What do i answer them? Coz i dont have any topic or subject in particular. And i feel what they are asking is foolish. It need not be books in particular. But can be any book that is philosophical.
2006-12-15 19:23:54 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I agree with you. There are people who collect baseball cards. And, there are people who PLAY baseball. Some people have as their genius the ability to put many smaller ideas or concepts together into one bigger thought. That kind of thinking is called "Renaissance" thinking and it is very rare and very valuable. You are a Renaissance thinker. Those kind of people tend to have no interest in learning the names of things. Many people like to learn about something and then take that one something apart into little pieces, such as "birds" leads to learning all the names of the birds". That kind of thinker likes to learn a lot about one subject at a time. Renaissance thinkers like to learn a little about everything and then "synthesize" all that information into bigger concepts. Unfortunately, this world still favors the "one-subject-at-a-timers", such as on tests. For example, on the ACT test when I took it, "Where is the river Po?" Who cares? What I think about is why all the rivers in the world are drying up and how is the ecology all connected. In philosophy, there are people who couldn't come up with an original thought if they had to. But, they know all the names of all the "right" dead philosophers. It's like going to a restaurant and eating the menu. And, know this... you're truly wasting your time with anyone in a philosophical discussion if that person cannot discuss universal concepts without needing to have everything translated into his personal "Dead Philosopher's Society" baseball card list.
2006-12-15 19:47:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's all right to say and think so since the word 'philosopher' (Middle English via French and Latin from Greek philosophos) means 'lover of wisdom'. As for some readable books and understandable authors, I'd like to recommend these:
1. By A.C. Grayling: What is Good?, The Meanings of Things, The Reason of Things, The Heart of Things, The Mystery of Things, etc. All in paperbacks by Phoenix, an imprint of Orion Books Ltd, UK.
2. By Alain de Botton: The Art of Travel, The Consolations of Philosophy, How Proust Can Change Your Life, etc. Also in paperbacks by Picador, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, Ltd, UK.
If you're studying philosophy, I'm sure you're required to read Plato, Aristotle, Kant, etc. whose philosophical works're not easy to understand and interpret but it should be OK under the guidance/advice from your lecturers.
Good luck and be not afraid to be one among those who know.
2006-12-16 07:52:48 · answer #2 · answered by Arigato ne 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why would that be foolish? If you think that previous authors are foolish, then say that. Say that you think that socrates is a moron. Say that you think that Plato's forms are bunk. Say that you think that sartre was a self-absorbed whiner. Say that you think that Descartes was arrogant. They want to hear what you think, and as a philosopher, that's techincally all you have, to paraphrase. . .
2006-12-16 03:32:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
why in the world would it be foolish to ask those questions? because you cannot answer?
answer truthfully, that you love the idea of loving philosophy but don't really know much about it.
have you ever actually read philosophy? whom?
ok, i'll be nice. here, read this site start to finish (over the weekend, test on monday). http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/
2006-12-16 03:33:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
why is it foolish?
they just want to know what philosophy you agree with and how competent you are...you are ASSUMING that they mean 'if you havent read any books, then you are NOT philosophical'...reading books isnt NECESSARY its only SUFFICIENT...so theres a flaw...go read some books.
2006-12-16 05:39:05 · answer #5 · answered by Spiderpig 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you don't know how to answer this and you don't know if any book is a philosophical one, then you are not philosophical.
2006-12-16 17:36:39 · answer #6 · answered by lovethecuter 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
just tell them the truth...that u think they are foolish
2006-12-16 03:28:52 · answer #7 · answered by roj 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
halil gibran [top author!], buscaglia, herman hesse, kafka, krisnamurti,sopenhauer, lao tse...etc [ignore spelling]
2006-12-16 04:10:41 · answer #8 · answered by kittana! 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