How can you recognize a philosopher?

[dnihila]

1. What standards do people have to point out a philosopher?
2. Do they see what was he doing or do they only listened to what he said?
3.Why all philosophers are dead? And were they known at their time that they are philosophers?
4. Does philosophy mean to describe what is not obviouse?
5. Do you all agree that even insane people can be philosophers?
6. Do we have to adapt one philosopher ideas or it can be a mixture of what we like?
7. Is it a kind of science or it is a kind of knowledge?

Thankful to you and to your replies

 

[quatona]

1. What standards do people have to point out a philosopher?

I think of a philosopher as a thinker who tries to use as little axiomatic assumptions as possible (and tries to be aware of the axiomatic assumptions that he can´t help using).

2. Do they see what was he doing or do they only listened to what he said?

I might see what he does, but for considering his philosophy only his ideas count, to me.

3.Why all philosophers are dead? And were they known at their time that they are philosophers?

Those who are dead are dead because they aged and died (I don´t know the medical reasons for each of their deaths).
There are plenty of philosophers still today, though.
Some of the ancient philosophers were not acknowledged or not highly respected at their time, some where.
One thing we must not forget if thinking about ancient Greece, for example: The different branches of arts and science were not as strictly separated as tend to be today.

4. Does philosophy mean to describe what is not obviouse?

I don´t think this is the explicit purpose of it. However, philosophy tends not to be satisfied with answers such as "That´s obvious".

5. Do you all agree that even insane people can be philosophers?

Why, yes. Then again I am not even sure I find the category "insane" useful at all.

6. Do we have to adapt one philosopher ideas or it can be a mixture of what we like?

We don´t *have to* anything. I personally would recommend you to read philosophy critically and skeptically, and develop your own thoughts.

7. Is it a kind of science or it is a kind of knowledge?

It is kind of an opinion.

 

[The Nihilist]

I can't conceive of the confusion over philosophy that would lead one to ask questions like this.

 

[Sojourner<><]

1. What standards do people have to point out a philosopher?

Easy. Find someone who visibly stands out of a croud by inordinately wandering around as if he's lost and ask him if he's alright. If he demands a definition for "alright", bingo, you have a philosopher.

 

[quatona]

Easy. Find someone who visibly stands out of a croud by inordinately wandering around as if he's lost and ask him if he's alright. If he demands a definition for "alright", bingo, you have a philosopher.

 

[Eudaimonist]

1. What standards do people have to point out a philosopher?

Philosophers do not merely believe X. They ask such questions as: why should I believe X? What leads logically to the conclusion X? Is X consistent with my other beliefs? Etc.

IOW, they are concerned with the justifications for their beliefs, and do not merely assert beliefs.

2. Do they see what was he doing or do they only listened to what he said?

In accomplishing what?

3.Why all philosophers are dead? And were they known at their time that they are philosophers?

All philosophers are dead? Uh, no. Perhaps the most famous ones are, but that's only because it takes a while to become influential in philosophy.

Not all artists are dead, either.

4. Does philosophy mean to describe what is not obviouse?

And what is "obvious", but few realize is merely assumed. Something a philosopher might do is to show how something that seems "obvious" is actually false.

5. Do you all agree that even insane people can be philosophers?

Yes, but probably not very good ones if they are psychotic. I'd think that a sharp and rational mind would make for the best of philosophers.

6. Do we have to adapt one philosopher ideas or it can be a mixture of what we like?

I suppose it could be a mixture as long as one is careful to reconcile conflicting ideas.

7. Is it a kind of science or it is a kind of knowledge?

I fail to see the distinction you intend.


eudaimonia,

Mark