Insight
Regular readers know that the one blog most oft linked to here (by far, I’d imagine) is Billy Beck. It’s to the point that I even don’t link a few things I would otherwise want to. You know, originality and variety and all that.
Never mind. I can only tell you that I’ve been reading this guy for over 10 years, and I can’t think of a single instance where he didn’t give it straight up. In this world, that’s tough. It’s so easy to go along.
Anyway, if you think you might be "entertained" (though not his intention) by a self-described "ex-biker and touring stage-lighting director" firing a professional academic philosopher, then go right ahead and read this.
Enjoy.
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Free The Animal is an eclectic writing project about everything since November 2003. 23 years, 5,500 posts, 5 million words.
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Morris,
Philosophy is made to provide a framework for finding answers – answers to real questions that have real consequences in real life. Thinking and questioning are part of that framework. They are not the ends, they are the means. Questioning simply for the sake of questioning, and thinking simply for the sake of thinking are no more the purpose of philosphy than homework is the purpose of education.
Sadly BB is part of the reason why we don't have a critical thinking element in education anymore. I don't disagree that some theoretical (ie. non applied) philosophy might seem to be so detached form real life that it is pontless but picture this:
what if the BB of the middle ages had a conversation with a philospher who believed that the earth was round; he would think he was a lunatic and not dealing with the real world as it was known. Or perhaps a philospher who believed that there is no God!
What I heard from BB was a rant, not nearly as well formed as his usual opinions and totally off target. He should remember too that not all philosophers are the same; think the same; believe the same and hardly any try to hijack an entire government like the Christian Right has. Philosophy is made to make you think and question.
From an ex-biker philosopher