Why are people scared of philosophy?

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Lev Muishkin
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Lev Muishkin »

Systematic wrote:It may be due to an education system that says, "Sit down, shut up, and believe what I tell you." And it can't help that the curricula rarely involve anything to do with deep thinking.
That's not quite the problem I think. Science and maths is taught that way since there are no opinions in those subjects - not until a much higher level of study anyway. Other subjects to encourage thinking, if not very disciplined.
I think there reason rests in the fact that Philosophy is a mystery to most people as it is not a curricular choice until such times as most people have already left education. So fear of philosophy is based on ignorance.
In my experience Philosophy was no existence pre-16, and rarely available post 16.
For most people College is the first time they encounter it.
reasonvemotion
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by reasonvemotion »

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

... Truly the feminization of men indeed. ...

Arising_uk wrote:

Ooo! You a fan of the Goaturder? A Blow Thyself forum member?
Know thyself has a renewed interest in PN, they are bored with themselves and limited to where they can go. The old man these days usually sends Lyssa to do his dirty work and she loves it. She can morph into a man in a moment and go from indelicacy to gross indecency just as quickly. LOL.

You missed the reference to "Know Thyself"? Loved Bill's compassionate remarks they must be rolling on the floor over there.

Carry on.
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Arising_uk
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Arising_uk »

Lev Muishkin wrote:...
In my experience Philosophy was no existence pre-16, and rarely available post 16.
For most people College is the first time they encounter it.
True, it was only at degree-level over here in the UK. But things are a-changing as Ireland is putting it on the school curriculum and there's a slow movement in England introducing it piecemeal to schools by heads who have noticed how it helps students with the other subjects. Of course it won't be the scary monster that was the degree course, much more practice in thinking philosophically rather than the canon approach.
thedoc
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by thedoc »

Arising_uk wrote:
thedoc wrote:Ah Satyr, you've finally gone over, good for you.
Oh please let this be true! As I don't know which would be funnier, that he came back for a third time or came back as a woman. :lol:

Although to be honest I think GWT may be being tricksy but doubt the goaturder would be able to hide his 'light'.
Please tell me that you haven't intentionally read Satyr's drivel, I would think it was beneath the dignity of rational people. It's also my understanding that he and Apaosha run that forum.
Read it and engaged with pretty much most of it as the goaturder has been here twice, the first time was with his opus which we had much fun discussing, well I did but he appeared to get quite upset at times. The best part was when he painted himself into a corner and had to leave voluntarily, a first among phil-forums I think. He then returned, which was double-funny given what he'd said previously, and this time brought his herd with him, Apaosha, et al, apparently they have field trips of some kind, how sweet eh! This time tho' he and they came to Rick's notice so they all got banned, shame as you've gotta admit he can turn a funny insult at times and to be honest I think his stuff is rational if you believe the premises and he has, unlike many, at least read some philosophy and he is a proper functioning gnu to boot. From the looks of it tho' the mods have cleared everything past a certain date so all the jollies have been lost to posterity.
I guess I have little room to talk about you reading Satyr's opus since I intentionally read most of Seymour Lessans "The Decline and fall of all Evil". Most of that was with the thought "how did he get this from that" which was truly astonishing considering some of the connections he made.
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GreatandWiseTrixie
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by GreatandWiseTrixie »

Arising_uk wrote:
thedoc wrote:Ah Satyr, you've finally gone over, good for you.
Oh please let this be true! As I don't know which would be funnier, that he came back for a third time or came back as a woman. :lol:

