Any philosophers here?

[proud mary]

I'm philosophy student and that's why I ask this question. My personal oppinion is that one must be educated and informed about philosophy disciplines (ethics, philosophy of right, philosophy of politics, marxism...) if wants to grasp the whole essence of communism.
That's the only rational way. Everything else is just a game!

[Goldfinger]

Yes, I'm a philosopher. Much of the things I've realised about life and politics really enforces many things Marx said. For example that religion is really just a false feeling of safety. But the thing is, that I have no idea. I can't really claim that the feeling of safety isn't real

Another thing about religion: When a religion gets fundamentalist, the whole point disappears. Instead of a way to put things in perspective, it becomes a thing of pride. You get too certain about it. You misunderstand it. Even the holy books contridicts fundamentalism. Osama bin Laden uses religion as an exuse for killing a buncha people, and to get really fucking rich. In the Quran, it says that people like that are nothing but hipocrites, and are losers. The Quran really supports sharing and collective resources. The beduins are the only ones I can think of that practices this important part of the Quran. They are practicing communism, the way it's ment to be.

The christian Bible also has some important stuff in it about class society. It says that money won't make you happy. God doesn't appreciate money. The Bible enforces the fact that the best way to be happy is to work decently for others, and then take a well-deserved rest.

[Ian]

I'm quite interested in philosophy, I'm not a philosopher or anything, I'm just very interested in concepts such as solipsism (although I despise the idea of it, it is thought provoking) and others.

It's good to have you here proud mary! hope you stick around :)

[Dhul Fiqar]

Nice to meet you Proud Mary, welcome to the boards.

I am indeed extremely interested in philosophy, although I'm studying the social sciences in general. My teachers keep *****ing that I question the premise of every question instead of answering them ;)

I don't alter my basic philosophical worldview much anymore, but recreational philosphy debates are among my favorite hobbies.

Who are your major influences? I'd have to say Nietzche, Foucault and anyone else who went insane ;)

--- G.

[proud mary]

Thanks for welcome note!
Dhul Figar, you said something that put a smile on my face - keep questioning your teachers, that's the sing of one great thing - you have free mind and critical powers, and that's of fundamental importance!
For the same thing I'm the one that also doesn't alter philosophical worldview... I prefer not being lazy and thinking again about every little thing.

About influences, I need to add that I try to escape some real influence (again - for the same thing) but Kant's ethical theory is something that I just can't resist, Hegel, Hobbes, and of course, Marx.

Today, communism is marked like a decadent idea and brainwashed people are fooling around with it's name, while on the other side you can face with humiliating alienation of humanity, it is of great importance to think about it again. We must do more than wearing CHE t-shirts or chitchatting. And to free our minds is the first step.

Oh… about insaine philosophers – Diogen was crazy as a coconut (the one that lived in a burrel), but he was proud!!!

[proud mary]

I will stick around, that’s for sure!!!
Ian Rocks, first thing that popped into my mind when I read that you’re interested in solipsism, is “wooosh… communism and solipsism in one person” (lol)
You’re right about it, it’s really interesting topic. Did you know that “Matrix” movie wasn’t anything new for philosophy students? On my University, we had one exam at first year of studying (epistemology) wehre we read numerous articles about that same subject. And “Matrix” scenario was similar to one essay of certain professor Nozick – instead of aliens he had evil neuro-scientists… The rest is the same: how can you claim something more than “Cogito, ergo sum!”!
Interesting subject but, like you noticed, not very much useful. Whenever I break my mind about it I can’t escape the feeling that I’m wasting my precious time (be quiet about this!). That’s why I’m mostly interested in ethics, philosophy of right and politics, practical ethics…

Good to have YOU!

[canikickit]

I am a philosopher.

I have never studied any academic philosophy, but have formed my own, bullshit, intricate and over the top theories, all of which are true.

