Why do you philosophers try to make life seem complicated?

Question

Asking daft questions like "Will i know hunger if am always full, know sad if am always happy?" What pretentious rubbish!

Life isn't so complicated. Not everything has some deep hidden meaning. Not everything is the opposite of what it appears to be. Mostly what you see is what you get. The meaning of life is procreation. The only gift to the next generation is the experience of the previous generation.

Is it all too simple? Are you bored when things are exactly what they appear to be? Are you scared that people will think you stupid if you are willing to accept things as they are?

Walter, I wonder what branch of philosophy will help the starving in Africa.

California Native, Pythagoras was a Mathmatician, Scientist and Philisopher. You seem to be the retard in that you don't understand that these are seperate sciences and his contributions to maths and science had nothing at all to do with him being a philosopher. That being said he was a true philosopher in that he searched for meanings behind real questions, he didn't just make up silly bipolar questions in an effort to be thought of as intelligent.

Answer 1

it is what they do best!

Answer 2

I notice your question is really a by-line for a precis of your own philosophical position: "Life isn't so complicated."

How do you know?

What makes you so sure of this?

Real philosophy is about framing and addressing serious questions. The finest work alters how we see the world and, therefore, influences how we organise and operate our societies. To take a widely recognised example, the work of Hume and Smith (among others) shaped much of the American Constitution, and so the resulting society and nation so dominant in the world today.

I could go on - Descartes, Darwin, Einstein, Wittengenstein - none of these people accepted the received wisdom of how the world (or universe) was described, and the impact of their respective work continues to impact on each of us daily and in the most profound way.

Perhaps you could try reading some of their work, or even about their work, give it some serious thought, then see if you still believe life is as simple as it appears.

Whatever, may I suggest before you dismiss the idea of engaging with philosophical thought you look beyond Yahoo Answers. You aren't really expecting much from there, are you? I'm afraid life is a little more complicated than that.

Answer 3

I get you because you come to things with your realist ontology and you are comfortable in it and your own skin; however, many do not accept such an ontological position.

If we simply look at the epistemological sides of things, we call your realist ontology into question. Epistemological arguments like those of Plato (the allegory of the cave) and Putnam (the Brain in the Vat) do not "destroy" a realist ontology but they do provide new ways of approaching it and calling it into question.

I would wonder (given your paradigm that meaning exist solely in procreation) how you would resolve issues like:
1) Does this mean children have no meaning for themselves?
2) If one actively chose not to procreate, would that person be devoid of meaning?
3) If the meaning in life is really procreation, then why did mankind create condoms, pills, etc. to undermine conception; doesn't such an act seem to be absolutely counter to meaning (in your terms)?
4) Are the relationships you have with your mother and father meaningful? If so, which one of the two do you procreate with?

In addition, to your question: "Are you scared that people will think you stupid if you are willing to accept things as they are?" I would ask you: "Well, how are they?" At one time, people were CERTAIN that the world was flat and it was ONLY after someone began to not accept things as they "were" that we came to REALIZE that the world was indeed not flat. As such, what notions do we now keep as a human race that are similar? If you say "none," then I would think you quite arrogant to believe you KNOW (just like other's were SURE the world was FLAT). We must seek out the limits of our knowledge in order to help our knowledge grow.

Answer 4

Life is more fun this way.
"Are you bored when things are exactly what they appear to be?" Yes. Why should we take something at face value, when there is so much more depth to life itself than the surface? You are a living and breathing organism, and you are a thinking, sentient being (all evidence to the contrary; to wit: your question)-- how does one relate to the other? Are they the same thing? Or is life just, to quote a TV show, nature's way of keeping meat fresh? The fact that we really can't know is what makes it fun to think about. If you don't find this fun, interesting, entertaining, well, to each his own. Some people just like their entertainment to be thought-provoking.
"Are you scared that people will think you stupid if you are willing to accept things as they are?" That's patently absurd. We can accept things as they are while still delving into what it means for them to be what they are. I'm scared of people who aren't willing to accept things as they are: and the truth is that things ARE a lot more than just what they appear to be.
If someone says "Gullible is written on the ceiling," do you look up?

