Why are most philosophy questions about philosophers and not about philosophy?

Question

What does it matter what anybody specific thought about a certain topic? Either they were right or they were wrong, does it make any difference who came up with what answer? Isn't what truly effects our lives the answer itself and not the person who found it?

Answer 1

Many are, not "most". Because real Philosophers are so extremely rare that very VERY few living today could even begin to qualify as such. So everyone directs their futile thoughts upon a person instead of actually pondering real subject matter or developing/creating new thoughts, ideas & concepts!

Answer 2

When a person is trying to compare thoughts, they ask about differing thoughts or philosophers. It can be said of the same for philosophy if it's asked in that context.

Answer 3

I don't think it is either/or or about people and not about philosophy. We humans tend to put faces behind thoughts - as evolution happened, we identified few people who have something good or bad to say/do, and now the person connects various thoughts and you have an association of thoughts with different people. simple and stupid example is (well, i just paused here for many many seconds as i was looking for a simple example that can make sense to you and not me) ... well... murphy's laws. many thoughts from him are similar and if you like one you like the other and sometimes you like to say when you talk about when things go wrong you say, well, murphy's law says this and says that and so on. please note: i am not calling murphy a philosopher (though i kind of want to - his sayings and pretty cool). anyway, that was a bad example but i am too tired and i am pretty sure you're smart. so... i'll go to the next question now.

Answer 4

if you would like to talk about philosophy itself and not the philosophers for the reasons you said then i would say
"indeed you do need to talk about philosophy"

philosophy translated can mean:
the search for wisdom
the love for life

no philosopher was ever right or wrong and few have actually resolved anything the reason we talk about philosophers and there discussions is so that we may learn from them, so that we may tend towards wisdom.

or more shortly put:
"why re-invent the wheel"

Answer 5

Why are cars and clothes named after their designers? Because they created them before anyone else. Philosophers basically create philosophy. That's their job. So, if they create something no one else has created before, it's named after them, and their ideas become associated with their names. Much like people will say "Washington announced today that President Bush did yet another ignorant thing". Well, the city of Washington, D.C. does not have vocal cords, so can't announce anything. But, since it where "W" lives, the city gets the credit for discovering his latest goof-up.

Answer 6

Because usually the philosopher in question was the first one to have deeply thought about that particular subject, or invented or originated a powerful idea or concept.

Answer 7

Well that's not completely true is it! We are all philosophers here only it is nice to source you work should you be one of those fortunate to have been taught or learnt something from another. You would not like me to nick your question, take a select few answers from those posting in response and create my own fantasy pedestal, would you?

Answer 8

Say, give my "Radio T O R" a listen, it jests with John and Yoko's Bagism, Geroge Harrison's religon (in Krispy Krishna) and you simply must have a hear of "I'm Proud To Be In The Universe" (a.k.a. "Zeus Bless The U.S.A.).

http://www.soundlift.com/band/music.php?song_id=88470

Answer 9

Good question. In math that would be the case. But math is more precise than philosophy.