Philosophy Anybody?

[Theland]

I am particularly interested in replies from Naomi, Jim, Mibs, and anybody else of a cerebral persuasion to my questions.

Are there any philosophers who have influenced your thinking?

Any relevant to today?

[woofgang]

Terry Pratchett

[Old_Geezer]

:-)

I've not tended to study philosophy; it wasn't an option at school. I've no doubt others have influenced my thinking, but I've no names to give.

[Theland]

I gather whatever politics we support, and what political system we support, is rooted in some philosopher or other. Democritus and Marx for example.

[jim360]

I think I'm probably one of those people who only fancies themselves as philosophically minded. I certainly haven't read many of the great historical philosophers, which is a nuisance when they come up in quizzes.

Whether that undermines what I say about the subject I don't know. I should have thought, though, that philosophy is at least somewhat personal. How we see the world is shaped by our own experiences. I'm not a fan of letting other people do my thinking for me if I can help it, which probably means I'm not planning on reading Heidegger, Wittgenstein or Kant any time soon.

[Calicogirl]

Agree with Woof, my formative thinking was coloured by Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Hawkeye Pierce and Bernard Black.
Whilst it's true in many ways that nothing (especially people) changes, there is a limited amount of patience I have with the concept that someone can just have a bit of a think, write their ramblings down and be hailed as a Philosopher, so I tend not be pay them that much heed ( which I'm sure they'd be really worried about ;-)

[Buenchico]

A problem with identifying philosophers who might appear to have influenced one's thinking is that it could be that the relevant thoughts were already in one's mind when one encountered the philosophers who simply happened to think the same way.

However my own list would include Plato, Nietzsche and Heidegger.

[pixie374]

Everyone is a philosopher. Most people will have influences from family, friends, experiences, etc. I doubt even the most well-known philosophers thought it "first".

[Theland]

I am thinking of influences that set out to remodel society, politics, and policies.
Trying to understand our personal motivations as individuals and groups, nations, for happiness, avoidance of conflict, beliefs etc.

[woofgang]

Yup, Terry Pratchett.....you should read his books. He has a load to say about PPE and he says it in ways that are entertaining and understandable.

[naomi24]

//Are there any philosophers who have influenced your thinking? //

Not to any great degree. I prefer to think for myself.

[douglas9401]

I smell a trap. ☺

[Theland]

Many years ago I was quite taken with Marx, but then realised its many flaws.
I suppose most of us support Democritus, unless you are a Remainer or an EU Commissioner.

[Calicogirl]

...aaaaand...there it is Douglas :) x

[Theland]

//I prefer to think for myself// but do we?
Is our thinking like a river with many tributaries?
Nature, nurture, experiences, social pros and cons?
And the ideas we have been exposed to and adapt in some form as our own ideas?
Just a thought.

[Khandro]

Zip! ... I was reading Schopenhauer last night,
Zip! ... And I think that Schopenhauer was right.

[Mamyalynne]

Winnie-the-Pooh gets me by, with a touch of Garfield thrown in.

[Calicogirl]

Yes, of course we are all the sum of our experiences and our society, our likes and our dislikes etc, but do I go looking for philosophical guidance? No, I think, like Naomi, most people prefer to think for themselves, however they happen to be modelled.

[Theland]

. . . . . and maybe blissfully unaware of what has contributed to their outlook?

[Theland]

Propaganda, party political broadcasts, social media, fake news?
Are we all impervious to this?

[Calicogirl]

No of course not, we're all prone to the same e, but our personality types and our upbringing will lead us to deal with those influences in different ways. For example I always SNOPES everything I read online because my parents taught me to be even handed and fair and to do that you need to have solid information, and if something you base an opinion or decision on is 'fake news' then you can't possibly do that and it has massive ramifications. x