Showing posts with label on the value of Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the value of Philosophy. Show all posts
Monday, August 13, 2012
Where are the philosophers when we need them?
Where are the philosophers and other thinkers to speak in public (USA + Europe) about the values of Humanism and Enlightenment in these new Middle Ages?
These new Middle Ages when solidarity is branded entitlements, when the taxpayer interest is the political premise rather than citizen's?
The new Middle Ages when a mother of 5 is told she should have borne fewer children (instead of government/societal bonus, especially in seriously ageing countries like most of Europe)?
The new Middle Ages when "foreigners", especially economic immigrants, are the scapegoats for the problems in so many countries?
Where are they? In the media? In the social media, eg Twitter? Where are they?
Monday, September 21, 2009
on the value of Logic in life and in decisions
Philosophy - Problem solving in life:
The tools, IMO:
1) data driven analysis, then
2) logic based thinking, then
3) humor (=last resort)
That is why I think that the value of education/training in Logic in elementary education is extremely high.
The tools, IMO:
1) data driven analysis, then
2) logic based thinking, then
3) humor (=last resort)
That is why I think that the value of education/training in Logic in elementary education is extremely high.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Is Philosophy dead (or misunderstood or ,...)?
One can seek #wisdom but can only fully possess it?
Philosophy vs. being Sage
Is Philosophy in 2009: a) dead b) mis-understood c) a luxury d) other ____ ?
What "is" Philosophy, actually?
Philosophy vs. being Sage
Is Philosophy in 2009: a) dead b) mis-understood c) a luxury d) other ____ ?
What "is" Philosophy, actually?
Friday, August 28, 2009
The philosopher-CEO
"mankind will have no respite from trouble until either real philosophers gain political power or politicians become by some miracle true philosophers."
- Plato, Republic
That was then.
Now, in 2009:
the economy will have no respite from trouble until either real philosophers become CEOs or CEOs become by some miracle true philosophers
- Panayotopoulos, nickpthinks
- Plato, Republic
That was then.
Now, in 2009:
the economy will have no respite from trouble until either real philosophers become CEOs or CEOs become by some miracle true philosophers
- Panayotopoulos, nickpthinks
Monday, August 3, 2009
philosophy: neither Marx nor Ayn Rand!
It seems that many seek analysis of the causes and systemics of the current global crisis in either the theories of Marx or Ayn Rand.
IMO the theories of Marx and Ayn Rand are irrelevant in analysing or solving problems in the 21st century.
Why? Because the fundamentals, social, economic, political, cultural, technological, etc, in other words, the systemics and dynamics of our era, are very different than the epochs these theories were conceived and developed in.
The same applies IMO to most thinkers of past centuries.
IMO the problems of our era require fresh new thinking and new, modern, thinkers who will take into account the systemics and dynamics of our era in order to analyse the situations and problems and propose solutions or even causal analyses.
IMO the theories of Marx and Ayn Rand are irrelevant in analysing or solving problems in the 21st century.
Why? Because the fundamentals, social, economic, political, cultural, technological, etc, in other words, the systemics and dynamics of our era, are very different than the epochs these theories were conceived and developed in.
The same applies IMO to most thinkers of past centuries.
IMO the problems of our era require fresh new thinking and new, modern, thinkers who will take into account the systemics and dynamics of our era in order to analyse the situations and problems and propose solutions or even causal analyses.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
RIP Walter Cronkite - are news in 2009 "explainable"?
Walter Cronkite not only reported but also explained the news.
But are news in 2009 "explainable"?
By whom? Why not?
No, because, IMO, the systemics of the era are more complicated than ever before. Much like the world population size in 2009 is vastly different (larger) than the one in 1960. Bigger and more complex than ever before.
Analysis by humans fails to capture all the elements of the world systemics or, if your prefer, "the governing dynamics" (see "A Beautiful Mind").
Of course many do offer rather "neat" scenarios or theories why things are happening, many times they involve a conspiracy by someones, or a stellar event (see 2012) or "an enemy".
