Topics Philosophy

Question I have always been wondering whether the behaviours of philosophers in daily life are greatly influenced or even somehow dominated by their study, e.g. when he/she is buying a T-shirt, will he/she keep thinking this shirt is not red as people normally think but some kind of colour that could never be discovered and described or will he/she think of whether all the things still exist inside of the room everytime he/she leaves the room and closes the door? These may not be good examples but I hope I have made myself clear. Thanks!

Accepted:
October 10, 2005

Comments

This question reminds me of a passage from Hume in his Treatise. First Hume works himself up about the problem of skepticism:

"Where am I, or what? From what causes do I derive my existence, and to what condition shall I return? Whose favour shall I court, and whose anger must I dread? What beings surround me? and on whom have I any influence, or who have any influence on me? I am confounded with all these questions, and begin to fancy myself in the most deplorable condition imaginable, inviron'd with the deepest darkness, and utterly depriv'd of the use of every member and faculty."

But he then steps back and notes the following:

"Most fortunately it happens, that since reason is incapable of dispelling these clouds, nature herself suffices to that purpose, and cures me of this philosophical melancholy and delirium ... I dine, I play a game of back-gammon, I converse, and am merry with my friends; and when after three or four hour's amusement, I wou'd return to these speculations, they appear so cold and strain'd, and ridiculous, that I cannot find in my heart to enter into them any farther."

In any event, I think philosophy does affect one's view of the world, and that philosophers probably are affected in daily life by many of their philosophical beliefs, but I also think that there are some beliefs (such as the belief in the existence of the external world around us, and the belief that one has knowledge about that world) that are virtually impossible to shake, and no matter how much anyone is a philosophical skeptic, she still will behave as if she has knowledge of the world around her.