Hi! I read "Philosophy for Dummies" and I was pretty shocked when I realized that the author believed in God (that's not what shocked me - everyone believes in what he wants to) and that his book attempted to provie that God exists. His arguments were totally biased as he never gave counter-answers to believers' arguments (among other things).
What p*ssed me off was the fact that it's a book that's supposed to teach you to think, NOT to tell you what to think.
Anyone else has read it?
2006-12-17 08:30:42 · 7 answers · asked by Offkey 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
The book's purpose (and the reason why I bought it) was to give an overview of different world views. NOT someone's point of view. If I want to check what the believers' arguments are (which I also did later), I'll go and check on a book that presents such views. And then I'll check unbelievers' idea.
For those who say it's difficult not to be biased, I agree. But not THAT biased!
Actually, once, someone asked the question: why does God let so many innocent people die? Because I had just read that book, plus a few other ones on the subject, I gave him pretty unbiased arguments, which means from BOTH sides, all the time. If I can do it, I don't see why someone who has a PhD in philosophy can't do it! Above all, as I said, if it's from a "for Dummies" collection.
2006-12-17 11:42:44 · update #1
well, it's for dummies, isn't it?
it's not difficult to show all points of view then expressing your own.
2006-12-17 08:37:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I, unfortunately, haven't gotten the pleasure of reading that particular "... for Dummies" book, but I am quite sure there was a detectable element of Bias in it. If you look close enough at any book, you will find bias, because it is being written by a person. Most people's opinions, despite their efforts to conceal them, slip into their writing as part of their style and voice. Sometimes, bias is what can give a book character. If you think that things should be, or are, unbiased, then you might want to take a look around, because everything, from newscasts to comic strips, has elements of bias in them, in one form of another.
2006-12-17 19:32:40 · answer #2 · answered by Lachesis 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do remember that philosophy has never been "for dummies". The title is a sort of contradiction of terms.
2006-12-17 16:54:57 · answer #3 · answered by iwpoe 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is very difficult to talk about philosophy without a point of view. The author probably tries to be as objective as he can but picture yourself with he same task. It would be as difficult for you.
2006-12-17 16:38:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Had it been written by a nonbeliever it would have had a nonbeliever's slant. Maybe it's a good experience for you to read about philosophy from a religious point of view.
2006-12-17 16:54:07 · answer #5 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
For dummies, by dummies.
2006-12-17 16:41:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I haven't read it, but I'm not terribly surprised.
2006-12-17 16:35:30 · answer #7 · answered by Voodoid 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