For an amateur who is interested in topics such as Philosophy of the Mind, mass hysteria, two-valued propaganda, etc. Non-historic philosophy. (not Plato's Republic and such) Suggestions of research questions, sites?
2007-05-17 10:44:51 · 5 answers · asked by London 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Well mass hysteria sounds like a topic for sociology, not philosophy, and two-valued propoganda is probably likewise.
If you are interested in Philosophy of Mind, and you're new to philosophy, you might want to start with one of the most basic but also most controversial topics: Does the mind exist independent of the brain? Some say that there is a non-physical mind and a physical brain. Others say there's just the brain, and what we think is a mind is really just brain states. Of those who believe that there is a mind, some think that it never actually has contact with the brain/body, some think they do communicate, and some think that the mind and brain "think" alike at all times, but never touch each other. It's a complex issue, and it's right at the heart of philosophy of mind.
If you'd like to pursue it, I suggest starting with John Searle. He wrote a book called "Minds, Brains, and Science", which will give you a nice introduction to the mind-body problem, and it covers all the bases you need in order to proceed with further study on the topic, as well as introducing a unique theory about the mind-body problem that you may want to analyze in your paper. Good luck!
2007-05-17 16:48:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would disagree. The Vienna Circle and the logical positivists are more than just linguistic scholars, and philosophy of mathematics, a hot topic these days, is about the access problem and ideal objects -- hardly 'mere language!' You want modern fun philosophy without succumbing to the solipsistic ghetto of existentialism? Check out philosophy of math post-Russell! Read Resnik and Penelope Maddy. Read some modern theophilosophy -- Eleanore Stump and Norman Kretzmann, on Christianity through a philosopher's eyes in modern times. Read Alistaire MacIntyre and John Anton's neo-Aristotelianism.
If you like Philosophy of Mind, read modern commentary on Quine and Turing. You might also read Peter A. Morton's "A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind." It starts briefly with Rene Descartes to set the mood and then swiftly moves into twentieth-century ideas.
2007-05-17 11:16:46 · answer #2 · answered by PJ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My own theory in the works is the role of language in the philosophy of the mind -- I refer to it as linguism.
1. Language creates reality.
2. Changing one's language changes one's reality.
3. All states can be created or extinguished through language.
4. State of mind, state of being, being, etc. are all states that are dependent on language.
5. Eg. How language creates depression and by contrast happiness or contentment.
2007-05-17 10:57:33 · answer #3 · answered by guru 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think of that government brainwashing and what real regulation is, no longer statutes and contract regulation yet effortless regulation. earnings tax is brainwashing. i think of i could desire to write 4000 on those matters, quite I even have already written over 40,000 so far and nonetheless counting. I even have greater desirable than 4000 phrases on almost any concern, if i don't have it i will write it quite speedy.
2017-01-10 04:59:24 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
todays philosophy is basically two schools:
the existentialists and the analytic philosophers
the former, my preference, deals with the nature of existence and meaning and mans role in it: popular names include Sartre, Camus, Heidegger, and Kiekegaard(?)
the analytics are basically analytical and focus on language and how they influence mans behavior; their 'founder' is Wittenstein "the limits of my language are the limits of my world"
OH YEAH- another to look into is AYN RAND - she still has a large 'following'
2007-05-17 10:50:18 · answer #5 · answered by George 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