Studying

[auraseer]

I have confirmed how much I dislike studying philosophy. It really wasn't just a personal grudge against the jerk professors I had during sophomore year. Reading these stupid arguments bugs the crap out of me

Comments

[inanna710]

Mmm. Welcome to the Humanities.

Much as I love art and creativity and fluidity and the free exchange of opinions, I do prefer that people remember that it's only an opinion, not a fact. For facts, we have science. And even then, it's impossible to separate out observer bias from so much of it. Even which questions are worth studying is a matter of opinion, flowing from one's own personal biases, upbringing, culture, tendencies . . .

But at least, there is a consensus on how things are proved, and some things are incontrovertible. Pure water at a certain atmospheric pressure will always boil and freeze at the same temperature, for example. Certain chemicals will always combine in certain ways. Throw something into the air, and it will come back down again. I find these things comforting.

[ravenedgewalker]

this makes me laugh a great deal - I'm right there with you! I'm a biologist, and at the same time I was working on my PhD, my then girlfriend was studying undergrad philosophy, so I was exposed to a fair amount of discussion, and even tried to read some....a got through several pages of waffle and announced it could all be summarized in two sentences - not sure how I emerged from that one alive.

[inanna710]

Am curious. All of philosophy can be summed up in just two sentences, or just the bit you were reading?

And let us all remember what Father Guido Sarducci taught about philosophy in the Five Minute University. (The Five Minute University teaches its students in five minutes everything the average college graduate remembers five years after graduating.)

So, Five Minute Philosophy: Where is God? God is everywhere. Why? Because he likes you.

[jilly_bear]

So that's why I don't like philosophy! It all makes so much more sense now... in a logical sort of way. *grin*

[auraseer]

I don't mean the professor, I mean the 19th-century dudes talking at me out of the textbook.

The class is Ethics. It's technically a 100-level class, even though it has basic philosophy as a prereq.

And I'm not angry, really. I'm just grumpy and would prefer to be spending my time some other way.

[starrthinks]

Hugs. Try to see some magicks in it? Maybe that will ease your irritated logically self? Good luck!

[auraseer]

That was one of the cool things from the first lecture. We spent time covering the distinction between ethics and morals. All I could think of was Thorn talking about how Feri is an ethical but not a moral system. =B^)