Why did Plato/Aristotle come along when they did? Why not sooner? (It seems random that they just decided to create Western philosophy right there; why didn't it happen much earlier? Or much later?)
And how much self-awareness did they have about being the "Fathers of Western Philosophy?"
Depending on your opinion about the "no self" related Philosophy this is of course debateable.
I think a large portion of codependent discussion revolves around how one person sacrifices their identity on behalf of another person. Yet, I have been very influenced (positively, I think) by Buddhist ideas such as non-attachment regarding suffering, the illusion of the self, ego, etc.
I'm not afraid of change, or of changing, adapting, or accommodating. I'm not afraid of changing "who I am" because I view the self as already inherently ephemeral. We change every moment. Yet it must be reconciled with the notion of "unhealthy" change in a relationship.
Iβve had a cursory interest in philosophy for many years. Iβve read Platoβs dialogues, the stranger, the metamorphosis, listened to all of philosophize this multiple times, and am now currently reading Bertrand Russellβs History of Western Philosophy.
So far my knowledge is nebulous at best, and I want to get a better understanding of the actual concepts and ideas rather than just the history, which is what I feel Iβve been doing. Is chronological the best way to go? And if so, what philosophers should I include? Are there any secondary sources or biographies that help to gain understanding or are necessary for more rigorous philosophers like Kant?
If this isnβt the place to post my apologies in advance; new to this. Thanks!
I like to read self improvement books but they are monotonous and not page turners.
Like how a visual medium (movies and youtube videos of character/movie analysis).
An example, maybe a bad one, would be Fight Club(controversial book i know).Ironical. It has some philosophy, some alpha male lessons, some really thought provoking good advice and bad elements too.
A fiction where the protagonist inspires me be more outgoing. Adventurous . More Productive. Ambitious.
Would something like stoicism be a good place to start? Basically looking for philosophers or "genres" of philosophy that look at the way we live our lives.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Math but have become very interested in philosophy(in particular Metaphysics, Epistemology, Phi of Language) since graduating a few years ago. I've noticed however that many amateur philosophers that have clearly studied and written alot appear to think they have knowledge and insights beyond what they actually do. A guy named Steve Patterson comes to mind. I've done a lot of proofs in math and self studied a logic textbook (Hurley - and completed all the exercises) so I can grasp proper inference, is this sufficient crank-proofing? What other advice would you recommend to those deeply interested in philosophy outside of the structure of academia? Any books or lectures covering this topic? Thanks!
Not to say they kill or have no regard for lives, but, say in Surface Detail, the virtual clones of the warrior that existed just to fight (and did so in innumerable variations with innumerable identical individuals), and with another created just to deliver a message to a group of minds, who was then deleted (though not to his objection) just after. Has their comparative expansiveness rendered them apathetic to, yet ethically required to ensure the survival of individual human-level minds?
