorrect again, there are many conditions (for example Alzheimer, brain tumors, depression, OCD) that can alter the state of mind and that we consider diseases.

[h3h3]

That's awesome OP, good for you. The world needs more philosophers and people who think outside the box; the people making fun of you for pursuing that degree will most likely end up with shiet jobs or jobs they hate anyway. Always do what you love.



Anyway, listen to some Alan Watts as well, he's pretty much the GOAT:

Really cool video, the journey counts more than the end, kinda agree. Could that be argument for Machiavelli's, the end justifies the needs?

[TINutrition]

it doesnt get much more western than this line of reasoning. being and non being are contingent upon your lexicon. define existence.

things exist and they do not exist. its pretty simple.

lol wut. non being is a universal concept. it has no characteristics, no attributes, it is the absence of being... existence couldnt be something with no attributes or characteristics. You are failing to blur the distinction

[eurolift_old]

people like to make that leap. that because i say morality is a socio-cultural construct, then you could potentially defend nazism. but im not defending nazism, so i don't really think of myself moral relativist beyond reflective equilibrium.

everything is on a spectrum. ****s and evil and you name it.

Thank you, but I don't really understand. Do you mean that moral relativism only the case when it is applied to extremes?

[h3h3]

You are incorrect again, there are many conditions (for example Alzheimer, brain tumors, depression, OCD) that can alter the state of mind and that we consider diseases.

I see your point, I haven't put much thought in my argument. But you make a valid point, I'll go with you on this one.