Lets have some fun and DEFINE THE TERMS of this debate.
What is Philosophy?
Coberst has (at last) given a bit of an indication a to what s/he feels it is. He/ She suggests that it is a sort of solution to the problem of the origin of religion.
Dictionary definitions however give more scope for answering the question posed as in:
1a. The study of the nature of knowledge and existence and the principles of moral and aethetic values.
1b. the philosophical principles or teachings of a specified group, period or field of study.
2. the sum of beliefs and attitudes of a specified individual, person or period.
So the discussion, with or without a clear defining statement could wander through a very wide area, much wider than the one suggested by coberst in the first place.
So I ask again. What do you mean by 'philosophy', coberst? I mean--- do you really think that Philosophy's job is to tell people how to live their lives? If so-- which philosophy will you recommend ?--- there are some ghastly and dire ones lurking around the place with as many diverse byways as there are people!!
I am convinced that philosophy is as I wrote in the OP: "Long ago a professor of philosophy said to me, after my asking him what philosophy is all about, “philosophy is a radically critical self-consciousness”. It took me 30 years to comprehend what he said.
I might add that another professor told me that the meaning of philosophy is itself a philosophical question. The meaning of philsophy is to vast to be contained by mere words.
I might add that I consider Critical Thinking can usefully be regarded as philosophy light.
