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To me, philosophy is more than ethics, esthetics, and epistemology... it is the ability to stand ones ground with certain viewpoints, attitudes and beliefs. Philosophy seemed to be the center of the majority of peoples lives Before the Common Era, yet today it also upholds just as much, if not more, importance to the normal person than of the ‘scientist’ or renowned ‘theorist.’ Philosophy makes people who they are, their own philosophy. Philosophy then becomes an attitude, and life is all about how you maintain your personal stance. When you allow yourself to be persuaded by other ‘popular’ philosophies and beliefs you weaken your own. When one is to think of a philosophical question and discussion, one is to recall many aspects that must take place for the statement to be theoretical. (Including conjectural support and content.) “If there is life after death, we do not live. Therefore, if we do not live, we do not die.” This statement was said in a conversation that I had in a Humanities and Religion class that I took my senior year of high school. The person who takes credit for this rousing phrase is Judith Schoenfeld. Judith was a German exchange student with extreme atheistic views. She stood her ground well and proudly when speaking of life after death and/or any other subjects that would concur or clash with her own beliefs. She was the epitome of the ‘philosophical atheist’ and the adamant ‘anti-Christian’. She claimed that if the definition of “living” is as follows: you are born, you have emotion, you endure physical pain, you interact with other people, you mature, you age, you acquire certain beliefs and then, in the end, die. Her statement is a prime example of philosophy. The content of her testimonial consisted of many supported ideas and thoughts. Yet, at the same time, the statement she made was rousing to anyone that was perhaps overhearing or listening to the conversation. It upheld all the characteristics for a good philosophical conversation. They include various aspects of diversity, thought, support and liberalism. Without philosophy the world would be incomplete. It is common knowledge that there is gray in every argument, even the most miniscule, it is never black or white. Philosophy is what the gray area consists of, different beliefs and ideas that cannot fit in either of the two groups. That is what makes philosophy significant; there are no limits to it. There are no boundaries to what the human mind can think and there are no unattainable dreams that one’s mind cannot conceive. Therefore stating that there are no tangible boundaries for philosophy, neither are there elusive limitations. Philosophy can be viewed in so many different ways, with so many different aspects looked at and critiqued. The simple statement, “eventually the sun will burn out and the Earth will cease to exist” can produce a rousing philosophical conversation. When having a philosophical discussion the people ‘philosophers’ involved must take a look at all aspects and ideas that are being talked about and conversed. When a person does not involve the common sense of thought and belief in their banter it loses all opportunity of being a philosophical conversation. If one considers themselves to be a philosopher they must uphold certain characteristics. The attributes include; open-mindedness, permissiveness, tolerance and above all, a good philosopher must never show prior partiality to the ideas that are at hand. The epitome of a good philosopher upholds all of the above qualities. Thus, a philosopher, good or bad, has some sense of progressiveness. Socrates is a prime example of a philosopher. He looked beyond the average sight of the ‘close minded man’ and established his own norm, that of which not many people were able to establish on their own. Philosophy is extremely important in today’s society, and the society of the ‘yesteryear’. Without philosophy and theological thinking all man would be would be doing is sitting around in their underwear looking at each other. That is if underwear would have been invented, yet without philosophy, deductive reasoning, inductive thinking (et al) many things would have never came to be, thought wise namely and not to mention tangible inventions. Bibliography: Word Count: 743
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