Question What makes philosophers such as Kant, Aristotle, and Plato (and the many others) able to gain and retain such vast amounts of knowledge? Are they somehow able to use more of their brain than others, or are they merely the same as everyone else yet they have chosen to read and learn more? At the same time... I wish to become as great as these philosophers. Here is the scenario I have in mind: I graduate school in June. Once I graduate, I have a stack of grammar books and philosophy books I have yet to read. Granted they are "beginner" philosophy/grammar books (such as "The Art of Making Sense 2/e", "The Elements of Moral Philosophy 3/e", The Rhetoric and the Poetics of Aristotle", "What Does It All Mean?", "The Elements of Style- Strunk and White 3/e" and "An Introduction to Language 3/e"), I aim to move upward and get into the heavy stuff soon. If I keep this steady flow of progression, in due time, will I become a great thinker? I feel as though I have wonderful thoughts circulating inside of my mind, but I have not the intense vocabulary to express them. I want to become a writer, so reading grammar books (and practicing writing often)is the correct pathway to my goal, right? If answering all of these questions is too much of a hassle to post on the site, maybe I can get a personal response from one of the panelists.(?) Thank you Steve,17

Accepted:
May 17, 2006

Comments

It sounds to me as if you are off to a great start, Steve.

No one can really predict how one would become a Plato, Aristotle, or Kant. Greatness such as theirs, plainly, only comes very rarely and may skip many generations before appearing yet again. My advice, for what it is worth (not myself being anything even close to a Plato, Aristotle, or Kant!), is merely to aim to keep growing, intellectually, all of your life. Whether one's work ends up being regarded as great, or merely good, or mediocre, or simply foolish is not up to the one who does the work--it is up to those others who judge it. Because you have no control over what others will think of you and your ideas, I would urge you not to give too much attention to trying to achieve whatever they would require, in order to consider you great. Instead, find what it is that makes you passionate, that calls out for your attention to such a degree that you find your mind drifting back to it even when it is socially inappropriate to do so, something that disturbs your sleep because you find yourself obsessed with thinking about it. And follow that passion, learning everything you can that will help you to develop it, expand upon it, and make it into something you feel proud to have created or figured out. Then share it with others, but do not set too much stake in their reactions--for most of them are also dreaming their own dreams and they may therefore not be in any condition to give yours the same attention that you have.

Aristotle said (in Book 10, chapter 6 of the Nicomachean Ethics) that the contemplative life is the happiest one possible for a human being, and is possible because of something "divine" within us. Seek for this in yourself, engage it, enrich it, and allow it to lead you--and if there is greatness in you, it will thus be realized. If there is not, as in my own case, I can assure you that the results will still produce a life that is rich and rewarding. And just maybe (as I am trying to do now, right?) you may also help someone along the way.