Is the metaphilosophical self-consciousness of philosophy increasing with time?

Question

..if so, why?

ABRIDGED

Ninja.. – Undoubtedly. See question above.

The c.. – Giving philosophy self-consciousness is not possible; Humans have yet to create something with its own consciousness. Going on the assumption of increasing meta-philosophical connotations, each "new" theory is a reflection of previous thought which is a response in turn, “.. mental image of standing between two mirrors facing each other and looking at my reflection ad infinitum..”
:: Infinity loop it appears. Is it really ?

Kos K.. – The trend in the general culture and a general postmodern attitude about doing everything reflectively include reflective films, poets and consciousness. We have a hyper-self-conscious culture that we're so busy reflecting and selling our experiences that anything worthwhile is not truly experienced. It is part of the general cultural mileau. Nietzsche, Heidegger et al., take 'philosophy' itself to task from a metaphysical standpoint, lead from within the intellectual followed by social background.
It begs the question: why is the cultural trend towards hyper-self-reflective-awarenes... ??

Rose.. :: Kindly peruse above and below for a better picture.

Dremb.. – Has there been "philosophical" progress in terms of a philosophical approach to the worth of philosophy in the first place ?

In my opinion the ones that have come closest are "Existential" philosophers. An existential approach, progress within the discipline learned of History, try to ask better questions. It appears to be a case of building upon the learned and the history that preceded this learning.

As finite human beings, there is no "progress". As time advances and the human condition is continually "remade", the beginning of individual self-consciousness of human being and the importance of philosophy is re-started.

In an age where "book learning" falls by the wayside, it appears no one has the time for philosophy given the unavoidable enticements and more immediate satisfactions to be had, leaving most of the big questions largely unanswered. (In the real world it seems philosophy and intelligence are not encouraged.)

Canro.. – The universe is always in flux, to say that there will be fewer thinkers is a broad brush stroke; a major break-through is happening now.

Answer 1

Answer to the bold print question is and always will be YES.
My reasoning is that the universe is and always will be expanding, Just because some cultures have been successfully programmed to undervalue thinking and intelligence does not mean that as a whole there are and will be fewer thinkers in whatever philosophical branches.
IMO a major break-through is happening now.

Answer 2

i'd say the trend is that it's increasing. I don't think it's a specific philosophical trend so much as a trend in the general culture and a general postmodern attitude about doing everything reflectively. There are a lot more films reflective of the film-making process, self-reflective poets that challenge poetry. one can even talk about consciousness. ours is a hyper-self-conscious culture. more than one person has remarked that we're so busy learning, transcribing, and reflecting on our experiences so that we can sell them in the social marketplace that we don't let go enough to experience anything worthwhile.

so, on one level it's just part of the general cultural mileau. if you want to get specific you look at people like nietzsche, heidegger, a few postmodern authors and so on that take 'philosophy' itself to task from a metaphysical standpoint. So i think it's both. an increase from within intellectual and then a general pervasive increase stemming for the social background.

of course, that all begs the question: why is the cultural trend towards hyper-self-reflective-awareness ??

Answer 3

Having spent a rather extended part of my life devoted specifically to philosophy, I would have to ask " How is it that a methodology or way of thinking becomes self-conscious?" "Isn't this the realm of beings?"

But I think what you are attempting to ask is whether there is or has been "philosophical" progress through time, in terms of a philosophical approach to the worth of philosophy in the first place.

Quite briefly, throughout History, the questions asked by philosphers has surely changed over time - from the early "materialists" who wanted to find the one true underlying element of all things, to the later "hermaneutic" philosphers who thought that "interpretation" was key to understanding philosophy.

In my opinion the ones that have come closest to answering your question (as I have interpreted it) are the ones considered "Existential" philosophers, though this is something that they themselves often didn't consider themselves to be.

Given an existential approach, I would have to say that there has been progress within philosophy - those within the discipline learn the History and try to ask better and better questions, given where past questions and answers has led to. It then appears to be simply a case of building upon what has been learned and the history of what preceded this learning.
However, since we are finite human beings, there is no "progress". We, each of us, come to this learning and partake of it, and maybe add some scriblings to the body of Philosophy such that it is farther "advanced" beyond what was written before - in this sense the disciple is advanced or increased if we devote time and meaningfulness to it. But the important thing to remember is that this has to start all over again once "the questioner" dies and "the answers" have to be re-discovered all over again with the development of each new human being.
Given that time advances and the human condition is continually "remade", the beginning of individual self-consciousness of human being and the importance of philosophy is re-started.

Unfortunately, we live in a age where "book learning" (or even book reading) is falling by the wayside. It seems that no one has the time for philosophy anymore. There are unavoidable enticements and more immediate satisfactions to be had - yet the big questions most of us have remain largely unanswered.

(A well know philosopher, Plato, thought that maybe if we had "Philosopher-Kings" in power then you would see an actual and outward increase in the "metaphilosophical self-consciousness of philosophy" - but in the real world it seems the opposite is true - philosophy and intelligence are not encouraged.)

Answer 4

Wow... First time i ever heard of anyone giving philosophy its own self-consciousness... Dont think thats possible yet...Humans have yet to create something with its own consciousness (besides what is created thru PROcreation)...

Maybe you mean that the contirbutions philosophers make to the subject seem to have increasing meta-philosophical connotations?

I think this is correct...

Each "new" theory is a reflection of previous thought... and the fact the this previous thought is a response to thought before THAT is obvious...

Mmmmm... mental image of me standing between two mirrors facing each other and looking at my reflection ad infinitum.... :)

Answer 5

Undoubtedly. Why? Because of questions like yours.

Answer 6

huh?