[RedCeltic]

I live alone, entirely alone. I never speak to anyone, never; I receive nothing, I give nothing?When you live alone you no longer know what it is to tell something: the plausible disappears at the same time as the fiends. You let events flow past; suddenly you see people pop up who speak and who go away, you plunge into stories without beginning or end: you make a terrible witness. But in compensation, one misses nothing, no improbability or, story too tall to be believed in cafes.


oh hang on a moment... that was from
Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea not me.. ;) lol...

~~~Yea we love philosophy here..:)

(Edited by RedCeltic at 1:56 pm on Dec. 17, 2002)

[Valkyrie]

I'm an ethics freak!!! I must have every pholosophical treatise on ethics there is! I know awhile back a proposal was made to discuss the Nicomechian ethics, I think by Peacenicked. We can still do that! and a philosophy and science sub forum was proposed by us.

Right now, I am reading some Mills and James and comparing Of Human Understanding and Human Nature treatises of Hume and Spinoza.

so.... very glad you're here!

[proud mary]

This post is to Apocalypse When,

In reference to all you said (and that is very motivating and sharp) I just want to add something that Kant said, it is also written on his gravestone… It goes something like “The more I’m thinking about them, two things are filling me with greater and greater admiration: starry sky above me and moral law inside of me” (sorry if translation is bad)
It means – eternal question about God’s existence can find its solution in moral law that is placed inside of every human being. No matter if we decide to act evil or to do good deeds, we all know what is right and what is wrong. We have free will to decide if we will fallow it or not. This universal moral law is something necessary, certain and everlasting. It is like a mark of the eternal being (point is: how come we all know what is Good? law set by humans can reach only general relevance, but never universal)
You see, it’s something like “natural religion” or it’s better to say “intellectual approach” to the question of religion. It looks to me like free from all interests, just highlighting the point of human dignity, human rights, justice, benevolence…

Nice to have you here!

[lifetrnal]

Philosophy and Poli-Sci double major here...

[Dhul Fiqar]

Since we've started quoting the greats:

"Every great philosophy [is] the personal confession of its originator, a type of involuntary and unaware memoirs."
--- Nietzsche

Regarding ol' Diogenes, he was indeed a nutter, or at the very least highly eccentric. Unfortunately he's long dead and no one really seems to know much about him since he didn't leave a coherent philosophy of any kind. Maybe that was his point, since he despised those who debated life without actually living it (he was rather indoctrinated by the other followers of the Cynical school of philosophy of the time though).

That said, he did masturbate in public and is said to have ended some lectures by taking a big steamy crap on the ground in front of his spectators ;)
Still, having a beliefsystem officially known as "Cynicism" I find very alluring, from all accounts he was an extremely interesting man to meet :biggrin:
--- G.

[proud mary]

Paris, that is such a great idea! It would be so fine to discuss Nicomachian ethics! Right now I’m examining antic politics and laws. And it is interesting to compare antic concept of freedom, justice, right, “human rights”… In Aristotle’s we can find interesting theories about slavery…
so… I’m in the game!!!
One more shot – I see that you’re reading interesting literature. Ever read Kant? Personally, I prefer deontological rather than utilitarian concept in ethics.

[Steadfast Realist]

Im studying philosophy atm and it's fantastic!! everyone should study it, we would all be a lot more reasonable...
Mary, we did epistemology last year and it's a little terrifying really, like Berkely's view that everything in in the mind of God, complete immaterialism is scary. And global scepticism - i never saw the point in it, whats the use of living your life where everything around you might not even exist? epistemology is one of my favourite areas of philosophy, questioning everything around us - philosophical thinking always leads to questionning everything especialy the State this year for me as we're doing a political philosophy course.
in class we've just been studying Hobbes. I wouldnt say his theories were very good to be honest, interesting state of nature, but i cant see why he would want to justify an authoritarian government, almost all other political philosophers that ive come across reject authoritarianism especially Marx. The state should never be seen as infallible, as we dont want to end up in a 1984 situation where the state controls every aspect of your life. Why do you think Hobbes has influenced you mary?
also a question thats been bugging me recently is "is there a human nature?" ive never seen how we can know, the matrix says it is a parasitical, Aristotle said it was to be a political animal, marx said it changed with each mode of production etc .. i dont know what to think! does anyone have an opinion on it?

btw what's Nicomachian ethics? :)

