Why are the big philosophers usually athiests and depressed?

Answer 1

Because, being so philosophical and open-minded has lead them away from organized religion.
And being so open-minded and thoughtful often leaves them without mayn friends, because they refuse to follow the crowds, like everyone else does.
Aye?

Answer 2

I guess because a philosopher is still also human. Being an athiest could explain a lot though. I'd be depressed too, if I believed higher powers did not exist. I have no scientific proof that they do, but it's some sort of inner knowledge that a greater power is pulling the strings. There are too many amazing things in this world to believe otherwise. The extreme beauty in some areas of our planet, the fact the sun rises every day, the species and varieties of plants and animals, spectacular human achievments and abilities. Sartre, Nietzche, and Plato were victims to some extent. I think they lost vision for reasons unknown. They became casualties of their own belief systems. I honestly think they could have been clinically depressed and the fact that they were thinkers, just complicated their own states of being. In moments of lucidity, they had great insights, but overall, living without joy is a big indicator of a larger problem. There are philosophers that are great and they are not depressed. Alan Watts, Krishnamurti, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, more from our modern era. But I find the classical philosophers of old, though being wise in many respects, also lived in very turbulent times, where civilizations were fighting to survive and establish themselves. Everything was in constant upheaval. So I think the social conditions they found themselves in also interefered with their brilliance and contributed to their sense of doom and depressive outlooks. A lot appear fatalistic in tone when you compare their musings to others in our modern era, but who have the benefit of greater perspective on humanity through historical record. We nowadays can re-interpret their musings from the advantage of this store of collective thought from days gone by, but add our own dose of rationale minus the drama and over-emoting those minds became famous for in their day. Religion was probably the biggest source of death and destruction and in some ways, it still is! This religious power affected their thought as well. We retain religious conflicts to this day, will human thought ever figure it out? So when a great mind chooses an "ungreat" path and ends his life, you wonder what was all the thought about then? They should have been able to think their way out of it! But they are human too, and it could be coincidental that though being philosophers, it's an oxymoron, but they still didn't have all the answers!

Answer 3

Your question is flawed. You don't have to be well known to be a philosopher. Searching for the truth is not limited to only certain section of people (well known or not). I believe in God and love philosophy and I am not depressed.

Sorry to humble you like that. But I think you need to be humbled. Your question implies that you have to be a well known philosopher to have an understanding of the truth. Sometimes children have more understanding of truth than most adults and they have the least education. How do you explain that?

Answer 4

Most of the big philosophers in the past have not been atheists. Up until the 17th century, atheism was virtually unheard of among intellectuals. Even nowadays, most philosophers believe in some kind of God. Nevertheless, it is true that there are proportionally more atheists among philosophers than among the rest of the population. I suspect the reason for this is not primarily their training in abstruse logic, which rarely leads one to atheism, but because philosophers have to be highly educated.

That may sound like snobbery on my part, but I don't intend it to be. I'm not trying to say that theists are stupid and uneducated, because a great many very smart philosophers believe in God. But part of being educated is being exposed to different points of view, including atheism. The more one is exposed to arguments for atheism, the more likely one is to become an atheist oneself. The same is true of any side in a controversial issue: the more one is exposed to pro-life arguments, the more likely one is to become pro-life, but not because of any inherent superiority of atheistic or pro-life positions.

As for the depressed part, I think you're thinking of Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and other atheists part of a movement in the 20th century called existentialism. Existentialists hold that we are entirely responsible for our own destinies, and that we must make this choice despite the confusion and dangers around us. These are the kind of atheists that tend to be depressed. Albert Camus, for instance, once said that the primary philosophical question is why he shouldn't commit suicide. But not all atheists are existentialists - many of them have a joy for life equivalent to the most fervent believer. Bertrand Russell comes to mind especially - he was an atheist almost all his life, but he tried to live life to its fullest, and was active not only in resolving recondite philosophical problems but in effecting social progress through nonproliferation and pacifism. On the flip side, Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, was a devout Christian, but he was more depressed than any atheist I've ever seen. Even the titles of his major works are depressing: "Fear and Trembling" "The Sickness Unto Death" "The Concept of Dread." He believed that while God created us, he leaves us in the dark without his protection so that we can make an existentialist leap of faith. So you see, not all philosophers are atheists, and of those that are, only some of them are "depressed."

Answer 5

I don't think all "Big" Philosophers are Athiests. (Well, DEPRESSED? I dunno 'bout that...) But there is such a thing as believing in someone Else's rhetoric. I think some views are overshadowed by the majority of the "higher ups" so to speak. Or even simply buried over by another topic.

=)

Answer 6

Because they are highly logical and educated in all areas of human endeavors , and seem depressed because they have finally removed the one thing that makes us feel the reason to live and have hope for and that is the faith that God exists in one way or other , they have given them self's the satisfaction of concluding by their logic the no existence of the exact subject that gives the rest of us peace .

Answer 7

Because they feel, they percieve and sense everything around- they do not ignore anything and they observe the smallest details with greatest care- they keep their mind, heart and eyes open and to be honest- the picture is not so bright all the time.

why atheists?- because they do not want to pose baundaries to perception, they are open to everything and everyone

Answer 8

Just an ordinary human,,,,,,, happy today, sad tomorrow, depressed the next day, feeling great on Sunday, heheheh :-)


...

Answer 9

Truth hurts.. and reality bites.. but then eventually comes an inner calm & a deep joy.. a.. Joi de Vivre..

Answer 10

I agree with Dream Well completely. I dont know anyone who wants to discuss philosophy with me, and I tend not to settle for superficial friends.