Hearing some common misunderstandings of philosophy, courtesy of historyâs illustrious thinkers
Examining the importance of the examined life â the life worth living
Looking at the questions we consider in our quest for understanding
Conversation youâre not likely to hear in the 20th century:
Him: âHey, Honey, what do you want to do tonight?â
Her: âHow about some philosophy?â
Him: âSounds great!â
Her: âInvite the neighbors!â
A Few Nuts Spice the Cake
There may be no intellectual activity more misunderstood and wrongly maligned as philosophy. The great American historian Henry Adams once characterized the entire enterprise of philosophy as consisting of nothing more than âunintelligible answers to insoluble problems.â As far back as the 16th century, the prominent French essayist Michael de Montaigne proclaimed that âphilosophy is doubt.â And, of course, who enjoys doubt? Doubt is often uncomfortable. Doubt can even be scary.
The 19th-century philosophical wild man, Friedrich Nietzsche, took it one more step and even went so far as to characterize philosophy as âan explosive, in the presence of which everything is in danger.â So, then, it really comes as no surprise to see Nietzscheâs predecessor, the English poet John Keats, asking, âDo not all charms fly at the mere touch of cold philosophy?â
In ancient times, the famous Roman statesman and author Cicero complained, âThere is nothing so absurd that it hasnât been said by some philosopher.â Of course, he, too, was âsome philosopher.â But what about the other human beings who bear that label? Whatâs our view of them?
More fans of philosophy
The following quotes show what some prominent historical individuals have had to say about philosophy and philosophers:
Philosophy is such an impertinently litigious lady that a man had as good be engaged in lawsuits as have to do with her.
â Sir Isaac Newton
It has been said that metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe on instinct.
â W. Somerset Maugham
Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, inquiry the progress, ignorance the end.
â Montaigne
Philosophy will clip an angelâs wings . . .
â John Keats
All philosophies, if you ride them home, are nonsense; but some are greater nonsense than others.
â Samuel Butler
Philosophy consists largely of one philosopher arguing that all the others are jackasses. He usually proves it, and I should add that he also usually proves that he is one himself.
â H.L. Mencken
If I wished to punish a province, I would have it governed by philosophers.
â Frederick the Great
There is only one thing that a philosopher can be relied on to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers.
â William James
When he who hears doesnât know what he who speaks means, and when he who speaks doesnât know what he himself means â that is philosophy.
â Voltaire
There is nothing so strange and so unbelievable that it has not been said by one philosopher or the other.
â Descartes (the Father of Modern Philosophy, strange and unbelievable as that may seem)
I have tried, too, in my time to be a philosopher but, I donât know how, cheerfulness was always breaking through.
â Oliver Edwards (18th century)
Philosophers? Crazy! Philosophers? Otherworldly! Philosophers? Gloomy! When we hear the word, we tend to have this modern image come to mind of badly groomed academics, carelessly dressed in tweed sport coats, wrinkled shirts, and rumpled pants, who go through life coated with chalk dust, stroking their beards, bearing scowls on their faces and arcane thoughts in their heads, all the while writing on blackboards in capital letters such weighty words as âDEATH,â and âDESPAIR.â
In 1707, Jonathan Swift wrote the following comment:
The various opinions of philosophers have scattered through the world as many plagues of the mind as Pandoraâs box did those of the body; only with this difference, that they have not left hope at the bottom.
In our own era, the widely read American journalist and literary critic H.L. Mencken even once went so far as to announce, âThere is no record in human history of a happy philosopher.â (But, hey, remember that these guys never met me!)
So whatâs the deal here? Philosophy, done right, should be the opposite of all this gloom and doom stuff. It should be exciting, liberating, provocative, illuminating, helpful, and fun. Philosophers themselves should...