"Philosophers have been profoundly wrong on almost every question under the sun over the last 2500 years. You should never listen to the answers of philosophers, but you should listen to their questions." (Christof Koch)
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Is it really the role of philosophers to be right or wrong on any question?
PontifexMarximus
Level 8
July 29, 2019
0
This quote overlooks the importance of the process of philosophizing or philosophical analysis. Otherwise, what is the point of asking the questions?
Heraclitus
Level 8
June 22, 2019
0
@Matias True enough, but who ever said philosophy was a hard science dealing in concrete facts? That is simply criticizing philosophy was what it is not and never has been.
@Matias You have answered you own question with your last sentence. The word "science" from the Latin meaning "to know" simply did not mean then what it means now. The scientific method as we know it did not exist then. It wasn't until Francis Bacon that there was even anything remotely similar to the scientific method as we now know it. A "natural philosopher" was in no way equivalent to a scientist as we know today.
Well that's some pretty tricky wording there. You could replace the word "philosophers" with the word "scientists" and the statement would be as true, but having been wrong at one point does not mean that progress isn't being made in philosophy or science, or in any field. All "answers" are just the best they have at that point in time. Early philosophers have also been profoundly right on some things as well. A lot of the ideas of the Greek Stoics are still very useful and meaningful to many people today. The only thing better than listening to a philosopher is being a philosopher.
skado
Level 9
June 22, 2019
1
@TheMiddleWay
I’m not saying science never gets it right, and, technically speaking, the op doesn’t claim that philosophy never gets it right. Every discipline gets it wrong many times before it gets it right. Philosophy isn’t seeking what science is, so it can’t be held to science’s standards. But philosophy’s products continually improve, as do science’s. One is never a substitute for the other though, so comparing them for “accuracy” is mostly meaningless.
[en.m.wikipedia.org]
I listen to both... The question makes me think and the answer, if incorrect, shows me a path I need not take...
Cutiebeauty
Level 9
June 22, 2019
1
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