I have studied a lot of different subjects, but never any kind of philosophy. I have never even read a book on it. I have heard of random philosophers like Kant/Locke, but couldn't make a list of what each philosopher is associated with.

So should I study some philosophy? I know it can be a deep topic, and I'm not interested in submerging myself in the subject, but maybe knowing some basics would be a benefit.

So do people read philosophy, and it completely changes their life? Or is it more like it's an interesting read, but nothing drastic changes in your life?

Should I even bother to study any of it? If so, what the best approach to take?

Those are very philosophical questions you are asking.

read some Herman Hesse or something.

so when you recommend reading a philosopher, does that mean you agree with his philosophy?

Metaphysics is boring and pointless. There are other areas that are interesting and actually tie into science though. For example, the idea of self and personal identity ties well into brain science (particularly all the research on epileptics who have had their brain hemispheres severed) free will and the neuroscience behind choice/behavior.

Basically, philosophy that deals with ethics, science and society is far more interesting than the 'why are we here?' crap.

Ayn Rand ftw.

wikipedia can give you the basics of any philosophical ideal you're interested in and you can then read deeper into the topics that interest you. The ones that conclude that the world doesn't necessarily exist probably won't be of any practical value, but to each his own.

Phrenology is where the action is at.

The bumps on the head tell all.

Yes, the influential Ayn Rand...who is not actually considered a philosopher by just about anyone who teaches or studies philosophy. I studied philosophy for 8 years and never heard her name uttered by anyone.

OP, read some general intro book, like Bertrand Russel's History or Western Phil and go from there. Philosophy should be a required HS subject, as it is in many European countries.

Robert Pirsig is a very interesting guy with a lot of philosophical thoughts. His book Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenance is a work of genius.

His second book wasn't as good. Pirsig espouses what he calls the Metaphysics of Quality. Professional philosophers don't take him seriously, but he's a smart guy. There are good interviews with him you can find via his Wikipedia page.

The reason why Rand isn't commonly taught as philosophy might not be what you think it is.

there's a politard forum if you want to talk about rand. gtfo

also a philosophy forum for this type of op. so you gtfo too

I'm a big fan of philosophy and I think the study of philosophy is important but the reality is that most people who study it outside of an academic setting are just looking to engage in horrible pseudo-intellectualism and they are annoying. So I say don't do it because odds are that is what will happen.

That bob haircut of hers was kinda sexy. She had nice eyes.

Join a cult instead. Not only will you learn philosophy, but psychology, sociology and science in various primitive forms. You might even get to kill someone or blow yourself up if you join the right one.

lolol

GOVERNMENT FUNDED UNIVERSITIES DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE THE TRUTH

what philosophers and books do you like?

How about Emerson? Some of his essays, notably "Self Reliance," changed the way I looked at things, and may have some practical value.

http://www.youmeworks.com/selfreliance.html


Excursion into Philosophy by Edward Hopper:

i've read a handful of philosophy books lately and think a lot of them are trash: dry, and hard to understand, nothing applicable to life, written by people who were failures in their own life. try, The Story of Philosophy by Durant, The Gay Science, Philosophical Investigations. I guess there a lot of great philosophy books out there, but a lot of the biggest titles have been big disappointments to me (Kant, Aristotle, Schopenheour)

oh marcus aurelius i liked. Ethics was good (durant calls this the best philosophy book ever). i hated one of bertrands russells books, and Hume's book on morals was boring.

i guess i think philsophy is good. i just don't understand how some books are so famous or have so much credit, like Kants book on ethics was worthless IMO.

Kant is easily the most important philosopher in Western culture. With the exception of Locke no one even comes close to having the same kind of impact on us.

I don't really have a favorite philosopher. My thesis was on Rawls but I disagreed with him. Jan Narveson would be the closest to a favorite -- I use to drive to a different university to take his classes. You don't just read individual books or philosophers but rather you have to read everything that is related. Also the vast majority of stuff that is available from the philosophy section of Chapers is crap -- especially anything that is actually popular.

This isn't true.


Anyway, I majored in Philosophy at a private liberal arts university in Atlanta, and have no regrets about doing so.

Ayn Rand shouldn't be a name immediately mentioned when someone is curious about philosophy.

I studied Western Philosophy almost exclusively but I would say that Nietzsche is a good place to begin. His language is often simple and he makes plenty of short interesting points. The philosophers I got the most from as I studied more were Heidegger, Derrida, Bataille, and Foucault.

Foucault is someone I always reccomend to people who have a serious interest in thinking differently as he tackles important American systems like sexuality, psychiatry, and criminal punishment (prisons etc). And he's a beautiful writer.


If you like novels and don't want to jump right in to more analytical writings, try any novel by Milan Kundera.

Who would you say has had the greatest impact?

The philosophers at or around the time of the Scientific Revolution.

Descartes, Hobbes, Spinoza...

The importance is probably less magnified as time goes by, but in any Western culture this time was probably the most influential as philosophers had such a strong impact on society and thinking.

Locke is a good answer also

As for the current basic training and impact of philosophy in American culture, it's Nietzsche and it's not even close

FWIW, I think Kant's third critique is one of the greatest things (philosophy) ever written