10 reasons why Philosophy is Dangerous

Some reasons why the subject of Philosophy is dangerous and should be deemed a terrorist act.

1. It corrupts the youth - Socrates was put to death for teaching children how to ask questions.

2. All authority figures hate the question 'why', parents, teachers, government officials all loathe this question. They would make it a crime to ask 'why', except they know the inevitable response would be, "why?"

3. Philosophy is too close to religious thought, so while sex education and the dangers of anal sex is discussed in public school, philosophy is just too offensive to tolerate.

4. Philosophy is loathed by the MTV generation because thinking might actually make one truly elevated and happy as opposed to being engulfed in a pain-killer dream world of celebrities and sports.

5. Politicians hate Philosophy because it's easier to ridicule someone's character as opposed to their philosophy.

6. Philosophy is dangerous to science becausean idea can not be studied under a microscope.

7. Philosophy is dangerous to religions because asking questions and arriving at your own answers is dangerous to established religious texts.

8. Philosophy is dangerous to the new world order because it might make you transcend nationalism and statism and instead obey your individual rights.

9. Philosophy is dangerous to atheists because it might convince them that they do in fact have a soul beyond their body.

10. Philosophy is bad for hospitals because if people realized that sickness is mental and the cure is a mental process the hospital would be out of patients.















philosophy.

Good thread. Seneca was my toe in to philosophy. Benefits. And other pdfs. Does it truly matter where the steams of enlightenment and truth, insight, come from? The Source is what matters.

11. Philosophy is dangerous to the IRS because if people were philosophical when it comes to taxes they would oppose it on moral grounds.

12. Philosophy is dangerous to the FBI because if people were philosophical they would not trust an unelected agency to do their investigating.

13. Philosophy is dangerous to the CIA because if people were philosophical they would oppose extrajudicial activities of all kinds.

14. Philosophy is dangerous to the police because the philosopher always non-violently opposes the law, encouraging others to do the same.

15. Philosophy is dangerous to assassins because the philosopher turns into a martyr for his or her cause.

16. Philosophy is dangerous to self-loathing, because it is fueled by self-pride.

But, science is admittedly a philosophy...

I think most atheists and many religious thinkers would tell you that those things are philosophies, too.

Originally posted by OnceReturned
But, science is admittedly a philosophy...

I think most atheists and many religious thinkers would tell you that those things are philosophies, too.

At one point, Philosophy was considered the mother of all sciences, so you are right. Unfortunately many have stopped considering that.

Very true. The best thing taught to me by a philosophy teacher I had, was to always question, but question everything. Always ask the question why. I imagine what the world would be like if kids were taught teachings of philosophy from the very start of their education. I think it would have a major, major impact on the development of our youth if philosophy was taught from a young age. My first class was not until I was 21 years old and it was the key that unlocked my mind. I remember a quote from John D. Rockefeller, "I don't want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers". The NEA, National Education Association, was founded by Rockefeller. HIstory is 'his-story'. They can't have people going around doing too much thinking about these things, that doesn't help them.

Originally posted by OnceReturned
But, science is admittedly a philosophy...

I think most atheists and many religious thinkers would tell you that those things are philosophies, too.

Modern 21st century Science carried over from 20th/19th century Science is the TV that forgot where it gets its signal from.

This is changing though, and a new 21st century science is evolving very rapidly. This new science has consciousness as the fundamental building block of reality.

Great post OP!

Namaste.

Originally posted by filosophia
Some reasons why the subject of Philosophy is dangerous and should be deemed a terrorist act.

1. Academic philosophy is not the only discipline that asks questions. Reactionary Authority don't favor any questions, not only that of philosophy.

2. The same point as the one above, really. Just worded differently. The point here is more about Authorities' intolerance of "unorthodoxy" than Philosophy's dangers.

3. Philosophy is too logical to be too close to religious thought, but in its pure form not any more outrageous than the discipline of Human Anatomy. But favoring religious fairy tales over tangible education on dangers of certain human behavior (biologically speaking) is laughable.

4. So, how about MTV gen. reps who choose math analysis as their passion? It requires very careful thinking, not unlike some philosophies. There are many different reasons to scoff at philosophy, but not liking pondering things is not the only or the biggest one of them. People who hate philosophy because it involves too much thought are not likely to pick up a math analysis book either.

5. What makes you think personal attacks to garner voting favor is not the root philosophy of politics?

6. I think a lot of theoretical Physics is very philosophical at its root.

7. I won't argue with this point. But other points of yours counter this one.

8. What makes nationalISM less of a philosophy than individualISM?

9. Only if you think Philosophy is about Theology and Spirituality.

10. Next time you get nasty infection please try and heal it with your personal spirituality that you call Philosophy. [disclaimer: dont do that- it's dangerous ]

1. If it corrupted the youth, why was Socrates' statue put up shortly after his death? He said that if he annoyed the people, he wanted them to annoy his children as much as he annoyed them.

