Is self doubt a symptom of Philosophy or is does it fuel the pursuit of knowledge?

Question

Just curious for some viewpoints

Answer 1

Okay, I'm going to give you the sort of answer a philosopher should give.

First, I'll point out that your question involves the fallacy of false dilemma - it assumes X can be only either a or b, that there are no further alternatives. But don't feel too bad, this is an extremely common fallacy.

And no good philosopher can let you get away with wording that suggests that the discipline is a disease. Only someone like Wittgenstein can get away with that.

I take it that what you mean by 'self doubt' is doubt about what you know. Doubt about knowledge is not self doubt (not unless you are that solipsist I've heard about). Most knowledge is public, not private - by which is meant, most knowledge *can* be known by more than one person. Indeed, practical knowledge, know how, in the form of technology, can be used by any person, no matter what else they might or might not know.

Descartes didn't put just his own knowledge in doubt. Although he wrote his Meditations in the first person, he was putting everyone's knowledge in doubt, not just his own. Philosophy is about what *we* can or cannot know, not about what *I*.

Does doubt fuel the pursuit of knowledge? Undoubtedly. When there is zero doubt, everything is 'known', so there is no need for nor possibility of further progress in knowledge.

Answer 2

Philosophy is the pursuit of knowledge...
so...your question is repetitiously reiteratively redundant

self doubt???? tough one....first, you have to posit the meaning of "self".....that might be the symptom/start of philosophical considerations...

Answer 3

Nope..
Self doubt probably gave rise to Philosophy ..

Answer 4

Self-doubt is the result of education. The more a person knows, the more he knows that he does not yet know.