Although to be honest I think GWT may be being tricksy but doubt the goaturder would be able to hide his 'light'.
Please tell me that you haven't intentionally read Satyr's drivel, I would think it was beneath the dignity of rational people. It's also my understanding that he and Apaosha run that forum.
Read it and engaged with pretty much most of it as the goaturder has been here twice, the first time was with his opus which we had much fun discussing, well I did but he appeared to get quite upset at times. The best part was when he painted himself into a corner and had to leave voluntarily, a first among phil-forums I think. He then returned, which was double-funny given what he'd said previously, and this time brought his herd with him, Apaosha, et al, apparently they have field trips of some kind, how sweet eh! This time tho' he and they came to Rick's notice so they all got banned, shame as you've gotta admit he can turn a funny insult at times and to be honest I think his stuff is rational if you believe the premises and he has, unlike many, at least read some philosophy and he is a proper functioning gnu to boot. From the looks of it tho' the mods have cleared everything past a certain date so all the jollies have been lost to posterity.
Well, if you know the law of averages, you see that many people share the same views. For example, Hitler might have been a vegetarian, but does that make vegetarians Jew-killers? Satyr might have a few similar philosophies to me, but does that mean we have the same views about other things? Satyr may be a racist, but does that make me a racist by sharing his non-race related views? If your friend Sarah likes potato chips, does that mean everyone who eats potato chips is secretly Sarah, who is the Joker in disguise, who is really Pinkie Pie in disguise, who is really Obama in disguise, Obama is 5 letters, 5+5=pentagram, pentagram = 55 gram = 155 grams in Doritos = Mountain Dew = illuminati confirmed??

This is a form of attitude characterized by an egocentric worldview. One becomes preoccupied with paranoia, and avoiding social judgement. So much so they might even abandon what they believe in, if society suddenly deems it unacceptable, or if society demonizes some other person who shares their beliefs.

If Kim Jong Un is an athiest, are all atheists dictators? If Kim Jong Un cuts his hair, should we all avoid barber shops? If we eat a bagel, does that make us holey? Illuminati is illuminati is illuminati confirmed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5b5MNAbVKQ
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Arising_uk
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Arising_uk »

reasonvemotion wrote:You missed the reference to "Know Thyself"? Loved Bill's compassionate remarks they must be rolling on the floor over there.
No, saw it but just thought I'd let it go.

They must truly love Bill as he is the epitome of what that flock thinks of as a sheeple.

Still, benefit of the doubt, a long enough rope and all that.
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Arising_uk
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Arising_uk »

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:Well, if you know the law of averages, you see that many people share the same views. For example, Hitler might have been a vegetarian, but does that make vegetarians Jew-killers? Satyr might have a few similar philosophies to me, but does that mean we have the same views about other things? Satyr may be a racist, but does that make me a racist by sharing his non-race related views? ...
Nope.

So you do know the goaturder?
This is a form of attitude characterized by an egocentric worldview. One becomes preoccupied with paranoia, and avoiding social judgement. So much so they might even abandon what they believe in, if society suddenly deems it unacceptable, or if society demonizes some other person who shares their beliefs.
What are you talking about? I was just laughing at the hypothetical that the goaturder would return and return as a women. :lol:
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GreatandWiseTrixie
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by GreatandWiseTrixie »

Arising_uk wrote:
GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:Well, if you know the law of averages, you see that many people share the same views. For example, Hitler might have been a vegetarian, but does that make vegetarians Jew-killers? Satyr might have a few similar philosophies to me, but does that mean we have the same views about other things? Satyr may be a racist, but does that make me a racist by sharing his non-race related views? ...
Nope.

So you do know the goaturder?
This is a form of attitude characterized by an egocentric worldview. One becomes preoccupied with paranoia, and avoiding social judgement. So much so they might even abandon what they believe in, if society suddenly deems it unacceptable, or if society demonizes some other person who shares their beliefs.
What are you talking about? I was just laughing at the hypothetical that the goaturder would return and return as a women. :lol:
Saw a few of his posts. Now I know why they call him the "goaturder".
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Lev Muishkin
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Lev Muishkin »

Arising_uk wrote:
Lev Muishkin wrote:...
In my experience Philosophy was no existence pre-16, and rarely available post 16.
For most people College is the first time they encounter it.
True, it was only at degree-level over here in the UK. But things are a-changing as Ireland is putting it on the school curriculum and there's a slow movement in England introducing it piecemeal to schools by heads who have noticed how it helps students with the other subjects. Of course it won't be the scary monster that was the degree course, much more practice in thinking philosophically rather than the canon approach.
It's rare, but as a teacher I taught 10 year olds "philosophy". I worked in a school for a short while that had a weekly thinking problem to chew over. Examples were the dog, sheep, hay crossing the river problem. The two barber shops in the one horse town problem, and some other simply logic problems.
thedoc
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by thedoc »