2 Scientists are built on the philosophy of 'why'. So many technological advances have been made because of the question 'why'.

3.Philosophy is taught in the schools, by the parents, and by the teachers. Ask people their views on God or the afterlife, and those answers by themselves are philosophical questions. You don't need a class dedicated to philosophy to have your own philosophical views on things.

4.Philosophy is loathed by the media partly because most people do not like the thought of contemplation. They like immediate and tangible results.

5. I guess it IS easier to question someone's character than on their philosophical views.

6. Philosophy WAS science, and philosophy drives us to learn more about the world around us and in some cases, science.

7. I agree that some philosophy is dangerous to religion, for example Hume's views on reality.

8. It IS dangerous to the NWO, but I don't think most people know philosophy enough for it to have a significant impact on the fight against the NWO.

9. Like I said before, there are different philosophers with different views on different subjects. Socrates is not the only philosopher out there. You don't automatically accept what one philosopher says, you organize those ideas to suit you.

10. Read number 9.

reply to post by filosophia


That was beautifully done, Filosophia. Thank you for that, I have been wanting to try to put my thoughts together like that for a while now.

I am in complete agreement with you. I decided not to participate in academic philosophy any longer when I realized that philosophy was meant to be actualized and used like a tool. I refuse to hang around with people and do 'literary analysis' on something that was meant to be utilized. I am more interested right now in finding some way to revitalize the dialectic. I was thinking something along the lines of passing around copies of selections from Plotinus' Ennead 6, for instance, and scouring them for meaning in teams (maybe from different countries to add to the fun; might be perfect for ATS). Then the teams could come together and compare questions in the hopes of stimulating the dialectic.

What do you think?

reply to post by Frater210


I think anything that aims to understand further the work of plotinus is a good endeavor. I would be glad to participate in any type of ATS Plotinus activity.

reply to post by KingMoloch

1. If it corrupted the youth, why was Socrates' statue put up shortly after his death? He said that if he annoyed the people, he wanted them to annoy his children as much as he annoyed them.

Guilt. People knew damn well then and people know damn well now why Socrates was killed. He was a huge threat to 'society'. It is almost as though everyone just knew it was time for him to go, including Socrates. It;s like that quote from Platopocalypse Now, "Never leave the Cave, man, never leave the Cave".

2 Scientists are built on the philosophy of 'why'. So many technological advances have been made because of the question 'why'.

Science and philosophy used to be one. Yes, scientific and philosophical inquiry both activate the dialectic which leads to discovery. Science may thank philosophy, the Queen of sciences, for that.

3.Philosophy is taught in the schools, by the parents, and by the teachers. Ask people their views on God or the afterlife, and those answers by themselves are philosophical questions. You don't need a class dedicated to philosophy to have your own philosophical views on things.

No. That is called thinking whatever pleases you and is not philosophy. Philosophy must be developed in to people. The Greeks were clear on the necessity for this. Do we know better now?

4.Philosophy is loathed by the media partly because most people do not like the thought of contemplation. They like immediate and tangible results.

There is nothing quite as tangible as having the pure oil of philosophy dripped on your brow. It banishes all darkness and is the medicine of metals. Sorry you do not partake.

5. I guess it IS easier to question someone's character than on their philosophical views.

Philosophy is the foundation of character building. At least it would be if it were not missing from the curriculum in its true from; as a stimulus to action and change.

6. Philosophy WAS science, and philosophy drives us to learn more about the world around us and in some cases, science.

Check.

7. I agree that some philosophy is dangerous to religion, for example Hume's views on reality.

All of it should be. That is why it has been relegated to the trash heap of literary analysis.

8. It IS dangerous to the NWO, but I don't think most people know philosophy enough for it to have a significant impact on the fight against the NWO.

Which is too bad. The folks that understand this stuff the best should be helping out. But I am reminded of Chomsky, who for better or worse is one of those folks, and he has been trying to help out till he is blue in the face. And it is as though a new crop pops up to teach it to every 10 years or so. The teachings are perennial but so is human obstinacy. Youth springs eternal; youth that has not been bequeathed their birthright, the most powerful weapon in the human arsenal, Philosophy.

9. Like I said before, there are different philosophers with different views on different subjects. Socrates is not the only philosopher out there. You don't automatically accept what one philosopher says, you organize those ideas to suit you.

