What Can You Do With Philosophy, Anyway?

[Dontaskme]

[Lacewing]

Socrates said: "The only thing I know is that I know nothing"

What did he mean? Was he just agreeing with some irate women? Can you take the step beyond attacking and be open to depth of what is meant?

Yes, I understand it very well -- it is how I live and think as much as possible -- which is why I keep pointing it out to you (and some others) as you babble continuously here about all that you think you "know".

I came to the conclusion that he was right and I'm in the same boat. I know nothing.

Then what the hell are you talking about all of the time here???

[-1-]

Philosophical thinking is a questioning of basic assumptions, particularly assumptions governing the conduct of our lives as human beings. As such, philosophy is one of the foremost creative, spiritual activities in which human beings engage. At the heart of this creative activity is the search for meaningful life possibilities.

It is wonder that not only gives birth to philosophical thinking but also sustains it.

Philosophy is a love of wisdom. It has nothing to do with saying how to live your life. One branch of philosophy does that, but the other branches would not touch "how to live your life" with a ten-foot-pole.

[-1-]

Socrates said: "The only thing I know is that I know nothing"

1. Socrates said: "The only thing I know is that I know nothing"
2. He said quite a number of other things.
3. If you want to know what he mean by the 1. above, read the other things he also said.
4. Stop bugging us by repeatedly quoting the same thing at every philosophical occasion.

[A_Seagull]

All we know about the world and all we can ever know can never be more than a paradigm.

[Nick_A]

Socrates said: "The only thing I know is that I know nothing"

What did he mean? Was he just agreeing with some irate women? Can you take the step beyond attacking and be open to depth of what is meant?

Yes, I understand it very well -- it is how I live and think as much as possible -- which is why I keep pointing it out to you (and some others) as you babble continuously here about all that you think you "know".

I came to the conclusion that he was right and I'm in the same boat. I know nothing.

Then what the hell are you talking about all of the time here???

You seem to have an open disdain for all those seeking to understand human meaning and purpose beyond the limitations of the world confined to Plato's cave. Would you be one of those who condemn Simone Weil for thinking outside of the secular box?


Excerpted from a letter Simone Weil wrote on May 15, 1942 in Marseilles, France to her close friend Father Perrin:

At fourteen I fell into one of those fits of bottomless despair that come with adolescence, and I seriously thought of dying because of the mediocrity of my natural faculties. The exceptional gifts of my brother, who had a childhood and youth comparable to those of Pascal, brought my own inferiority home to me. I did not mind having no visible successes, but what did grieve me was the idea of being excluded from that transcendent kingdom to which only the truly great have access and wherein truth abides.

Simone admitted she knew nothing and wanted to be one with those striving to understand beyond the confines of Plato's cave. Why condemn these people because they seek freedom from cave life? I support them even though they defy the gods of the Great Beast

[Lacewing]

You seem to have an open disdain for all those seeking to understand human meaning and purpose beyond the limitations of the world...

No, I've already told you that I don't.

Would you be one of those who condemn Simone Weil for thinking outside of the secular box?

I've already answered this before too. My answer is: No.

And now we see the agenda behind you asking me that (again)... it's because you wanted to have a reason to AGAIN post the letter excerpt below, which you've posted who-knows-how-many-fucking-times:

Excerpted from a letter Simone Weil wrote on May 15, 1942 in Marseilles, France to her close friend Father Perrin: "At fourteen I fell into one of those fits of bottomless despair that come with adolescence [blah, blah, blah].

Yeh, she was depressed and had insights like so many people do. Big deal.

Why condemn these people because they seek freedom from cave life?

It could be said that religion does this: Condemns people for seeking to be free from primitive religious doctrines. If people go outside of it, they are doomed. Why does religion do that? You can apply such a template to all sorts of things... and then rally a cause/platform around it. What the fuck ever, Nick. Your platform -- or perhaps the way you present it -- is just not significant or compelling.

Hmm, here's a general question you've inspired me to ask: Might religion and insanity be escapes from being absolutely terrified? Anyone have an opinion on that?

[Nick_A]

You seem to have an open disdain for all those seeking to understand human meaning and purpose beyond the limitations of the world...

No, I've already told you that I don't.

Would you be one of those who condemn Simone Weil for thinking outside of the secular box?

I've already answered this before too. My answer is: No.

And now we see the agenda behind you asking me that (again)... it's because you wanted to have a reason to AGAIN post the letter excerpt below, which you've posted who-knows-how-many-fucking-times:

Excerpted from a letter Simone Weil wrote on May 15, 1942 in Marseilles, France to her close friend Father Perrin: "At fourteen I fell into one of those fits of bottomless despair that come with adolescence [blah, blah, blah].

Yeh, she was depressed and had insights like so many people do. Big deal.

Why condemn these people because they seek freedom from cave life?

It could be said that religion does this: Condemns people for seeking to be free from primitive religious doctrines. If people go outside of it, they are doomed. Why does religion do that? You can apply such a template to all sorts of things... and then rally a cause/platform around it. What the fuck ever, Nick. Your platform -- or perhaps the way you present it -- is just not significant or compelling.

Hmm, here's a general question you've inspired me to ask: Might religion and insanity be escapes from being absolutely terrified? Anyone have an opinion on that?

Simone wasn't depressed. DEpression is the inability to receive IMpressions. Simone was partially awake so imagination wasn't blocking impressions. The gods of secularism in what ever form it takes including religion and politics will always cause fear necessary for influence and control. Simone sought reality which apparently only a rare few are open to but she wanted to join them.