[El Che]

Every man is a philosopher in his own way, even if he doesn`t realise it. Watch out for intrinsic value instead of articulacy.

[proud mary]

Hello Steadfast Realist, nice to meet you!
I see that you share my opinion on radical scepticism… But, I don’t think that somebody could live and always question the world around… It just doesn’t fit to principle of economy – you must make thousands and thousands of judgments every day – nobody can live in situation of “Bouridane’s donkey” (except maybe Piron who tried to live his life making no decisions, always being in situation of doubt… but he was another lunatic)
Did you read “Proof of an External World” written by George Edward Moore? If you did tell me what you think about it… I studied that one few times at University, and it always makes me confused.

About Hobbes, I didn’t say he influenced my standpoint (being that I don’t have one fixed, all I have is just a pale pattern of thought), but he surely motivated me to examine philosophy of politics. Hi did great job in illuminating dark of middle Ages. First time I read him I used to think that there is something about that “homo homini lupus” theory. You will agree that self-preserving and material interests are among major causes of disagreement even today…
About his choice of monarchy, I know that he wasn’t very much consistent about it… In some of his works he stated against it, but finally, he had to accept it because he needed one person as foundation of law… if he had a plenitude of rulers, they could turn their powers against each other… So, I guess that he thought it’s profitable to risk.

Oh, yes… I almost forgot – N.ethics is treatise written by Aristotle… about individual virtues.

[proud mary]

Quote: from El Che on 7:27 pm on Dec. 18, 2002
Every man is a philosopher in his own way, even if he doesn`t realise it. Watch out for intrinsic value instead of articulacy.

Commandant El Che, it is such a great honor that you visited this topic, but with all respect I need to add few things about what you wrote. Maybe you’re right in some point when you say that each person is “philosopher”, but philosophy has one exclusivity that “common mind” doesn’t have – freedom of thought.
When I say freedom of thought, I don’t think that one is free to think what he wants to think and to state it as something true. I use freedom in another, more complex sense – freedom from prejudice.
It is often said that philosophy starts there where people start questioning things that are normally considered to be well known (the best example is Socrates and his method of dialogue), and that isn’t something that “natural philosopher” does. You will agree, that “common mind” hardly ever reflects to things that he once learned or to things that he found in the world around him (not to mention self reflection).
Another thing is that articulation is one important component of every philosophy. It’s also connected with this aspect of freedom (as I described it), but in another sense – articulation is giving us a possibility to criticize certain philosophy. Again explanation – crisis is Greek word for “decision”, “evaluation”, and therefore I’m not using word critic in modern (limited) sense that means “castigation”…
But what I really think is that if one has character of philosopher, that he has as an intrinsic value, then it must be articulated. Philosophy is one attitude towards life, way of living… so it’s always articulated in one or another way.

What do you think?

[anti machine]

I consider myself to be a pretentious philosopher. I'm currently working on an essay detailing human nature, my own personal analysis which will hopefully prove that communist theory can overcome the non-inherent variable of "the nature of men".

[ReinaldoArenas]

Philosophy is a mash of ideas. It's generally contra-helpful to hold any ideas as true or as your own rigidly. Socrates said, according to Plato, that all he knew was that he knew nothing. It seems like a good philosophy to live by, but I don't know anything.

[Klondike]

I don't really consider myself a philosopher, but I can be philosophical at times ;-)

[革命者]

Nice to see so many new members!! please stick around!!

Scotty.

[SwedishCommie]

I would call myself a philosopher.

[Comrade Hyueh]

Me too....

iwish icould share a bit of my philosophy....

[Ramon2003]

how can a socialist/communist actually NOT be a philosopher, keeping in mind the literal meaning? apart from that, i think that we all are, more or less, reflected about ourselves, our lives and our living conditions, which means we have at least a basic set of philosophical opinions.
but back to "hard" philosophy: mary, what about the critical theory (adorno/horkheimer), or marcuse? this is something worthwhile reading (nothing against hobbes, though :-))

[Anonymous]

uhhhhhh Ian hiting in proud mary kewl ;)


anyways...

yes one can say i am philosopher...

i started to read nietszche and all taht crap...
this until i discovered Marx and the "holly" dialects...

then i became a materialist "hardliner" philosopher..

[Umoja]

I'm into Gnosticsm and Neo-Platonism. So I guess I'm into pretty strange philosophy/religion since that type of thinking blurs the line between religion and philosophy signifcantly.