What could Y!A do to improve the quality of this philosophy section?

Question

Is Y!A philosophy not a perfect example of the effects of power structures on knowledge?

If one had to make a survey of the kinds of questions asked and answered here, they would think philosophy is concerned with
1) the meaning of life 2) theology 3) the disproof of evolution &c.
None of which you'll be able to take a course on in a university.

If anyone is familiar with the institution of philosophy, its history, influences, and importance today, why is this website the way it is?

What could Y!A do to improve the quality, without sacrificing manpower?-- it seems only democratic self-regulation; but truth isn't democratic...

I'm of the mind that it cannot be "fixed".

If you think my position is elitist, that's fair, but be forewarned that the rest of us may only consider you illiterate.

What do you think? Can us lowly websurfers even scratch the surface of philosophy?

Answer 1

All branches of science sprang from philosophy. What's left?

Answer 2

I agree with you. My mind also cannot be fixed, my minds works on its own. And my mind says:

Sometimes i feel very downgraded by the kind of questions i absorb from this category.
I didn't major Philosophy, instead I majored in Behavioral Sciences but I take Philosophy very seriously

Seriously, questions being posted should pass through quality control, in a manner that everything is moderated Philosophically technically.

Some questions are alright. Like 'why did the chicken run to the lake?' or something naive like this. Because this question indeed is philosophical correlating microcosm as part of the macrocosm itself.

Topics should include the problems of good and evil
the problems/theories of our existence
nature of God
man and the universe
man and the community
philosophy of man in convergence with education
the soul the universe.

You're not an elitist. You're just one intellectual philosopher, and you have the very right to ask for augmentation in quality that is collectively beneficial to everyone.

Answer 3

Honestly, I know very little of philosophy. I've read a little western philosophy, but never studied it in depth--I'm a math person.

The reason I tend to participate in this section as opposed to math is because the math section continually consists almost solely of alegbra homework questions.

I like logic and this section is the most logical I've come across.

Anyway--about your question--I don't think you are being elitist (maybe a little)--but just observant. And I suppose you are just as bored with these regular philosophy questions as I am with basic algebra.

I think the only way to really fix this problem would either be for Yahoo to increase manpower to censor questions more (and maybe hire a philosopher to pose his own "more thought provoking" questions) or for everyone to simply ignore the redundancy (not answer them). The former would require more effort than Yahoo is willing to expend and the latter would require too much for users--because some are new (either to Yahoo Answers or to the section) and interested in these mundane questions.

Anyway, I think what you should do is ignore the questions you find so boring and ask your own insightful questions.

Answer 4

Philosophy is a broad subject area. Maybe they can break it into sections. Defined broadly, philosophy is the love of and study of knowledge/wisdom. I'm not sure which college you were educated in, but philosophy IS concerned with the meaning of life. The word, Philosophy itself comes from the Greek and means love of wisdom.

What do YOU mean by the term philosophy? And, you can take a philosophy course in "the meaning of life." Look it up on some college web sites.

I don't think you are elitist. I just don't think you know what you are talking about.

Answer 5

well, maybe this is the section for people who didnt go to community college and actually understand what philosiphy is. I cant even spell it. Shows how much i know. Anyway, you can basically say whatever you want and someones going to answer it. It just depends on if people think its a good theory or not. I mean, there'd be a billion answers if someone posted "did the chicken or the egg come first?" or some other philosophical puzzle. Its all relative.

Answer 6

I think that what it takes to improve the Philosophy section is the same thing that it will take to improve most every section there is, such as Psychology/Mental Health, Politics and others, but to get that improvement, a certain amount of "elitism" will be required, and the "pure" definition of "freedom of speech" will be challenged, as will a jeopardization of individuals privacy. Those changes in Yahoo Answers will be needed to give greater assurance that individuals will ask questions and answer them with a much higher degree of peronal responsibility than is seen so evidently at present. But, even then, people with pathological irresponsibility will be able to "find their way in" the format of Answers, and so, something may be achieved, but at a higher cost than Yahoo wants to pay or participants want to expend. Good thought though. God Bless you.

Answer 7

I love Y!A Philosophy. It is whatever the folks want it to be at the time, which makes it more relevant than anything going on in all the universities combined.

Perhaps we don't need university courses. This virtual 'mulberry tree' in Ben Franklin's yard is much better!

Answer 8

I think what you are proposing is an esoteric philosophy of dogma section exclusively for egg heads and narcissists. Keep pitching, I'm sure there's a market!
I prefer 'webscrounger' thanks..and yes all ideas have the potential to change something if they are new and/or well reasoned regardless of your caste.

Answer 9

I can understand why you have asked this question.
I am not a student in philosophy, i just enjoy reading it, but it seems to me people use this section as a dumping ground for weirdness.

Answer 10

I think I would rather be thought of as illiterate than elitist.

People ask about what is important to them. They want the opinions of others.

If you think that this is bad, click over to religion and spirituality. Its a free for all.

Love and blessings Don