Is Philosophy Still A Thing ?

[Flick of the Elbow]

There are often questions about philosophers on University Challenge, many from ancient times, many from 18th and 19th centuries, a few from the 20th century. But they seem to stop around the 1960’s. Outside of quiz shows and history programmes I have never heard them mentioned. From time to time we hear reports in the news of advances in all sorts of highly academic subjects, physics, maths, sometimes history, but never anything, I stand to be corrected, about philosophy. Do philosophers still exist now ? And in what way does their work contribute to modern life ?

 

[Drago]

Is not the very thread title a piece of philosophy?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

There are often questions about philosophers on University Challenge, many from ancient times, many from 18th and 19th centuries, a few from the 20th century. But they seem to stop around the 1960’s. Outside of quiz shows and history programmes I have never heard them mentioned. From time to time we hear reports in the news of advances in all sorts of highly academic subjects, physics, maths, sometimes history, but never anything, I stand to be corrected, about philosophy. Do philosophers still exist now ? And in what way does their work contribute to modern life ?

I think philosophers had to stop and think about how language interferes with how reality is understood. All very post-structuralist. Then philosophers such as Richard Rorty came along with what he called Ironism - this sort of accepts the limitations and distortions of language but goes on to say it anyway.

 

[newfhouse]

Do philosophers still exist now ?

Have you never been in a Wetherspoons?

 

[Drago]

Solipcism has always interested me. How does one know that everything is not merely a figment of ones own imagination?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What do you think?

 

[PeteXXX]

The punchline of the joke is:

'Doo Be Doo Be Dooo.. Frank Sinatra'

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The punchline of the joke is:

'Doo Be Doo Be Dooo.. Frank Sinatra'

Strangers.

 

[Drago]

What do you think?

I try not to, it only causes problems

Recently I've started believing in God, heaven, and all the rest of it, and I do wonder what philosophical conclusions can be drawn from that relatively sudden turn.

 

[Oldhippy]

As someone who lives alone I find myself pondering the how's and why's of existence quite a lot. Vast subject and so many view points.

 

[raleighnut]

I try not to, it only causes problems

Recently I've started believing in God, heaven, and all the rest of it, and I do wonder what philosophical conclusions can be drawn from that relatively sudden turn.

A sore arris?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I try not to, it only causes problems

Recently I've started believing in God, heaven, and all the rest of it, and I do wonder what philosophical conclusions can be drawn from that relatively sudden turn.

Pascal’s Wager

“If the Christian God does not exist, the agnostic loses little by believing in him and gains correspondingly little by not believing. If the Christian God does exist, the agnostic gains eternal life by believing in him and loses an infinite good by not believing.”

 

[Drago]

I don't believe in a christian god.

 

[matticus]

There are often questions about philosophers on University Challenge, many from ancient times, many from 18th and 19th centuries, a few from the 20th century. But they seem to stop around the 1960’s.

I wonder if we are seeing a distorted picture here [I need a graph, desperately! But I'll try with words ...]

The 60's were only 60 years ago; you're comparing that 6 decade period with at least 2 millenia before that. So maybe lasting philosophical ideas were never very common?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don't believe in a christian god.

View attachment 609067

You believe in Jeremy Isaacs?