Answer 5

I think you may not have chosen the right word.
"complicated" applies to some mechanism, to a puzzle etc. like in "this puzzle looks very complicated", or "your solution is too complicated". OK you (can) solve it, but not without having a hard time, unless you are a genius or a specialist.
Example: to me the Rubik cube is very complicated, but some kids do it in seconds !
"complex" on the other hand applies to concepts and to biological entities. And life IS, VERY, complex and the only way to solve this complexity is to become religious -which I do not recommend at all- because then everything you don't perceive or understand (even as a scientist) belongs to the domain of God.

P.S. Learned attitudes, for example, can appear in the genes, so it not only to the next generation that we transmit knowledge or behaviours: there is something called "biological memory" or "memory of the genes".

Answer 6

All good thoughts are simple thoughts, or the thoughts leading up to simplicity, all complications are considered only to eliminate complications, to reach the simplest facts in the truth of life - is my personal motto.

A candle is a simple object. And its function is a simple one too, that is to burn steadily and be a reliable source of light. A candle, however, has its limitations. It has its lifespan, so when a candle burns out it requires another candle to take its place. An oil lamp like a candle is also a simple object, and it burns steadily too but lasting a little longer than a candle. But the oil lamp too has its flaws: it is dim, sooty, and requires constant oil feed. Then an even simpler solution comes in the form of an electric bulb that lasts a lot longer than the both, it is clean, and lights far brighter. Then a lot further along the line is the Sun, surely the simplest, fully efficient and most reliable source of light so far, a lifespan of over billions of years of constant transmission of light and heat. The Sun makes life on earth possible. However, the thoughts of the Sun eventually burning out of existence also come into the minds of one who think, and howsoever remote a possibility may be, concerns are roused and complicated thoughts are called for to attempt to visualise a worse case scenario to be able to see a solution even more reliable, trustworthy but simpler still.

Simplicity is an intellectual virtue, and also a moral virtue when it is incorporated into a lifestyle. You are right; life should be understood and better enjoyed when simplistically viewed. The concept of simplicity, however, is easy to understand but difficult to be maintained or consistently upheld as a way of life.

For instance, to related simple facts about life to each other, or to do simple deeds of goodness, have always been advocated countless times throughout the history, so much so that they seem to loose their significance. We have to remind ourselves of them again and again. The question therefore is – why do we keep forgetting that good things are always simplistically understandable. In my view, to be able to live simply but consistently would be an act of pure brilliance of a character in the mind.

Answer 7

philosophy are for people with depths.
respect it as it is.

your thinking are as shallow as a surface.
but since you're not into philosophy, dont think you'll get it.

i never see philosophy as complicating, infact it solves many and so much problems around us. maybe you dont see it because half of the problems are already solved!

as for africa- stop hanging around in front your computer and go become a UN volunteer. or else, your statement of " the only gift to the next generation is the experience of the previous generation" will just be another "pretentious rubbish".

and let us the philosophers find meanings in the "pretentious rubbish". for a one mans rubbish is another mans treasure.

Answer 8

i am scared if my answers are not very thoughtful,or my expresses are not so clear that evevrybody can understand,or my poor english makes people laugh.
but i will be very appreciate if life becomes so simple and have not got so much conflicts and problems.
you think that the life is simple because you do not think them deeply,this is not criticizing you.it's your lifestyle.ur own view of the whole world.but do not consider that everybody thinks life as a
process of procreation.man got higher ambtions

and remember that a real philosopher always talks the things that are talkable.so,he never makes the life more complicated,he just choose to explian the complicated things in life

Answer 9

Philosophy is like religion in that they exist because there are no definite answers, no answer is wrong but you can't prove any are right.
Philosophers can complicate things because they are trying to out think other philosophers. You have to realize they are trying to answer questions that have been asked and answered thousands of times before and they have to try to come up with something different.

Answer 10

Philosophy is only a tool to help explore and define aspects of the non-physical world.
If it's complicated that's the fault of the person (philosopher)o being pretentious!

Answer 11

That is false. Life is complicated and philosophers are trying to simplify it.

You or I cannot prove life isn't or is complicated. You don't know that if the meaning of life is or is not to procreate.

Plato said, in paraphrase, of course, "One thing I know and that is I know nothing."

Philosophers are lovers of wisdom and there is an unlimited supply of it.