Who is a philosopher?
By: Justarius on Feb 15 2007Category: On Philosophy
“…A philosopher… has…[a] structure of thought unified by a purpose for his own life and for mankind.” Will Durant, The Story of Philosophy, p. 141
Philosophers are commonly called “thinkers,” but really, that is not an adequate definition of a philosopher. A philosopher seeks the underlying meaning of things; he wants to understand it and codify it into a system of thought. If he succeeds in this task, he often feels compelled to share his system with the world, even knowing it is likely futile. This is because he loves the world, despite the difficulty it has given him.
Beyond the basic definition, no two philosophers are exactly alike. Some are comets: long lived and brilliant like Socrates; others are streaking meteors like Nietzsche, consumed by their romanticism and brilliance. Some create systems haphazardly, and other are meticulous beyond belief (compare Nietzsche to Spinoza). Some are cynical, and others are hopeful. It seems to be a function of your personality and how you react to your environment.
Knowing what it means to be a philosopher, I’m sure not many people would choose such a fate for themselves or their kids, yet I believe it’s as unavoidable as fate. I suspect that some people may be genetically predisposed to be order seekers, and certain external circumstances simply activate these tendencies. Sheltering yourself or your kids from such stimuli may work temporary, but it is highly impractical in our increasingly connected world. Perhaps it is better to embrace who you are so that you can forge a path through life with true conviction and purpose.
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8 Responses to “Who is a philosopher?”
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Good day,
I’m not really droppping a comment but rather asking a question. What is the difference between a philosopher and philosophy?
I await your utmost respopnse.
A philosopher is a person who live the the life of reasoning, s/he has a deep liking towards knowledge. A philosopher develop the attitude towards knowledge, they are not satisfied by the available knowledge, they believe that more knowledge can be known.
I would add a little to Kyaruzi’s definition by saying that philosophers are concerned with how knowledge is interconnected and what it means. To me, this is what separates a philosopher from a scholar or a scientist. Scientists and scholars delve into topics and answer the question “how;” philosophers go a step further and ask “why?”
“Philosopher” is not an exclusive category. You can be anything and also a philosopher - scientist, musician, artist, etc. Looking back at history, you will find great philosophers came from all walks of life.
I like Kyaruzi’s comment about philosophy being about attitude. Philosophy is not simply a field of study which you can master by taking enough classes or reading enough books. We are constantly gaining knowledge both about ourselves and the world in which we live. Philosophy is the lifelong quest for the meaning of all this - the meaning of existence. If you are on this quest, you are a philosopher.
Being a philosopher has no other requirement. You do not have to take a single philosophy class, read a single book, or have a particular job. All these are simply aids that may help you on your quest.
Yes, I would also agree that being a philosopher is defined by the attitude you carry through your life. It is the attitude of questioning and accepting discussion within yourself.
Many philosophies are very different from each other, often even contradicting, but the people who devised them are philosophers none the less. I have met countless such people, but most of them are preoccupied with reinventing the wheel(which I most likely am too).
If you have found a new way of answering a certain question and have published it and gained recognition for it, then you have become what other’s call - “a philosopher”. Or in other words, you have earned the right to be called that - by others, and not only by yourself.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time reinventing the wheel too, which I have mixed feelings about. Sometimes I feel that it was not an efficient use of time, but mostly I realize that it was necessary. Most insights are not really new; they have been written and spoken about for ages. Yet reading and knowing something is not the same thing as really understanding it. Experience helps us understand things on a personal level.
When I started this site years ago, my goal was to share all my insights so that other people didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. Lately though, I have come to accept that people must customize wheels for their own journeys of self discovery; you cannot totally eliminate wheel invention. I can only hope that my insights can help make the process a little less arduous.
Fair enough, but could have been better, much better. GOOD LUCK, GOD BLESS>!!!!!
I have always been incredibly obsessed by natural order and the preservation of accurate information into a codified manner. It literally eats me up when I can’t organize information. I want to improve my self education so I take hours trying to codify all possible subjects of study (for I want to study each of them) into categories that interconnect. I must be a philosopher. I am obsessed with information being understood, no just known. It’s really frustrating sometimes to be this way. So many paths, not one answer. So many contradictions in this life. Email me if you also seek what I do.
montgomeryyoder@gmail.com
I know exactly what you mean because I was the same way. I am not quite as obsessive now because at a certain point you realize that there is simply too much information. I realized that my goal wasn’t to become a walking encyclopedia but to glean enough key insights in order to appreciate how amazing the world is and to share this feeling with others.
You are indeed a philosopher. Savor the journey - it is a frustrating yet most rewarding one. I know it’s hard, but try to pace yourself and not go crazy like poor Nietzsche (and others).
I created this site to meet other philosophers and exchange ideas, so please feel free to browse. I’m happy to correspond with you on any topic that catches your fancy through comments or email. You can reach me at contact [at] philoscifi.com