Search found 75 matches

by Risto
Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:54 pm
Forum: Epistemology - Theory of Knowledge
Topic: Rationalism & Empiricism
Replies: 14
Views: 12199

Re: Rationalism & Empiricism

Rationalism is a philosophy that propounds that humans have innate knowledge and concepts that come from the mind... This is not the rationalism I've learned. Being a rationalist does not mean you have to believe in innate knowledge . The rationalist movement was about the mind eventually being sup...
by Risto
Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:28 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What is philosophy, ad infinitum.
Replies: 16
Views: 5295

Re: What is philosophy, ad infinitum.

Many contemporary philosophers offered their answer to the question “What is philosophy?” on the podcast Philosophy Bites. Marilyn Adams: “Philosophy is thinking really hard about the most important questions and trying to bring analytic clarity both to the questions and the answers,” Peter Adamson:...
by Risto
Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:42 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

Then, we may ask: Should there be progress in philosophy? I think there should. The word "progress" means moving forward toward a goal. If philosophy has goals, it should progress. If it has goals and doesn't progress, it's useless. The goals may never be reached, but at least in principl...
by Risto
Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:47 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

Have philosophers ever sat down and agreed on all the same points... or is the whole point to continually stretch/contemplate/challenge BEYOND? I find this line of an essay from Zach Weber very compelling and I think it touches your question nicely: "... mathematics appears to make progress be...
by Risto
Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:48 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

Giving birth is one milestone, yes. Steps along the route of nurturing might be identified also. I didn't deny their existence or refuse them credit. I asked what they are. The reason I asked was not to denigrate or belittle, but to promote clarity. I think it's useful, before answering a question,...
by Risto
Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:35 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

I'm inclined to agree - I think I have agreed, on page one - that the concept of progress isn't applicable. That's why I challenged the OP question. On page one you said the following: "Thee is progress in ethics, political and social philosophies, because the perspective is broader. It become...
by Risto
Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:31 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

Not sure this is a fair analogy. Scientists formulate principles from which engineers and doctors produce benefits for ordinary citizens. That's how you measure their progress - or that's one obvious benchmark. Another is the legacy upon which subsequent generations of scientists build. Are you say...
by Risto
Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:51 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

Philosophy isn't about progress. The point is to construct a coherent narrative that is consistent with your experience. Since that changes with time, so should philosophies. Those which don't are called dogmas. Having said that, the tools of analysis, primarily logic, are more sophisticated than A...
by Risto
Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:47 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

This presupposes that mankind started out in some dim past, with a headful of falsehood, confusion and ignorance, and that these conditions have been partially alleviated. Therefore, if you compared the mental acuity and clarity of an average citizen of Athens, Greece in 500BC to an average citizen...
by Risto
Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:41 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Re: Is There Progress in Philosophy?

How would you recognize and evaluate "progress" in philosophy? Where is its end-point? Toward what goal is it proceeding? What are the benchmarks and milestones that must be met/passed in order to declare that progress has been made? Very good questions! Some philosophers have offered tha...
by Risto
Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:06 am
Forum: The Lounge
Topic: Philosophy Cards
Replies: 1
Views: 1401

Philosophy Cards

Does anyone know where you could purchase philosophy cards like these? Or perhaps a bit more detailed ones?

http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1 ... /image.jpg
by Risto
Sun Jan 10, 2016 2:50 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: Is There Progress in Philosophy?
Replies: 104
Views: 24937

Is There Progress in Philosophy?

According to this thought experiment from the article There Is No Progress in Philosophy (http://commons.pacificu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1396&context=eip) "no": Imagine that Aristotle, as he’s walking around the Lyceum, encounters a time-warp and pops forward to today, on a we...
by Risto
Sun Jan 10, 2016 2:07 pm
Forum: Philosophical Counselling
Topic: Is this category worthwhile?
Replies: 8
Views: 113720

Re: Is this category worthwhile?

This seems quite a valuable service: a philosophical practitioner helps clients to clarify, articulate, explore and comprehend philosophical aspects of their belief systems or world views....Clients may consult philosophical practitioners for help in exploring philosophical problems related to such ...
by Risto
Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:34 am
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What caused the corruption of the word "philosophy"?
Replies: 27
Views: 7076

Re: What caused the corruption of the word "philosophy"?

Jaded Sage wrote: However, the part I'd like to focus on is that if it is studied in the right way, it becomes quite beneficial.
What is the right way of studying it and why?
by Risto
Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:26 pm
Forum: General Philosophical Discussion
Topic: What caused the corruption of the word "philosophy"?
Replies: 27
Views: 7076

Re: What caused the corruption of the word "philosophy"?

I suppose we are referring to the narrow definition when calling it useless and harmful. I thought we were speaking about philosophy in the broad sense, but you now instead state that philosophy is useless in the narrow sense. So you mean in this sense: critical reflection and discourse on specific...