Should ordinary people ask philosophic questions ?

Question

Can ordinary people ask philosophical questions, or will it requre some certain kind of education or authorization to ask the "proper" questions the right way ?

thanx for your answers :)

Answer 1

Do you think the first person to ever ask a philosophical question was anything but "ordinary"? I mean philosophy came about from ordinary people with extraordinary questions and ideas.. Before they developed philosophy as an intellectual discipline it came from ordinary people. Part of the beauty of philosophy is that it often deals with the ordinary, yet shows it in a new light, or encourages a new way of thinking about it. Anyone can do that, you don't have to be special..

Answer 2

Hi ANGEL.

Absolutely!!!!

First of all, who is to say who is ordinary??

Basically, we are all ordinary people, all carbon-based life forms. We all have blood, bones, muscles & skin, as well as all the other organs.

Secondly, what are the "proper" questions?

At least in the U.S., no person needs "authorization" to ask anything!! We have freedom of speech, where any person may question the government, religion, or anything else one wants to question.

In addition, no person requires a formal education to have an inquisitive mind, to want answers to questions he/she may have.

Many people are very philosophical without any benefit of education. They may not know all the names, dates & places of famous philosophers — but then again, they may.

We also have access to public libraries in the U.S., where any person may come in to read books. We may check these books out & bring them home; so, essentially, anyone may study & educate him/herself.

I, myself, was once an uneducated person, at least in the sense of a formal education. Even though I was young, I was an autodidact, always teaching myself new things, very much above my "appropriate" age level. I was definitely curious, and didn't want to wait until I was "old enough" to learn certain things.

Now I am an educated person, but that hasn't changed the level of curiosity I have — that remains the same. What has changed is the amount of knowledge I have. It is always easier when one has a professor teaching; learning comes quicker.

However, it is still up to the student to ask questions, even of the professor. How do we know the professor is correct? Is there any real "correct?"

Many people believe different things, even in the study of philosophy. Philosophy is not hard science: 2 + 2 = 4. As much as we may study, opinion plays a large role in philosophical beliefs. Sure, I know about the beliefs of Bodhidharma: but do I believe his eyelids were the first tea leaves? Of course not. It is simply a myth. That does not mean that the principles taught in that myth are not valid.

There is a place for all beliefs.

Just as there is a place for all people, educated or uneducated. Ordinary or — ordinary!!

Peace.

Answer 3

people need to understand that there is such a thing as a stupid question, it makes me mad when people say there isnt. Sure ordinary people can ask a philosophical question, but if they dont know the difference between a philosophical question and something you would ask your older brother about cooties and the boogy man when you were 6, then they need to take some time out and think their questions through before they come on here to waste our time, all anyone really has to do is just read questions on here and get the idea, just have the right idea and its all good

Answer 4

If you speak English or Spanish, you are smart to use a dictionary in English or Spanish respectiely. If you want to discuss and learn about philosophical ideas you are smart to learn the vocabulary of philosophy. Philosophers are ordinary people who have an interest in and have applied themselves to the discipline. Learning the vocabulary will get you past the repetitive boring stuff and it will help you ask better Q's and give better A's. Philosophy involves alot of commonsense thinking but also, like in math and science, there are rules and terminology to learn to save time and make thinking and communicating easier and faster. This suggestion is not about keeping out the stupid and ignorant but helping those who are smart and open-minded thinkers interested in philosophy as a discipline and making headway.

There are dictionaries and encyclopedias in philosophy on line that people have been working on for years now. Wikipedia is a good source for philosophy. There is the refereed Stanford Encyclopedia in Philosophy(SEP). Both are free to the webpublic.

Addendum: Note of caution to the category. Do not confuse the ease of access to philosophical ideas and issues through the asking of Q's with the value and accuracy of the Answers given which, unless based on serious study, are neither valuable or accurate except by pure luck.

Answer 5

Any person could ask a question in philosophy/ A simple question they could ask is - why is there God. Even a young child could ask this sort of question. However, if you are now referring to a higher level of philosophical questions -- then i would agree with you that there is a need that one should be fully educated to be enhanced with sort of questions in philosophy. There is aneed for him to study the branches of philosophy and had an in depth study of the subject.

But this might be disputable for some because in philosophy a mere experience in life could be used as a passport to a philosophical question. What is essential is the wisdom you have. Otherwise Socrates will be mad on us if that will be our line of thinking. Philosophy has a wide array of scope so long as man could think.

Answer 6

As long as philosophers can ask ordinary questions this must be allowed. Philosophy is the search for answers to life, all people are equally qualified to discuss the subject.

Answer 7

I've been asking questions all my life. Yet many people who know me say that I'm a very smart guy. Yet I ask the questions.

That's because I don't ask question to look smart. I ask to learn. When I meet with a politician, I ask political question and I am genuinely interested in being educated.

Sometime I do get into a heated debate (that what intellectuals call arguments), but that just means that I am not a wishy-washy push over.

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People often say that I should go on TV shows because I have so many broad knowledge. But again that because I listen to people. So should people ask philosophical questions? Yes of course. But don't try to be philosophical. Be inquisitive and learning.

Good Luck to your search.

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By the way - you just asked a philosophical question. Not terribly good one but still philosophical.

Answer 8

I'm pretty ordinary.

Does that mean I shouldn't wonder about the meaning of life or what greater purpose there is?

What are "proper" questions?

I know how to speak & write well; why should a lack of formal education preclude me from asking philosophical questions??

Answer 9

Yes ordinary ppl should ask. I am sure that though Aristotle and other greats are admired, they were very much like ordinary ppl with all of life's daily struggles. If you want to learn more about philosophy, you could take a course at your local community college.

Answer 10

Judge Ye not.

who is ordinary,
or who is educated
or who will be authority to determine the propriety or otherwise of the question.

God has created humans and humans have mind to think. Whoever has thought to inquire will raise a question. No power on the earth can bar any one from raising Philosophical question.