Freethought & Rationalism Archive

ohwilleke · 02-08-2002, 08:06 AM

What school of thought do you think the biggest insights will come from? What ideas do you think are most poised to change the way the general public views the world? Who are today's hot philosophers?

Francois Tremblay · 02-08-2002, 05:40 PM

Objectivism, of course. The ethical and political ramifications of reason are barely explored in the general public. We have a possible new Enlightement in our hands ! (^_^)

hezekiah jones · 02-09-2002, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ohwilleke:
Who are today's hot philosophers?

For me, <a href="http://www.augustana.ab.ca/~janzb/boethius.htm" target="_blank">Boethius</a>. I guess I have a lot of catching up to do.

pug846 · 02-09-2002, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Franc28:
<strong>Objectivism, of course. The ethical and political ramifications of reason are barely explored in the general public. We have a possible new Enlightement in our hands ! (^_^)</strong>

Oh god, I hope not. Perhaps in the general public, Objectivism is becoming more and more popular. In academia, it is still considered a really bad joke.

Vorkosigan · 02-09-2002, 04:25 PM

Dare I say it? The most influential philosophy of this century will of course be fundamentalism in its Islamic and Christian variants. After that, metaphysical naturalism, in its scientific form. The tension between those two poles is going to rip this century apart.

Michael

christ-on-a-stick · 02-09-2002, 04:57 PM

I agree Turtonm... when you juxtapose the still-strong influence of the fundamentalist monotheistic religions against the great leaps we are making in science, technology, etc., I feel it is only a matter of time before the controversies (cloning, gene therapy, embryo-cell research, and the like) begin to take center stage in a big way.

I can't remember who (a philosopher) said it, but something to the effect of his opinion being that society/the human race is incapable of "evolving intellectually" while religion is still with is... we will remain as we are in a sort of "adolescent limbo" until the majority abandons superstition once and for all. Then it will be a quantum leap forward.

Unfortunately, I don't believe I will see that in my lifetime.

Vorkosigan · 02-10-2002, 12:58 AM

I think we are capable of intellectual evolution -- the development of western science, a doctrine of universal human rights, the fact that racism has become unacceptable in most civilized countries.....but it's difficult to evolve if the bad guys are disposed to use force when they've lost the argument.

Michael

Ender · 02-10-2002, 09:18 AM

The greatest influence upon western philosophy in the 20th century is undeniably courtesy of one Ludwig Wittgenstein- who helped spawn logical positivism, which sought to subjugate philosophy to science (even though those guys completely missed the boat on his only book the TLP). In the 2nd half of his philosophical career he spent much of his time refuting his previous holistic view of language, and set in motion an type of "anti-philosophy" that put a serious crimp on the creative process of philosophy and ended it in a stalemate for much of the latter half of the 20th century.

~WiGGiN~

elwoodblues · 02-10-2002, 10:04 AM

Religion will continue it's slow, steady, self-inflicted death by repeatedly shooting itself in the foot. As religion withdraws from the public arena, practical philosophy will become more and more popular, along the lines of the 'self-help' craze of 80's and 90's fame.

As for what specific philosophies will come to the fore... As science explains more and more of the universe, rational philosphies will be more and more supported. I'm pre-disposed towards objectivism, myself, but I'm sure there are other philosophies out there that contain a respect for objective reality. It won't be the anti-intellectual, 'nothing is real' philosophy-type that will win, even though this is exactly how most people think of philosophy right now.

Ism Schism. · 02-10-2002, 10:37 AM

Objectivism...

Let's see if I can make one:

My hypothetical "objectivisms" only law --

Absolute personal freedom exists until I am dead; I am therefore free to do anything at all that I possibly can, until someone is able to stop me or kill me -- this is my one and only objective right.

Is Rand's version more, or less "objective" then mine is? If so, why?

What are the ethical and "political" ramifications of my objectivism?

"If it wasn't my 'objective right', then I wouldn't be able to do it, now would I?"-- an axiom courtesy of Ism Schism Objectivism

[ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: Ism Schism. ]</p>

02-08-2002, 08:06 AM	#1
ohwilleke Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Posts: 4,834	Great ideas of the 21st century? What school of thought do you think the biggest insights will come from? What ideas do you think are most poised to change the way the general public views the world? Who are today's hot philosophers?

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02-08-2002, 05:40 PM	#2
Francois Tremblay Banned Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Montreal, QC Canada Posts: 876	Objectivism, of course. The ethical and political ramifications of reason are barely explored in the general public. We have a possible new Enlightement in our hands ! (^_^)

02-09-2002, 04:25 PM	#5
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	Dare I say it? The most influential philosophy of this century will of course be fundamentalism in its Islamic and Christian variants. After that, metaphysical naturalism, in its scientific form. The tension between those two poles is going to rip this century apart. Michael

02-09-2002, 04:57 PM	#6
christ-on-a-stick Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Durango, Colorado Posts: 7,116	I agree Turtonm... when you juxtapose the still-strong influence of the fundamentalist monotheistic religions against the great leaps we are making in science, technology, etc., I feel it is only a matter of time before the controversies (cloning, gene therapy, embryo-cell research, and the like) begin to take center stage in a big way. I can't remember who (a philosopher) said it, but something to the effect of his opinion being that society/the human race is incapable of "evolving intellectually" while religion is still with is... we will remain as we are in a sort of "adolescent limbo" until the majority abandons superstition once and for all. Then it will be a quantum leap forward. Unfortunately, I don't believe I will see that in my lifetime.

02-10-2002, 12:58 AM	#7
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	I think we are capable of intellectual evolution -- the development of western science, a doctrine of universal human rights, the fact that racism has become unacceptable in most civilized countries.....but it's difficult to evolve if the bad guys are disposed to use force when they've lost the argument. Michael

02-10-2002, 09:18 AM	#8
Ender Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Lusitania Colony Posts: 658	The greatest influence upon western philosophy in the 20th century is undeniably courtesy of one Ludwig Wittgenstein- who helped spawn logical positivism, which sought to subjugate philosophy to science (even though those guys completely missed the boat on his only book the TLP). In the 2nd half of his philosophical career he spent much of his time refuting his previous holistic view of language, and set in motion an type of "anti-philosophy" that put a serious crimp on the creative process of philosophy and ended it in a stalemate for much of the latter half of the 20th century. ~WiGGiN~

02-10-2002, 10:04 AM	#9
elwoodblues Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Dunmanifestin, Discworld Posts: 4,836	Religion will continue it's slow, steady, self-inflicted death by repeatedly shooting itself in the foot. As religion withdraws from the public arena, practical philosophy will become more and more popular, along the lines of the 'self-help' craze of 80's and 90's fame. As for what specific philosophies will come to the fore... As science explains more and more of the universe, rational philosphies will be more and more supported. I'm pre-disposed towards objectivism, myself, but I'm sure there are other philosophies out there that contain a respect for objective reality. It won't be the anti-intellectual, 'nothing is real' philosophy-type that will win, even though this is exactly how most people think of philosophy right now.

02-10-2002, 10:37 AM	#10
Ism Schism. Banned Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 320	Objectivism... Let's see if I can make one: My hypothetical "objectivisms" only law -- Absolute personal freedom exists until I am dead; I am therefore free to do anything at all that I possibly can, until someone is able to stop me or kill me -- this is my one and only objective right. Is Rand's version more, or less "objective" then mine is? If so, why? What are the ethical and "political" ramifications of my objectivism? "If it wasn't my 'objective right', then I wouldn't be able to do it, now would I?"-- an axiom courtesy of Ism Schism Objectivism [ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: Ism Schism. ]</p>

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