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Philosophy does seem to be an OVER general topic... Unless of course by philosophy one actually means philosophy rather than "My opinion on X is Y". But that isn't what usually happens.
I'm not an elitist or anything, but real Philosophy is not for everyone. I do think, though, most here would be able to enjoy it.
Its just not as simple as most people think. There is more to it than anything else I have ever undertaken-
In order to truly work philosophy, as any true philosopher would tell you, one must understand how philosophy got to where it is today, and the underlining arguments. Think early modern specificly (Descartes, Hume and Kant as most important).
The way philosophy works today requires understanding things like the epistemic problem of the cartesian circle, cartesian dualism juxtaposed to monism. Also, Humian epistemology is essential. Kant is important because most philosophers today argue like Kant, and use Kantian theroms.
But if by philosophy you mean Ethics, well then thats a whole other can of worms.
Non-pure ethics involves the arguing of matters of fact as well as logical analysis of those matters.
But Pure Ethics realizes that it would seem that in order for a true argument to occur, there must not be ANY disagreement of matters of fact but simply on the conclusions we get from them.
If we exercise non-pure Ethics, its simply an issue of what is empirical, thus philosophy asks Science to deal with that.
Pure philosophy would be like two people agreeing that abortion is the killing of an unborn child that is able to feel and cathart as well, or nearly as well as a 1 day old child; yet still disagreeing about whether abortion is permicible or not.
Now, onto metaphysics- This is the most indepth and, frankly, puzzling of all philosophy schools. Meta-epistemology and MetaEthics fit here, and they ask, not is there a God, but rather, what is the world REALY, based not on empirical data, but only rational intrigue.
And so you see, philosophy is a different thing than most think.
Most people think philosophy as religion/politics/ethics arguing.
But it is not
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