Kelly Jones
New Member
Hi all.
I concluded from the following arguments that there are few genuine philosophers nowadays.
I've compiled them for others to read, because I think it's a great shame that such simple intellectual mistakes exist so prolifically in society, which prevent so many people of any hope of finding a path into the greatest, most noble form of knowledge available to the human species.
1.
Most people believe philosophical knowledge is what you gain through learning concepts taught in universities and/or find in books, such that one's own philosophical understanding has no individual validity unless it fits into the conceptual molds and jargons prescribed by some external authority. Obviously this falls into the logical fallacy of relying on an external authority.
2.
Most people believe philosophy is about spouting big abstract words and being able to parrot their meanings (whether they understand the meanings is irrelevant, if the meanings are simply adopted).
3.
Most people believe words have no worth in philosophy unless you have found them in a "peer-reviewed" dictionary.
4.
Most people believe concepts you have developed yourself are dubious.
5.
Most people can't distinguish between scientific knowledge and philosophical knowledge.
6.
Most people believe the only valid kind of knowledge is derived through the senses, as if there is no such thing as individual perspective and interpretation, let alone thinking.
7.
Most people believe a concept or fact is dubious or useless, without consensus approval of it. This is called "thinking by committee", or "mob mentality".
8.
Most people believe that thinking so deeply that your worldview becomes different to most other people's, is the same as a mental illness. They call this "thinking too much".
9.
Most people believe they can identify what genius is, and isn't, without actually being a genius. A corollary of this, is that it is morally and politically incorrect for any person to actually be intellectually superior to others. This is an interesting consequence of the political movement to make academic achievements less competitive, called by people like Charles McCleery and Celia Green "The Abolition of Genius".
10.
Most people believe it is fine to make statements about what knowledge is true and reliable, even to the point of attacking and slandering others, without having the strong intention of living according to their knowledge.
11.
Most people believe that simple, logical disagreements in intellectual discourse are a sign of arrogance, hatred and anger, and consequently become offended when their viewpoints are challenged.
12.
Most people believe that if most people disagree with you, that you must be wrong.
13.
Most people think there is an inherent and real separation between thinking and experiencing, as if thinking happens in an inner world, and experiencing happens in an outer world. Consequently, they believe thinking is subjective and fallible, while experiencing is objective and infallible. (This is another form of scientific materialism).
.
.
I concluded from the following arguments that there are few genuine philosophers nowadays.
I've compiled them for others to read, because I think it's a great shame that such simple intellectual mistakes exist so prolifically in society, which prevent so many people of any hope of finding a path into the greatest, most noble form of knowledge available to the human species.
1.
Most people believe philosophical knowledge is what you gain through learning concepts taught in universities and/or find in books, such that one's own philosophical understanding has no individual validity unless it fits into the conceptual molds and jargons prescribed by some external authority. Obviously this falls into the logical fallacy of relying on an external authority.
2.
Most people believe philosophy is about spouting big abstract words and being able to parrot their meanings (whether they understand the meanings is irrelevant, if the meanings are simply adopted).
3.
Most people believe words have no worth in philosophy unless you have found them in a "peer-reviewed" dictionary.
4.
Most people believe concepts you have developed yourself are dubious.
5.
Most people can't distinguish between scientific knowledge and philosophical knowledge.
6.
Most people believe the only valid kind of knowledge is derived through the senses, as if there is no such thing as individual perspective and interpretation, let alone thinking.
7.
Most people believe a concept or fact is dubious or useless, without consensus approval of it. This is called "thinking by committee", or "mob mentality".
8.
Most people believe that thinking so deeply that your worldview becomes different to most other people's, is the same as a mental illness. They call this "thinking too much".
9.
Most people believe they can identify what genius is, and isn't, without actually being a genius. A corollary of this, is that it is morally and politically incorrect for any person to actually be intellectually superior to others. This is an interesting consequence of the political movement to make academic achievements less competitive, called by people like Charles McCleery and Celia Green "The Abolition of Genius".
10.
Most people believe it is fine to make statements about what knowledge is true and reliable, even to the point of attacking and slandering others, without having the strong intention of living according to their knowledge.
11.
Most people believe that simple, logical disagreements in intellectual discourse are a sign of arrogance, hatred and anger, and consequently become offended when their viewpoints are challenged.
12.
Most people believe that if most people disagree with you, that you must be wrong.
13.
Most people think there is an inherent and real separation between thinking and experiencing, as if thinking happens in an inner world, and experiencing happens in an outer world. Consequently, they believe thinking is subjective and fallible, while experiencing is objective and infallible. (This is another form of scientific materialism).
.
.