Recent Responses
Nietzsche seemed to believe that eternal recurrence was a reality if time were infinite, which we know it is not. Therefore, does anyone now take his views on this matters seriously (other than metaphorically as a guide to the type of life one might lead)?
Douglas Burnham
December 22, 2006
(changed December 22, 2006)
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Nietzsche was very careful in his presentation of the notion of 'eternalrecurrence'. In his published work, it is always put forward as a hypothesis --the purpose of which is, as you say, something like a guide. Mainly innotebooks did he experiment with trying to demonstrate it as a met... Read more
Appreciation (as in appreciation of music, poetry or visual arts) concerns a subject that has become central for a certain, large public and a fair amount of books and articles are devoted to the subject. This notwithstanding, appreciation has received scarce attention from philosophers. It could be that my literature search has not been thorough enough in which case: could you point out for me philosophers that have dealt with appreciation? If I am right, and philosophers do not consider appreciation a worthy subject: could you point out possible reasons? Thanking you for your attention, Jorge D. G.
Douglas Burnham
December 22, 2006
(changed December 22, 2006)
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Aesthetic appreciation means well-informed, skilled and close attention to a work of art, all of which can be improved by various types of education. It may be that philosophers of aesthetics tend to not use the word 'appreciation', but the constituent ideas are certainly important. Hav... Read more
I would like to know the panel's view on: 1. Did the laws of physics theoretically exist before the Big Bang, just waiting to come into force? Are these laws the only way they could possibly be? 2. Is there any reason why science should eventually hit a brick wall beyond which stuff is unknowable (rather than unknown)? Many thanks for all your comments on this wonderful site.
Marc Lange
December 21, 2006
(changed December 21, 2006)
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Thank you for your interesting questions.
The standard view is that space and time (or, more accurately, spacetime -- since space and time are not independent entities according to the theory of relativity) came into existence with the Big Bang. So there was no time before the Big Bang. So t... Read more
I can see images and hear sounds inside my head at command. How is our mind able to perceive these things without them being real? I can create whatever image I want, and recall sounds, but I don't understand where or how this information is stored in the brain, and how we can see or hear it.
Cheryl Chen
December 21, 2006
(changed December 21, 2006)
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It might help to distinguish between imagination and perception. There's a sense in which what I perceive is not up to me. Although I can control what I see by turning my head, opening or closing my eyes, or taking off my glasses, once I've done those kinds of things, what I see as a resu... Read more
What is the current philosophical viewpoint (from professional academics) regarding the concept of "the embodied mind"? I have just finished rereading "Philosophy in the Flesh" (Lakoff, Johnson); I would like to know the current philosophical standpoint regarding the proposition of the embodied mind. Thanks in advance for all replies!
Andrew N. Carpenter
December 23, 2006
(changed December 23, 2006)
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As my colleagues suggest, professional philosophers will have avaried responses to the various ideas and strands of argumentation thatarise in discussions of embidied minds, embodied cognition, embodiedepistemology, etc that arise in other disciplines.
Despite theirdiffering assessm... Read more
I would appreciate some recommendations on texts (for a layperson -- a nonprofessional philosopher) whose subject is the philosophy of science.
William Rapaport
November 17, 2008
(changed November 17, 2008)
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And I'll chime in with my favorite: Okasha, Samir (2002), Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press), which I think is a terrific survey and lives up to its title of being "very short". I'd also agree that it's probably best to look at a survey such a... Read more
Scientists, artists, poets, technocrats..., philosophers (etc.) ..., all may respond in their differing ways to a phenomenon like global warming. What might philosophers bring to this serious planetary crisis?
Thomas Pogge
December 20, 2006
(changed December 20, 2006)
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Philosophers can bring reflection on the responsibilities that contributors to global pollution have toward foreigners, future people, and animals and the rest of nature.
Foreigners. Global warming is likely to cause severe harms to foreigners -- from draughts in Africa to flooding in Bang... Read more
Is my interest in studying legal theory better served by enrolling in philosophy graduate school or enrolling in law school?
Thomas Pogge
December 20, 2006
(changed December 20, 2006)
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This depends on the university as well as on your specific interests in this field. You might apply especially to universities that have both: a law school with a real interest in legal theory as well as a philosophy department with strength in philosophy of law, ethics, and political phil... Read more
Do we always make the choice we want to in a given situation? My professor said that for better or for worse, we always make the choice that we wanted to make in a given situation. My professor gave the example that a drug user decides to use again because he decided he wanted to, irrespective of whether the choice is detrimental to his health or not, it was his choice. I argued with another example that a person who decides to walk to the store to buy milk does so by choice. But, if he begins to daydream about a final exam he needs to study for and then he forgets why he was going to the store, did he make the choice to not buy milk? Would you say that he made the choice to daydream about his exam? How does one get out of this conundrum?
Jyl Gentzler
December 20, 2006
(changed December 20, 2006)
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It seems to me that, in order to count as making a choice between multiple options, I must consciously consider these options and I must decide to pursue one of the options rather than the others. My choice is determined, it seems to me, by what, among the options I consider, I most want t... Read more
Is freedom really so desirable? Is it not better to be captive but cared for, than "free" to die of famine, disease or conflict? This example is physical, but mental captivity (e.g., constraining our thoughts to what we believe) can be more comforting than opening our minds to thoughts we might find uncomfortable or incomprehensible. Freedom, particularly in the Western World, is often held up as an ideal for which to strive. Is it really as good as it is made out to be?
Jyl Gentzler
December 20, 2006
(changed December 20, 2006)
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"Is freedom always better than a lack of freedom?" Well, doesn’t the answer to this question depend on what sort of freedom is at stake and what one might receive in compensation for losing that particular sort of freedom? No human being is free to do anything she might happen to want to d... Read more