![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Sep. 28th, 2004 03:02 pmI have news.
Philosophy was not invented by the Greeks (600-400 B.C.). The word was. Philo (love of) + Sophia (wisdom) = Philosophy.
But not philosophy itself.
I realise this is a novel concept, even for some Ph.Ds. But yes indeedy, it's a big world out there. There were the 100 Schools of Thought of the later Zhou period in China (771-256 B.C.) which brought us Taoism, Legalism, Moism, Naturalism, and good old Confucianism (among others). While the Indian philosophical texts of the Rig-Veda date from 1,500 B.C.
Oh. You say that this is religion and not philosophy?
Okay. So the question "Propelled by what does a directed mind fall upon its object?" (quote from the Upanishads) is not a philosophical question?
So then, what is it that defines a subject as religious rather than philosophical if not the nature of the questions asked? If the texts in question discuss the idea of God or Gods, does that by nature make them religious -- because that rules out Nietsche, doesn't it? If the definition of "this is religion" means there are some assumptions that have to be taken on faith, then if there are hundreds of open-ended philosophical questions and two items that are taken as articles of faith -- do we dismiss all of the questions?
What does one do with a close-minded, Eurocentric, has never heard of the 100 Schools of Thought, defines-anything-that-smacks-of-religion as something that is anti-philosophical and stifles "freedom of thought" (because, as everyone knows, the actions of the Medieval-era Catholic defines all religion everywhere) Philosophy Professor? Particularly when your purpose in taking the class is to compare and contrast western philosophy with eastern philosophical tenets?
Why, one dumps his class. ASAP.
Rhetorical questions brought to you by one very frustrated Icarus.
Philosophy was not invented by the Greeks (600-400 B.C.). The word was. Philo (love of) + Sophia (wisdom) = Philosophy.
But not philosophy itself.
I realise this is a novel concept, even for some Ph.Ds. But yes indeedy, it's a big world out there. There were the 100 Schools of Thought of the later Zhou period in China (771-256 B.C.) which brought us Taoism, Legalism, Moism, Naturalism, and good old Confucianism (among others). While the Indian philosophical texts of the Rig-Veda date from 1,500 B.C.
Oh. You say that this is religion and not philosophy?
Okay. So the question "Propelled by what does a directed mind fall upon its object?" (quote from the Upanishads) is not a philosophical question?
So then, what is it that defines a subject as religious rather than philosophical if not the nature of the questions asked? If the texts in question discuss the idea of God or Gods, does that by nature make them religious -- because that rules out Nietsche, doesn't it? If the definition of "this is religion" means there are some assumptions that have to be taken on faith, then if there are hundreds of open-ended philosophical questions and two items that are taken as articles of faith -- do we dismiss all of the questions?
What does one do with a close-minded, Eurocentric, has never heard of the 100 Schools of Thought, defines-anything-that-smacks-of-religion as something that is anti-philosophical and stifles "freedom of thought" (because, as everyone knows, the actions of the Medieval-era Catholic defines all religion everywhere) Philosophy Professor? Particularly when your purpose in taking the class is to compare and contrast western philosophy with eastern philosophical tenets?
Why, one dumps his class. ASAP.
Rhetorical questions brought to you by one very frustrated Icarus.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
