Oh and here's a good one that you may've heard before.
Descartes walked into a hot-dog shop.
"One hot-dog please," he said.
"Would you like mustard with that?" the owner asked.
Descartes hesitated. "I think not," he decided, and promptly vanished.
2006-07-18 21:33:36 · 19 answers · asked by withallduerespect42 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
bluff: yes i am. The question wasn't meant to be insulting, by the way. I was asking if people are willing to let go of all preconceived notions, prejudices etc if they discover something that disproves them, or if they would rather cling on to their old beliefs and ignore the truth.
Think about it carefully. How willing are you to allow your entire world of thought to change?
2006-07-18 21:45:55 · update #1
Chaotic Karma: Ever heard of "I think, therefore I am?"
Ever wondered who came up with that?
Ah!
2006-07-18 21:48:40 · update #2
Wandermind: are you arguing for relativity of truth? People used to think the earth was flat. This was true TO them, not FOR them. Not knowing the truth didn't make the earth they were living on any less round!
2006-07-18 21:55:13 · update #3
bluff: what?
Don't understand what you're getting at, but thanks for updating!
2006-07-18 22:00:38 · update #4
bluff: oh my gosh. I get it now. GROAN. sorry dude =D
2006-07-18 22:02:12 · update #5
Great question, good joke, took me a minute too early in the morning for thinking,
but in regards to your question, truth is the greatest "beauty".
the truth shall set you free.
2006-07-19 04:47:11 · answer #1 · answered by Red Yeti 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The truth is not ugly unless your perspective makes it so.
Try putting yourself in another person's footsteps and the truth will seem entirely different.
So, it never hurts to learn the truth, the whole truth, and even nothing but the truth, so long as you realize that they are not the same thing.
As for Descartes, Spinoza was asked the same question and he simply walked away. Sartre said I do think so. Hume said I be thinking so. And Sinatra said to do be do be do so. If you got all those jokes then you spend way too much time studying.
Here's an easy one:
A philosophy instructor asked "How do you know you are here?"
His student replied "If I'm not, taking attendance is going to be a big waste of time."
2006-07-19 07:32:35 · answer #2 · answered by LORD Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never known a truth which was ugly - there is a kind of dignity to the truth which makes it at the very least always winsome.
And the truth is both reliable and dependable, two qualities which no falsehood - however comely - can ever have.
At the end of the day the truth can never be worse than plain, but she has a heart of gold and will still be with you twenty years from today.
However attractive or enticing dishonesty seems, she has Aids.
2006-07-19 05:35:59 · answer #3 · answered by insincere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lol... never heard that one before. My favorite philosophy joke has always been the one I saw on a t-shirt in a class one time that said...
"God is dead." ~ Nietzche.
"Nietzche is dead." ~ God.
But to answer your question (although you probably asked it to be thought-provoking more than you did for the answers you'd get)... I'd prefer the truth, even when it's hurtful or presents challenges. I've been on both sides... being lied to and things being easier, and discovering the truth and things being more difficult for a time. The truth is always better. The truth sets us free.
While I think our society is lacking in an overall value for truth (ie, a lot of people lie easily and frequently, and some even value the ability to lie well), I'd like to be optimistic enough to think that there are many who value the truth enough to search for it and grab hold of it when they find it. Otherwise, society would never change at all - we'd never see any growth. History shows that some individuals do care enough about the truth to seek it out and do their best to make it known... I think that's a good sign.
2006-07-19 05:08:28 · answer #4 · answered by Iris 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it truth you seek or rumors about truth? Truth is as intangible as taste. Did Descartes (in the joke), realize the mustard was an option? The taste of mustard would not be pleasing, nor the thought of mustard. So, a thought became the truth he followed. Truth is what we follow. Surely one would not follow a lie, unless the lie were the truth which is followed. Therefore a lie may be the truth for one who knows not the lie.
2006-07-19 04:50:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd think most people are seeking the truth but have filters that prevent them from facing the reality of truth all at once. Thus we are in a state of gradually learning truth and gradually assimiliating it.
2006-07-19 08:12:19 · answer #6 · answered by CosmicKiss 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't get that joke. I tell the truth mostly, but I'm careful to not offend or hurt anyones feelings. I enjoy hearing the truth too.
2006-07-19 04:38:53 · answer #7 · answered by Karmically Screwed 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The truth will always surface in the end, usually too late. It is absolutely important! It is the truth it does not matter if it is light or dark.
2006-07-19 04:36:29 · answer #8 · answered by lizardlover150 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People are scared of the truth so they would much rather walk around with their heads up their ar*es in their own little ignorant (arrogant) worlds!
2006-07-19 05:53:07 · answer #9 · answered by toxethh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pure truth would be wonderful but more then likely it is just an opinion from that person's point of view.
2006-07-19 08:30:26 · answer #10 · answered by Thomas S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