i realy like it, as its been what i have been thinking about and studying. but i am confused about its purpose.
it like there is no facts in philosophy. only opinions. in short philosophy is about trying to capture the true nature of reality. but there is also sceptisism which is denying that there is a reality. i just dont get it. is philosophy about trying to determine whether reality is real? or is it about trying to figure out what the essence of reality is?
is there a reality with other minds that i co-exist with? and how can you adopt anything like nihilism or empericism or dualism etc if they can all be proven wrong? im realy confused.
2007-03-23 20:07:34 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
an philosophy also denies science and psychology. so does this mean that they are wrong?
2007-03-23 20:26:54 · update #1
i understand where you're going with that. i really do...
i am somewhat distressed with your careless use of words, though. a lot of philosophy is about words, in fact some philosophers might go so far as to say that all existence is in fact words, etc.
'real', 'proof', 'true'. you use these words as if there are common definitions that are accepted by everyone for these words. unacceptable. take nihilism for instance. where and by whom has nihilism ever been 'proven' to be 'wrong'. is the concept of proof even applicable to nihilism. is the concept of wrong even applicable?
you need to understand that philisophy is no place for people who assume that others know what they're saying, and its also no place for people who accept things easily, or assume things, or are lazy thinkers. bear that in mind
vale
2007-03-23 20:34:34 · answer #1 · answered by the_supreme_father 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skepticism does NOT deny reality. A skeptical challenge demonstrates that we don't have knowledge. If the skeptic does not assume some objects as real, the argument cannot work.
Theories are falsified in philosophy all the time. Either because 1) of an observed fact 2) on the logical merits of the interpretation. Opinions aren't tolerated in philosophy. There are always reasons to believe premises.
No one is concerned with the reality of reality. It's just given. If reality isn't real, then whatever you're investigating is meaningless. What reality is is a different story, but you can't find out without taking an aspect of it for granted.
If a view is problematic you investigate where it goes wrong. And modify it or take up another one which can overcome the problem. Dualism still exists because monism doesn't make sense, there hasn't been any successful reductions from mind to matter or vice versa-- few announce themselves as dualists today, but it's not because dualism has been disproven, it is, on the contrary, problematic, which is different. Empiricism has been modified over and over, and will continue to be, because science IS empirical. No one is a nihilist or solipsit. These are indefensible positions.
If you want an answer to the "right" philosophy to "adopt", you have to read better surveys than those given on wikipedia. And even then, that's not what philosophy is there for. Buy a history of philosophy book. Read the whole thing. You're not going to find a solution to the mind-body problem by posting a question here. Even if I were to offer a very tentative kind of answer, you wouldn't understand it without a sufficient background.
2007-03-23 23:53:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To the first part of your question - one could say that philosophy addresses both the (1) idea of and (2) the nature of 'reality'. eg -one could place scepticism under (1) and empiricism under(2)......
The essence of 'reality' - or what does it all mean are the domain of philosophy it is true.,, you asked about Science and psychology.. Clearly there is a 'real' physical world that we all live in - addressed by the sciences, but the explanations concerning the workings of nature and its essence can and do change. Psychology addresses the workings of the mind - the psyche. Compare Jung and Freud here. The idea of the collective mind to which you refer actually predates Jung...It was called the world soul. Consider the difference between magical philosophies and mechanistic philosophies. Magical philosophies approach nature/reality as having 'spiritual' type qualities...Mechanistic approaches describe nature/reality as working like 'clockwork' - I hope this has given you some help....
2007-03-23 21:23:21 · answer #3 · answered by bronze b 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All sub-conscious minds are in contact with one another. Profundity at its best. I would suggest that you do your "homework"---such as you are doing now---and take your time. Sometimes the answer(s) and/or understanding(s) will come "sooner" if you don't try so hard to understand. The further you go on your quest for knowledge---the less you know. I would suggest reading about "The Tao" 400 B.C. and attempt to look at the "simplicity" in thought. "Primer---by Edgar Cayce would be a nice one too.
Is the glass half full or half empty? BOTH.
If I ask you why----there is no incorrect response. So if you answered "why not?!" that would invariably be the correct response! Hope I was of some assistance.
2007-03-23 23:08:13 · answer #4 · answered by unknownsoldier1st 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOLOLOLOL....... Philosophy is the act of predetermined thought. Its not an issue of anything being right or wrong or real or not.
If a chicken has webbed feet and quacks, could it have been a duck in a past life?
Is a shadow real, a reflection, or an alternate reality of ourselves?
Get it??? :D
2007-03-27 18:52:40 · answer #5 · answered by Izen G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Philosophy is the study of different avenues of thinking. There is NO right or wrong theory ...studying philosophy encourages you to think ....that's its main point and to see that there are other points of view in the world besides your own.
2007-03-23 20:13:15 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think George Bernard Shaw was asking this very question when he surmised that, "art and music allow us to endure all realities"...
2007-03-23 20:46:48 · answer #7 · answered by yp_vicki_nashville 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
philosophy is ones reasoning based on how he views life through his experience and accumulated knowledge
2007-03-27 17:59:28 · answer #8 · answered by tutero_k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