Are philosophy Q's becoming so chatty, so off-the-cuff, that the category has little or no meaning or value?

Question

--as a forum on philosophy topics?

Philosophers are reflective, critical thinkers and these kinds of Q's (and A's) are not "philosophical".

I ask a Q and I do not refer to anyone in particular, but up pops people defending the worsening problemtic pattern of non-relevant Q's. Some answering the Q in personal trms condemn yourselves whereas I didn't. I only pointed out the lamentable pattern.

No one has suggested the Q's or the A's have to be scholarly or academic!That is a strawman and you know it. The Q&As should however be more informed than they other. The defense of mediocrity is contemptile. I consider philosophy, like I consider science, to be rational endeavors. Too much nonsense is being passed as philosophical which is lamentable bec it is destroying YA. Pls Do not email me to defend nonsense as philosophy.

Nonsense is not Socratic.

theoretical? Yes prof, if your experience and abilities are limited.

Answer 1

I suppose ignoring the non-philosophical questions wouldn't be an appropriate solution for you? Oh, how our presence here must eat at you. Should we apologize for our stupidity? Then again, maybe it isn't so bad. Ever think that these off-the-cuff Q's have value for others?

Yes, you are a brilliant genius. A great philosopher you are; a mind rarely seen in this world and we are blessed to have you. But us meaningless morons actually think once in a while too. Of course our thoughts can't be compared to the likes of you great philosophers.

Alas, our chatty questions will most likely continue. I suppose you will have to stop visiting or just ignore the questions not fit for your superior mind.

--------an addition after more thought-----------

Okay, so this was a bit harsh. I am sorry. But most people do not have an education in philosophy. Yet most of the people here are good people, honest people. They ask honest questions. I am saddened by how often someone will ask a question about how stupid or "meaningless" these people and their questions are. But you could go to many different topics and find similar questions. Yahoo suggests topics when a user posts a question. Maybe we don't make the best choices, but we are human. Are you pefect? Please, let us ask our less than clinically perfect philosophy questions about life, love, death, spirituality and anything that our uneducated human minds might encompass. I say uneducated, but that is only in philosophy. I am educated, just not in your field. Once again, please do not think evil of those different than you are. We are all human.

--------more thoughts------

How can something lose value when you add to it? Even if you disperse the questions of greater value among those of lesser value, the overall value of the questions does not decrease. In fact, the value increases. So instead of complaining, I am happy that there are off-the-cuff questions. It makes the experience better.

Even if we take it farther, and assume that these less-than-perfectly-philosophical-questions have 0 value, the overall value of your desirable questions do not decrease. They are merely dispersed among those that you would rather not see. 0 + x = x. It doesn't matter how many 0s you add.

Now, the point one might make is the time one would lose in finding the golden nugget. How many 0s are there (personally I do not think they are 0s, but this is for argument's sake)? I suppose that is up to one who is educated in philosophy. Ignoring the stupid questions, I think, is not really the issue. In reality, you are probably sick of sifting through the stones to find the gems. Not a perfect analogy, but close enough perhaps.

The reason for my earlier sarcastic rant is that I have seen this question (or at least many like it) before. Your initial question is cruel. You are hurtful to every person who posts a question here. That angered me. I am sorry that I insulted you. But darn it, nothing angers me more than a bully. You know more about a subject than others and so you bully the less educated. That is the picture I get from your question. Maybe I am wrong. I must accept this possibility. You meant no harm. Yet to suggest that the majority of people's questions devalues an entire category until it is has no meaning is snobbish. Are you a snob?

Regardless, I have ranted and apologized and explained and exhorted. I don't expect that anything will change. Your question or my answer will not do much. Things will continue on as they have. We will all have to live with it.

Answer 2

They may not be philosophical at the scholarly
level, but they are certainly philosophical at the
common man's level.

Scholarly level discussions will be mostly of
theoretical nature. Forum discussions will be
mostly of practical nature connected with
day-to-day life. The former can not replace the
latter.

Answer 3

I kind of agree, a lot of the people on here discuss a lot of stuff that isn't necessarily philosophically related. I'd kinda like to talk about actual philosophy more than patriotism and mattie blowers hats..

Answer 4

depends on the observation


This was a Schrodinger's cat joke sorry to upset some of you.

Answer 5

Pick and choose.