To clarify - the topic originated in lounge (1) - then moved to general discussion (2), now here:
{An ethical question might be - should I have asked TJH's permission, or is it enough to cite him below?}
The gift of the Philosopher, at its best ,may be said to be the revealing of a truth that lies on the periphery, beyond the common borders of apprehension of the common thinker.
The border range may be defined as knowledge or experience.
To say ,for example, that the world is constantly in turmoil is a statement.
To say that "there is, no peace ,in the soul ,or the city” is, by means of prose, an enlivening of the imagination that allows us to apprehend ,at a different level, the prosaic nature of that statement.
But philosophy is, overall , a lame tool in the absence of knowledge.
in so much as we can say that Philosophy is the pursuit of truth ,
In the hands of the ignorant , philosophy is corrupted to brazen evangelical opinions .
Because people believe that knowledge ,in the formal sense, is so important in the credence given to individuals ,that there are those who wish to mimic it.
They invent diplomas and degrees, believing that this will give them credibility and the power
to be recognized as an authority on their subject.
This subterfuge is a powerful tool ,in the hands of the snake-oil salesman, because
as the entrepreneur Richard Branson noted : Brand is everything.
A brand means something that has a saleable value and what is said about that brand
has a perceived value.
However , someone who has a Doctorate in a particular subject ,is a different person than someone who pretends to have a Doctorate .
This difference eventually leaks out and the charlatan is revealed for what he is.
Psychopaths form 1% of the population.
They are hardened liars and one of their characteristics is that they attribute to themselves
grandiose accomplishments, such as university degrees ,that they do not possess.
You, on the other hand , are someone who encounters 99% of the population who , largely ,tell you truthful fundamental things about themselves and so, when you encounter the 1% faker ,you are not prepared, initially, to question his pretences.
In order to pierce the superficial world of the Psychopath you need knowledge that these people exist, at a ratio of 1 in 100 and that you need to appreciate the reality of interpersonal contact, with this knowledge.
The world is full of people who have been duped by Psychopaths and ,usually ,the price they pay for their ignorance ,is high.
Now, no doubt, after reading this essay you will go out into the world better prepared to filter out these fraudsters, simply because you have knowledge that, in life ,you will meet a Psychopath in every 100 encounters.
Hence ,the borders of knowledge are important in making better decisions.
As is said “ what you don’t know can kill you “.
by The Jesus Head
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=9255
Is this an essay, a sermon, or what ?
Is every 100th minister/ preacher a psycopath?
Is every 100th politican a psychopath?
Would you recognise a psychopath if you met him/her?
How would you know if you were being psycho-pathed?
Can religion be branded as psychopathy?
Is philosophy a religion?
Do '99% of the population, largely, tell you truthful fundamental things about themselves' ?
How many lie to themselves about their true beliefs, really follow their 'chosen' creed, or even know what it is that motivates them...