Philosophical angles
My geographical philosophical preference has definitely changed a lot in four years. I definitely began and continue to love reading European philosophy. I’ve definitely had a fascination with German culture in particular for quite some time, and philosophically what’s not to love about German philosophy with such a rich tradition from Kant to Hegel to Scheler to Husserl to Heidegger to Habermas (gotta love the H’s eh). After taking Latin American philosophy, however, I was struck by the degree of uncritical and pretentious worldview of many of these great philosophers. This is particularly the case with Kant and Hegel. I wish I was able to include in this entry some excerpts from works by Hegel in particular who saw philosophy as coming to a glorious ending in the fatherland. Now, as I’m sure you can gather from reading any of my other entries, is that I have grown aware to some of the overwhelmingly Eurocentric biases inherent in Western philosophy. Neverthless, I remain fascinated by existentialism and western philosophy remains unavoidably my philosophical provenance. This is to say Western philosophy was and is my introduction to philosophy.
It is also important to realize that Western philosophy is in no way monolithic. I am particularly drawn to the “subversive” voices in the western tradition; Nietzsche, Marx, Merleau-Ponty, the entire feminist tradition, much Latin American philosophy. I love philosophy cause philosophy loves to question. Turn the world on its head as Hegel once said.
Philosophy is my vehicle to revolt, to subvert, to implode the entire western philosophical tradition and as a means to evolutionize the world system. It’s not about strictly speaking political philosophy. It’s all political, whether implicitly or explicitly, conscious or unconscious. Philosophy cannot be understood apart from the political and socio-historical context in which it was created. Created I say, because philosophy is not discovered. To borrow an expression from Baylor Johnson, philosophical Truths (or even truths) are not found lying under rocks. Instead, they sprout from the soil from a combination of the fertility of the soil and climate in addition to a seed. Sometimes this seed is planted after the soil has been tilled into neat rows, but sometimes this seed sprouts from no anthropgenic intentionality. In either case, to grow into what we consider truths they must be validated in the social arena, and thus truths are found in no texts insofar as though text are not read. If a truth is born in the middle of the Amazon and no one is there to see it smell it or taste it then is it really a truth?
To be short (for once), I am attracted to any philosophical geographical tradition in which I have had any experience. I am most drawn to
The following are some of favorite philosophical queries:
What is the good life is my quintessential philosophical query. What must I do to live the answer to this question?
The problem of Induction pursued from a collective and collaborative position is something I would definitely like to extensively investigate.
What is freedom?
What is art?
Doest God exist? (and if he/she/it does who created him/her/it?)
Why do we suffer?
Why do people do drugs?
Can a means and an end equivocate?
Can we get smarter? (courtesy of Darren…something, I can’t forget his last name but I think he teaches at the
Philosophy is my means and my end. Thus it will take me and be shaped by everywhere I go, everything I see, every conversation I have, and every language I think and/or communicate in.
My preferences (both in subdisciplines and geographics) have diversified into what I know consider a certain necessity. When a philosophy becomes to narrowly focused it ceases to be philosophy.
if Philosophy= love of Wisdom
Wisdom necessitates Experience
Experience necessitates Action
Thus, if Philosophy refuses to Act then it is not Philosophy.
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