Human beings are in a way condemned to wonder about how the different spheres of life, fit together and if they are good, true or beautiful – if you ask those kinds of questions, then you are doing philosophy. Has philosophy progressed? Unlike the natural and human sciences, which have split off from philosophy to […]
Written by atreestump
This section will serve as a glossary, or ‘wiki’ section. It is for the bare bones basics of philosophical concepts and terminology. If you discover any terms that you would like to define here, please feel free to open a thread. To post in this section, you must include: [list=1] The terms of the concept […]
Written by atreestump
These two terms are of importance in philosophy. Philosophy is all about using reason alone to explain what is in existence. This means we have to look at our own experience from a subjective position first of all (see the thread about Descartes in the general section) to explain the other things outside of our […]
Written by atreestump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-ChQ33SII4 I was looking around for the movie to the book and I found this. This movie brings up interesting themes about social character and how we are judged in society. After the main character kills a man in the heat of the moment, he is asked to justify his actions, but his view of […]
Written by atreestump
Today people generally are called “narcissistic,” because of their preoccupation with “inner” processes. Bookstores offer walls of popular psychology. On subways and buses one hears psychologically sophisticated, introspective talk, with subtle distinctions and puzzlements. Twenty years ago such talk could be heard only in a therapist’s office. Millions are involved in psychotherapy, self-help networks, ashrams, […]
Written by atreestump
Foucault asks ‘how do we know there is a real essence’? All we see is someone who doesn’t fit into their prescribed role, then we postulate this must be because their essence is contrary to that role, but we do not really know this, we just postulate a cause. All Foucault is saying is that […]
Written by atreestump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0KJvxS8pzk&t=721s Check out this hilarious documentary, it is about a guy named Mark Landis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Landis He was diagnosed with a schizoid type disorder and has an amazing ability of being able to copy master pieces of works of art, which he then donates to galleries and museums across the USA, mainly in the southern states.
Written by atreestump
Critique and Non-Critique of Rituals Is there an object of analysis for someone who studies rituals? We can’t say it is a ‘field’ of research as without ritual there would be no society. Rituals are everywhere. Let’s call someone who studies ritual an ‘analyst’, but let’s also consider an actor, someone who can actually play […]
Written by atreestump
Solitude is an important philosophical inquiry. Friedrich Nietzsche sees it as the ascetic ideal of the philosopher, Plato sees Odyessus as the ideal of the philosopher, as someone who wants to escape and be alone and face challenges that will lead them to knowing oneself. Solitude can become an excess, reclusive being can be bad, […]
Written by atreestump
I wanted to compare two concepts that seem to come to similar conclusions about meaning. The first is from Hans Georg Gadamer (Hermeneutics): In phenomenology, the ‘horizon’ is, in general terms, that larger context of meaning in which any particular meaningful presentation is situated. Inasmuch as understanding is taken to involve a ‘fusion of horizons’, […]