No, don't accept any of them automatically, only see that from Socrates forward we see the same current of western thought in development. It is the only real map we have right now of where we have come from and where we are going. It is a steady river of development, not a bunch of disparate ponds.

10. Read number 9.

Check.

reply to post by filosophia


Excuse me for being naive, but before I go off on a ramble, was that meant to be sarcasm?

Originally posted by Frater210
reply to post by KingMoloch

 

No. That is called thinking whatever pleases you and is not philosophy. Philosophy must be developed in to people. The Greeks were clear on the necessity for this. Do we know better now?

There is nothing quite as tangible as having the pure oil of philosophy dripped on your brow. It banishes all darkness and is the medicine of metals. Sorry you do not partake.

Philosophy is the foundation of character building. At least it would be if it were not missing from the curriculum in its true from; as a stimulus to action and change.

edit on 23-12-2011 by Frater210 because:

3. Although I can't say I disagree, I will say that your environment shapes your views on things. For example, Asia believes things to be different than what we believe in. How can we explain people's views on reincarnation and a different view that says there is no such thing? Who or what are things that teach us these things? Your environment.

4. No I definitely believe in that, I believe in contemplation, and in solving life's mysteries! What I am saying is that most people do not care about these things. If we want to talk about Socrates, then I can refer to the Allegory of the Cave, where the group was tied, merely viewing the shadows of puppets. Most people are only interested in the shadows, and not in finding out more, or seeking Higher Forms in this case.

5. True, I can agree with that.

reply to post by filosophia


Star and flag. Great post, filosophia. I would say Philosophy is most dangerous to religion. Why? Because Philosophy teaches one to think for themselves, and not just to let others do the thinking for them. I am a student of Philosophy, and Theosophy too.

Originally posted by autowrench
reply to post by filosophia

 

Star and flag. Great post, filosophia. I would say Philosophy is most dangerous to religion. Why? Because Philosophy teaches one to think for themselves, and not just to let others do the thinking for them. I am a student of Philosophy, and Theosophy too.

Sorry but I follow religion because I think for myself..and have read too many things that point me to the truth.

So many shun religion these days.. because they do not want to be ridiculed..that is NOT following your own path.. that is being afraid what others will think and say of you.

I think for myself.. and that is why I choose to believe in my faith..despite the scorn I receive for it.

reply to post by gabby2011


I see the Source in the philosophy for the white squares in religions, and you have dig for them, Buddha and Christ are the only two teachers, sent in, that were Sophia and Mother's Love too, so they remain true to me. But I have an open mind and know that while Christ may be real and metaphor/doctored, he does say some things Seneca said, roughly the same time period, and was the one that Christians and supposedly Paul were in contact with. Now I feel he may have found in Christ, perhaps, a like minded brother, and perhaps he worked at this in his works, I don't know the truth there. I only know there is a trail of intrigue.

One madcap theory I have on Christ is he was trained in India, and Egypt, perhaps, anyway, familiar with Budhhism, and the great philosophers, especially the STOICS, and that perhaps, his group in Israel was Stoics.

I've always been in search for the real Christ.

Finally I just came the wonderful conclusion of what Seneca himself wrote to his friend. And if TPTB don't code things in such obvious ways, ya know where the trail is when he, who was in Rome, trying to get Neru to behave himself more like the control he had over him when he was young, trying to tamper the abuses, when he, pro Christian by the research I've done, was writing to his friend Lucius. And Christ was name Jesus, which has Zeus implications.

Understand, this does not mean Yeshua was not the Christ, and there are other historical writers and things that make a strong case for him, never mind personal experiences.

But it does mean that I can start to read the clues that they laid there. And follow their mystery trail as I have my eyes on all of them and spend alot of time trying to second guess them.

So, he wrote to Lucius, concerning the loss of Lucius's friend, his death, that grieved him greatly.

He wrote, that it didn't matter if a river or stream/creek (I am paraphrasing), or even a ray of light (huge liscence being taken by me, huge paraphrase but this is the meaning), dried up or ceased, AS LONG AS THE SOURCE IS STILL INSPIRING US, STILL THERE.

So I can have faith in Christ Yeshua, recognize the goodness and believe he was real, and have that faith for its the Goodness we recognize and the way back home.

I feel the philosophers and the religions go hand in hand.

I also feel that no matter how my faith in Christ remains, because I don't like having anyone trying to yank the Best most Pure Teacher away from me, that seeing through the fairy tales aspects is important for growth of intellect, consciousness, its crucial to not be easily lied to.

ie. The sun hangs on the cross, and of course the 3 wise men, Orions Belt. This kind of stuff infuriated me, filled me with outrage that we are so manipulated by such petty, shallow, selfish, violent immature, depots.