Lev Muishkin wrote: It's rare, but as a teacher I taught 10 year olds "philosophy". I worked in a school for a short while that had a weekly thinking problem to chew over. Examples were the dog, sheep, hay crossing the river problem. The two barber shops in the one horse town problem, and some other simply logic problems.

Interesting, but I wouldn't have had a problem with that question, My uncle was a barber in a small town and as I remember there were only two barbers and I knew that they cut each others hair. When I got older I broke the rules, I cut my own hair, even the back, and I won't let my wife trim the back because she doesn't do it to suit me.
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henry quirk
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Post by henry quirk »

"Why are people scared of philosophy?"

I think most folks just don't give a shit.

Rightfully or wrongfully, it seems most folks view philosophizing as being about as useful a dickering over the number of angels who can squat on a pinhead, and, philosophers are viewed -- rightfully or wrongly -- as being Ivory Tower inhabitants, far removed from the day to day.

Ain't fear, it's indifference.
Melchior
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Re:

Post by Melchior »

henry quirk wrote:"Why are people scared of philosophy?"

I think most folks just don't give a shit.

Rightfully or wrongfully, it seems most folks view philosophizing as being about as useful a dickering over the number of angels who can squat on a pinhead, and, philosophers are viewed -- rightfully or wrongly -- as being Ivory Tower inhabitants, far removed from the day to day.

Ain't fear, it's indifference.

And well-deserved, I might add. Most philosophers are totally lacking in charisma.
thedoc
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Re: Re:

Post by thedoc »

Melchior wrote:
henry quirk wrote:"Why are people scared of philosophy?"
I think most folks just don't give a shit.
Rightfully or wrongfully, it seems most folks view philosophizing as being about as useful a dickering over the number of angels who can squat on a pinhead, and, philosophers are viewed -- rightfully or wrongly -- as being Ivory Tower inhabitants, far removed from the day to day.
Ain't fear, it's indifference.
And well-deserved, I might add. Most philosophers are totally lacking in charisma.
And as friend of mine once observed, "Common sense, isn't", especially among philosophers.
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Lev Muishkin
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Re: Why are people scared of philosophy?

Post by Lev Muishkin »

thedoc wrote:
Lev Muishkin wrote: It's rare, but as a teacher I taught 10 year olds "philosophy". I worked in a school for a short while that had a weekly thinking problem to chew over. Examples were the dog, sheep, hay crossing the river problem. The two barber shops in the one horse town problem, and some other simply logic problems.

Interesting, but I wouldn't have had a problem with that question, My uncle was a barber in a small town and as I remember there were only two barbers and I knew that they cut each others hair. When I got older I broke the rules, I cut my own hair, even the back, and I won't let my wife trim the back because she doesn't do it to suit me.
Me too. But my "do" is pretty basic. No.3 all over. No. 0 on the neck. Not much to it.
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Lev Muishkin
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Re: Re:

Post by Lev Muishkin »

thedoc wrote:
Melchior wrote:
henry quirk wrote:"Why are people scared of philosophy?"
I think most folks just don't give a shit.
Rightfully or wrongfully, it seems most folks view philosophizing as being about as useful a dickering over the number of angels who can squat on a pinhead, and, philosophers are viewed -- rightfully or wrongly -- as being Ivory Tower inhabitants, far removed from the day to day.
Ain't fear, it's indifference.
And well-deserved, I might add. Most philosophers are totally lacking in charisma.
And as friend of mine once observed, "Common sense, isn't", especially among philosophers.
To a philosopher "common sense", is far from straight forward. Such a concept has to be filtered through Locke, Hume and Kant, to make any "sense".
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