What do people want from philosophy?

[Scott Mayers]

What do you want from philosophy?

Basically (1) An descriptive examination/analysis of the facts of the world from a different methodological approach than the sciences, and (2) Entertainment.

Exactly. You pre-anticipated the same point I just responded above.

[Gabriel]

Philosophy is not science. Try again.

Well then what IS philosophy? And by what criteria do you determine that it is not science?

The simplest way to understand the methodological difference is that science is focused on experimentation. Even purely theoretical stuff in the sciences is still oriented towards the means that would--at least hypothetically--experimentally provisionally verify versus falsify the ideas presented.

Philosophy isn't focused on experimentation. It's focused on analysis and logic.

That's not all there is to the differences. But it's enough to begin to grasp how philosophy and science are distinct.

Philosophy is what created experimentation. And so, it is focused on it. Analysis and logical comprehension of one's surroundings is experimental. Is the English language not suited for discussion?

Now, let me put you into the dirt. Philosophy is not a science. What is science? Science is more or less education, or putting analised facts into an educational form. So what did you write and what would be your point in stating false facts if our life's are based on stating truths and avoiding lies.

[Terrapin Station]

Philosophy is what created experimentation. And so, it is focused on it.

Even if the first sentence were the case, the second sentence doesn't follow from it.

Saying that philosophy is focused on experimentation simply announces to me that Gabriel doesn't actually read much, if any, philosophy, he never took a philosophy class, etc.

[Gabriel]

Philosophy is what created experimentation. And so, it is focused on it.

Even if the first sentence were the case, the second sentence doesn't follow from it.

Saying that philosophy is focused on experimentation simply announces to me that Gabriel doesn't actually read much, if any, philosophy, he never took a philosophy class, etc.

You're wrong on your assumptions. Philosophy is focused on many things, it is focused on experimentation as it is focused on all of it's parts, experimentation in a broad sense being one of said parts.

Philosophy is quite like art. Thought is like art as well because art portrays thought. What do you think the image below portrays?

[Terrapin Station]

You're wrong on your assumptions.

Nope. You don't have the faintest idea what the fnck you're talking about. Apparently you read zero philosophy.

[Gabriel]

You're wrong on your assumptions.

Nope. You don't have the faintest idea what the fnck you're talking about. Apparently you read zero philosophy.

Is Plato's Nation a philosophy? Is the Christian theology which the whole western world learns in school, NOT philosophy?

[TSBU]

What do you want from philosophy? What do you think other people want from philosophy?

For if people want different things from philosophy they will disagree on what constitutes good philosophy and what is bad philosophy.

Also how can good philosophy be discerned from bad?

For myself, I like simplicity. But I suspect that others seek certainty.

I want to know how to be happy, it's not different than the rest of fields. I don't like the word philosophy a lot, but I usually call that to every thought wich talks about "everything".
What do you think other people want from philosophy? we don't call philosphy the same (that's pretty much the reason why i don't like the word, like many other words), and "people" is very vague, not everybody wants the same when they look for what they call "philosophy", with my definition, they look for it because of the same reason: they want to be happy.

Good philosophy can be discerned from bad like every other knowledge, philosophy treats about how to do that though, and (in my philosophy) you can't have an exact answer with every step in your plan, because you are talking with abstractions.

[Terrapin Station]

You're wrong on your assumptions.

Nope. You don't have the faintest idea what the fnck you're talking about. Apparently you read zero philosophy.

Is Plato's Nation a philosophy? Is the Christian theology which the whole western world learns in school, NOT philosophy?

Plato's "Nation?" You mean The Republic?

And is it "a philosophy"?

How do you want me to respond to you. I mean, I read your post and you obviously don't have the slightest fncking clue what philosophy even is, yet here you are being an a$$hat playing "expert," with no care that you're forwarding completely incorrect information, arguing about it on the Internet, and surely you'll keep arguing about it as long as I respond to you.

I know you'll just give me some completely jackass-like answer to this question, but let's ask one question playing the game where I pretend that you're not a moron just being an ass on the Internet to kill time or because you're mentally ill or whatever for a minute:

What do you take to be an empirical experiment in Plato's Republic or Christian theology?

[Gabriel]

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. If it is the study of something, then it is a science. Science = studying. Discussion = studying or love of wisdom = false.

Do you consider the above sentences sarcastic, offensive and my person a douchebag or jackass?

I guess you do, I disagree because it is untrue. I do not have personal opinions in science. I have personal point of views in science. Note, I did not even care to focus my sight on the words moron and mental ilness. A moderator is required here because you're losing control of yourself.

Empirical experiment? I see that your emotions are heightened. A philosophic treaty should not showcase emotional bias. I believe you have led the conversation astray. Adopting a simplified, computer-like style of thought is advised if you soil your truths with emotional add-ons. You have to realize that people notice EVERYTHING and so can you. It is wrong to continue a discussion without first noticing or noting everything. We have to be lenient of course, we are just humans and we all make mistakes from time to time. It is a truth that humanity has been trying to achieve a life without mistakes. Even if we've achieved World Wars instead.

[Terrapin Station]

Gabriel, so what job are you killing time at? Are you an IT guy or something like that?

Or are you maybe on disability because of some psychological diagnosis?

[thedoc]

Philosophy is a science

Philosophy is not science. Try again.

Well then what IS philosophy? And by what criteria do you determine that it is not science?

Science is based on evidence, philosophy isn't.

[thedoc]

What do you take to be an empirical experiment in Plato's Republic or Christian theology?

There is very little that is empirical in either, at best they can be considered as thought experiments, but nothing physical has been attempted. As far as I know science always relies on actual physical experiments in the end. Even Einstein's thought experiments were verified with actual physical experiments.

[Dalek Prime]

I've got what I wanted from philosophy. And if I'm wrong, well, fuck it. Them's the breaks.

[Gabriel]

Gabriel, so what job are you killing time at? Are you an IT guy or something like that?

Or are you maybe on disability because of some psychological diagnosis?

I'm a student, studying Philosophy on one of the main universities of my country. I'm on my first year after bailing out on Journalism and Buddhology. So it is the third year of my studies after finishing high school. Explain to me, why would I be killing time with writing serious philosophical works, attempting to focus on how said works should look, and solving philosophical dilemmas.

I am not disabled in any way, shape or form. I've been diagnosed with bad sight in primary school and that's it. I never had ADHD or anything at all. It takes less than a ten minutes to visit the forum and answer all the comments I can see. One has to be able to provide faultless information as quick as if it was a real life conversation.


I am very surprised. Philosophy is not science because it relies on thought experiments. And science is science because it relies on physical experiments. Physical experiments would not be possible without thought experimentation. If a philosophical work achieved some thought experiments, then physical ones can follow. My surprise is because of the lack of logical argumentation, and sense overall.


It seems to me the forum is a gathering of layman who don't even try to be professional about the subjects they discuss. I was expecting professors, students of philosophy at the least. Instead I get opinions that philosophy is not a science even though it is the mother of all science. Mathematics is philosophy, love of wisdom translates to love of correctness. My statement is right, by the experience on the forum so far I would expect answers stating my statement is incorrect. Strange days.

[Terrapin Station]

What do you take to be an empirical experiment in Plato's Republic or Christian theology?

There is very little that is empirical in either, at best they can be considered as thought experiments, but nothing physical has been attempted. As far as I know science always relies on actual physical experiments in the end. Even Einstein's thought experiments were verified with actual physical experiments.

Correct. Some people are apparently looking for the (Monty Python) Argument Clinic, though.