I just don't throuw the baby out with the bathwater.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
Studies In The Philosophers Way, Words of Wisdom and Gospel

I didnt carry on with this,and will need to feel inspired to add more to it.

weren't all the famous philosophers pedophiles? i don't care if the cultures were different back then, i just don't trust men that offer kids their sausages...

I actually found in Seneca's writings, and want to read other Stoics, alot of self control, and upset at the abuses. Though, this seemed to be a lifelong learning, it takes time to start to grow more, become more stoical, more austere, and self controlled. I don't know, so will not attribute to him the same excesses that the ruling class get.

From days of old, the philosophers were considered almost like the priests and the voice of conscience. Inspired within, they were the true seekers/mystics of those days. I consider Christ one of them really. I consider Christ a stoic.

I philosophized once. It scared the crap out of not only everyone around me at that time, it scared the crap out of me. It was undeniably a dangerous act, and some would say flat out reckless this thoughtless journey into philosophy. Of course, it wasn't as thoughtless as many claim it was. In fact, I would argue, and there are some who might agree that my foray into philosophy was done so thoughtfully and even carefully. Like an old woman dipping her leathery skinned toe into the pool to test the waters, I - as a young man - carefully tested the waters of philosophy and what at first appeared to be the calm and inviting waters of an undiscovered sleepy little lagoon turned out to be the roiling violent seas of smashing waves of conundrums against the angry waters of confusion and even hopeless despair.

I am grateful to even be alive to tell this tale of dangerous adventure in the jungles of philosophy. They say that hindsight is 20/20 but that's just common aphorismatic blather masquerading as some sort of axiomatic rule of thumb. This is the problem with rules of thumbs and other digits, their reign is all to tyrannical in its rigidly homespun philosophy. Rulers such as thumbs, pinky's, forefingers and middle fingers - especially that middle finger - tend to lack any rule foresight and apparently there is no rule of thumb for the measurement of foresight, so instead we call the damn thing words like wisdom, or prescience, and strong leadership with a vision, but this thing we call foresight seems to be profoundly immeasurable.

Would I have had some foresight when I so imprudently attempted to philosophize all those years ago. I would be a different man today had I only had the common sense to just stay away from those dangerous thoughts and I cannot stress how much I regret daring to analyze cultural memes and study them critically and as unbiased as I possibly could. Dear Lord, what a mind smacker that ordeal was! In those dangerous and wild times I saw more what looked like truth than any puny human should have any audacity to even dare to stare upon. I saw systems exposed for the inevitable monstrosities they are. I saw that closed systems, even those outside of the chemical reactions to heat systems, do tend towards entropy and is demonstrably so. Closed economies tend towards entropy, closed governments tend towards entropy, closed groups tend towards entropy, our bodies, which are closed systems, tend towards entropy...the universe is, for all intents and purposes, a close system...and then I began to panic.

It was during this time when looking for some light reading re-read the New Testament, just after reading Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces and it occurred to me that Jesus was like this ultimate mythological hero, and then I was asked to leave the church. Feeling lonely, I went to the library and while skimming through Das Kapital I wondered why this odd man Marx is so admired. I wondered why this man seemed to so believe that freedom was best obtained through the creation of a monstrous state that would hammer homogenization into the populace until all are free of difference and free from the cold calculating indifference of individualism towards the collective. Free at last, free at last, free at last!

I wondered why so many so called "intellectuals'" embraced this pablum called Marxism, and why so many who think themselves "philosophers" embrace closed systems where only the ordained few can tinker and tailor the system according to their whims. I kept wondering, and quietly wondering, and wondering some more until the library finally closed and they kicked me out. So, there I was, still feeling terribly all alone, with none of my so called "friends" wanting anymore to do with my philosophizing self, my girl friend dumping me for a plumber because I bored her all the time with ramblings about things that have nothing to do with "real life", and I went home to have my microwaved :"gourmet" meal for one, while watching the mindlessness of television, feeling so all alone, and it hit me!

When in Rome do as the Romans do! I had heard of Pandora's Box and I got the message loud and clear. You can't undo knowledge, but if this were so, then how is it even possible that a planet with more than 7 Billion people on it, largely remain ignorant of things you know damn well they damn well know? No, I think I can put all this knowledge crap back in the box and go back to the easier days of ignorance and bliss, and find myself a blissfully ignorant wife and together we could raise our 2.3 blissfully ignorant children and live the American Dream. So, I grew up and put those childish things away and no longer yearned for the swell adventure of thinking and wondering and embracing problems with the full on intent of solving these problems. Not for me any longer, I am an adult now and have outgrown the need to think.