Topics Philosophy

Question Reading through the questions posted on this site gives the impression that it is almost impossible to escape philosophical problems in the course of day-to-day life. Why is it that some (reasonably intelligent) people seem to have no interest in philosophy at all?

Accepted:
May 20, 2007

Comments

I run a freshman course with the rather over-egged title 'The Metaphysics of the Everyday'. It's purpose is to begin, each week, with a different current event or issue, and try to tease out what philosophical issues might be at play. Obviously, we cannot go into a great deal of depth about either the issues or the philosophical notions; that's not the point. The point is rather to encourage the recognition of the influence and ubiquity of certain ideas. Why am I telling you this? Seeing philosophy at work in 'everyday life' is a skill that first has to be acquired. A good, though probably a silly, analogy is with bird-watching: one might think that the ability to spot birds is related simply to eyesight or attention, but it really is a skill that needs to be acquired by many chilly dawns in forests.

Moreover, there are good reasons why many people never acquire this skill (spotting philosophy, I mean, not birds), or even feel the need to acquire it. I would say that we all have a relation to institutions part of the purpose of which is to claim that there is no debate to be had about certain concepts; that, for example, the concepts of 'truth' or 'right' or 'faith' are no more problematic that the concept of 'chair'. (This may be a political point, but it is at least not partisan: 'oversimplifying' or 'obscuring debate' are common enough accusations that political groups fling at each other.)

Question Reading through the questions posted on this site gives the impression that it is almost impossible to escape philosophical problems in the course of day-to-day life. Why is it that some (reasonably intelligent) people seem to have no interest in philosophy at all? Accepted:May 20, 2007

Question Reading through the questions posted on this site gives the impression that it is almost impossible to escape philosophical problems in the course of day-to-day life. Why is it that some (reasonably intelligent) people seem to have no interest in philosophy at all?

Accepted:
May 20, 2007