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Is Philosophy Boring?

I met a guy the other night. We were in the company of respective friends, though there were members of both groups who were strangers to each other.

When two strangers acquaint themselves, one of the first ice-breakers comes with the question, "What do you do"?

I asked this of the guy I met. He seemed to shy away from answering, though I eventually found out he was a philosophy student. He had seemed embarrassed about admitting it, as though he thought it would place him in the category of "too-intelligent-to-speak-to", or "nerd".

I was delighted to discover this about him, and before you could say, "I think, therefore I am", we had involved the whole group of people into interesting discussions on many subjects.

Here's a thing about philosophy: If you talk in a manner that is understandable, you will find that most people have opinions on all sorts of subjects. You just have to approach those subjects in a way that is acceptable to them.

These are words you should never use in general conversation with people of a non-philosophical bent: relativism, absolutism, nihilism, etc, etc. Unless you have studied philosophy to some degree, these words usually mean nothing.

If you speak plain, every-day language at them, they will "get it".

However, there are those people who just don't think in philosophical terms, no matter how plainly you talk to them. This doesn't mean they are stupid or shallow. They might be doers, not thinkers.

One of my most hated philosophical quotes is, "I think, therefore I am". If I tell people I have an interest in philosophy and they throw this quote at me, they had better back it up with an explanation, or I'll change the subject very quickly.

Every question should have a converse question, an argument to itself. Statements like the above example have a similar property. "I don't think, therefore, I am not". This is absurd.

But, to get back to my question... "Is philosophy boring"?

Heck, anything is boring if you let it be. I have read passages from philosophy texts and found I didn't understand a word written without engaging brain 100%. This is hard work.

I like to be entertained, and if learning can be better achieved through being entertained, then talk to me in plain language. If I understand you, I'll better appreciate the subject under discussion, and be more likely to share my thoughts and opinions.

I'll answer my own question: "No! Philosophy is not boring, as long as I can understand what you're talking about without recourse to a dictionary".

here's a good way to engage someone in a philosophical discussion without them realising it:

Q: Hey what do you think about (particular subject)?
They answer

Q: What makes you think that?
They answer

Q: Is there an alternative? Can it be thought of in a different way?

If their eyes glaze over at this point, give up or change the subject. But, I have found out that, by asking people questions, it shows you have an interest in them, and people are usually vain enough to like talking about themselves and their thoughts. A conversation is started.

What do you think?

Edited: Philosopher on 11th Jun, 2007 - 8:28am

Boring Philosophy Is

I think the word philosophy is very intimidating to many. Many envision highly educated people sitting face to face fiercely making point and counter point on concepts that are unknown to the average person.

If many realized that every day we philosophy on things that we do every day perhaps they would be more open to discussion of more intangible concepts.

I like to call it convincing children to behave. Why are you throwing a ball in the house? What do you think might happen if we do? Will this make mom happy or sad?

Any other thoughts on this out there?

Is Philosophy Boring? Health & Special Psychology

I think most people think about all philosophers as Socrates, Plato or Aristotle. As Philosopher well said, if proper words are used for anyone to understand we would have plenty philosophers. I do not see Philosophy as boring at all. I took a philosophy class while in college and passed with an A. Now it does not mean much really but to emphasized that it was one of my favorite subjects.

Boring Philosophy Is

krakyn... I agree that the title, "philosophy" can sound intimidating to a lot of people. I feel the same when somebody says, "astrophysics" to me.

You touched on an interesting subject when giving the example of children and ways we teach them.

I have stated many times in various posts that philosophy is merely a way of asking questions about the world around us, our thought processes, and whether there can be alternatives. In effect, we examine what we know (or what we think we know), and see if the answers fit our present knowledge. It's almost like we are teaching ourselves.

From your example, we are asking children to think the same way.... consider the consequences, imagine if a different action could create a better outcome.

Are such questions really philosophising, though? I believe this approach is a good teaching tool, but such questions we pose to children have answers already known (or, at the least, already understood by "adults").

I agree that such questions challenge the recipient to think, and this is the crux of philosophy... to pose questions that challenge accepted facts. In other words, the "fact" that throwing a ball in the house might result in something that will make Mom sad is obvious to an adult, but new information to a 3yr old. It's thought provoking to a 3yr old, but nothing new to me and you, and it certainly won't change the world.

Boring Philosophy Is

Philosopher I agree my little bit was far from deep philosophy at least to an adult. I do ask questions like that of my children to help them push their thoughts based on their own experience to decide on out comes.

Interesting statement at first glance it seems a small thing the child learns that a thrown ball might break an item and make another sad. The underlying message that is built from this is to respect another's property and to be kind and courteous. I think there is a great and profound lesson here that could effect his entire life.

After all is having compassion for another insignificant?