Topics Philosophy

Question Are there some things about which we actually should not philosophize? Sometimes when I get too deep into thinking analytically about things like love or happiness I get this feeling of disdain for the application of tedious thinking to sacred things. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine such a thing as too much reflection; I often wonder if I want to retreat from philosophy simply because it sometimes tells me maybe-true things that I don't want to here (ack, I philosophize about whether I should philosophize!). Is this a common experience? Should anything be off-limits to philosophy, so to speak? -andy

Accepted:
May 19, 2006

Comments

Perhaps the only thing that should be off-limits to philosophy is thinking that there are some things we ought not to reflect on! It seems to me that reflection is generally useful whatever the topic, but then I would say that since it is my means of earning money. But even the things you mention that we value such as love or happiness can be the fruitful objects of reflection, as when we consider whether we are really in love, for example, by thinking seriously on what love is, and whether it is more than sexual attraction and so on. Reflection becomes problematic if it interferes with action, if one thinks action is worth pursuing, of course, but one does not have to be a philosopher to appreciate that thinking before doing is generally a good idea.