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RE: Thinking about knowing: How philosophy changed my life
Really good stuff. Many lessons can be learned from asking these types of questions. I like philosophy a lot, though sadly I must admit I don't know one school of thinking from another sometimes. I have been getting better. My favorite fiction author love to talk philosophy on his blog. Its often times good and hes came up with what he calls the 'blind brain theory' which is sort of what I believe.
Thank you for sharing, you are appreciated!
Thanks for the kind words! I don't tend to focus on schools of thought as such, though I am predominately 'analytic' in my methods - this means I spend a lot of time saying "well, that depends what you mean by..." to either myself or others. Thanks for the link too. I have't read any of Bakker's stuff, but have followed one of his co-authors, Eric Schwitzgebel, for many years now.
Before good arguments can go forward semantics must first be considered. definitions need to be drawn up. To often arguments that could be good learning experiences end up in stalemates because of a difference of meaning of words. I see it happen all the time. I am sadly guilty of it from time to time. well Its been a while since I caught myself doing it.. but it still is there.
One of the things I say over (and over) again is "well that depends by what you mean by..." - only in recent years do I realise what an analytical thing that is to say.
For about the past 100 years, many western philosophers have held that most of our philosophical problems (and many of our political and practical ones) come from being inexact with our words and what we mean by them. I think many of the discussions I've seen here about 6th-day voting fall into this trap by conflating two senses in which we say someone 'shouldn't' do something: what is ethical, and what the code allows. I reckon this is the equivalent of conflating the laws of physics and the laws of the land.
Indeed. Ohh and you took second in my competition. Congratulations. You should have got some SBDs. Thanks for the awesome post!