Plus: What is (real) news in 2009? Try to correlate the break up of a famous celeb couple in Hollywood with the GDP of South Korea with TV ratings in Italy with the price of rice in India with the USD reserves of China with Cali's state deficit with the average temperature in Smithtown Ohio with ..... Not really doable (faisable in French).
When data so exceeds the capacity of any human, or even computer model, to absorb, process, analyse and make sense of, then IMO that's when Philosophy, the type Socrates and Plato produced in Ancient Athens 2500 years ago, kicks in!
Philosophy and humor! The ultimate "refuge" of the globalized (willingly or unwillingly) citizen of 2009, in NYC, Palatine, LA, Denver, Newport, Smallville USA and France, Menton, Santiago, Sofia, Bangkok, Kyoto, etc etc etc.
Stay tuned to this blog for further updates (lol) on these "breaking news"!
Too much news = no news?
But are news in 2009 "explainable"?
By whom? Why not?
No, because, IMO, the systemics of the era are more complicated than ever before. Much like the world population size in 2009 is vastly different (larger) than the one in 1960. Bigger and more complex than ever before.
Analysis by humans fails to capture all the elements of the world systemics or, if your prefer, "the governing dynamics" (see "A Beautiful Mind").
Of course many do offer rather "neat" scenarios or theories why things are happening, many times they involve a conspiracy by someones, or a stellar event (see 2012) or "an enemy".
Plus: What is (real) news in 2009? Try to correlate the break up of a famous celeb couple in Hollywood with the GDP of South Korea with TV ratings in Italy with the price of rice in India with the USD reserves of China with Cali's state deficit with the average temperature in Smithtown Ohio with ..... Not really doable (faisable in French).
When data so exceeds the capacity of any human, or even computer model, to absorb, process, analyse and make sense of, then IMO that's when Philosophy, the type Socrates and Plato produced in Ancient Athens 2500 years ago, kicks in!
Philosophy and humor! The ultimate "refuge" of the globalized (willingly or unwillingly) citizen of 2009, in NYC, Palatine, LA, Denver, Newport, Smallville USA and France, Menton, Santiago, Sofia, Bangkok, Kyoto, etc etc etc.
Stay tuned to this blog for further updates (lol) on these "breaking news"!
Too much news = no news?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
can we re-define "economics"
Can we begin to understand the causes of the current distortions to "orthodox" capitalism?
Eg can we address the issue of economic greed and greed for consumer goods? Its drivers? Can philosophers provide the prototypes for inspiring people to redirect their sources of satisfaction towards less materialist, less greedy, less environment destructive "targets"/applications?
Can we help people replace material status symbols with intellectual ones?
Can we find the alternative to shareholder and profit maximization systemic goals?
Can we re-define economics in a definition that is more relevant to the actual roots of the term?
Eg can we address the issue of economic greed and greed for consumer goods? Its drivers? Can philosophers provide the prototypes for inspiring people to redirect their sources of satisfaction towards less materialist, less greedy, less environment destructive "targets"/applications?
Can we help people replace material status symbols with intellectual ones?
Can we find the alternative to shareholder and profit maximization systemic goals?
Can we re-define economics in a definition that is more relevant to the actual roots of the term?
on climate change
The core of the problem is cultural and IMO philosophical
Can we redirect most of our needs and wants away from tangible to intangible - intellectual "products"?
Can we put the tech advances of the last 200 yrs into better, more environment friendly, use?
Can we redirect most of our needs and wants away from tangible to intangible - intellectual "products"?
Can we put the tech advances of the last 200 yrs into better, more environment friendly, use?
Friday, June 26, 2009
6 months left in 2009, 6 or 18 to the end of the decade
Listen to this pop art commentary on the first decade of the 21st century and the 3rd millenium.
With a food for thought Epilogue!
Friday, May 22, 2009
on the value of Philosophy
On Philosophy: Non Binary
Many issues/problems in life are not a matter or binary type, "right or wrong". Eg trying to find an as near optimal as possible solution to an aircraft assignment problem. There are ways to assign the aircraft that are far from the best possible one and there are ways near that elusive optimal. Knowing you are somewhere near the optimal, even though you do not know where that optimal is exactly or how to go from where you are to it, is very often good enough ("right" enough). So bother to look further when you know that the assignment you have found and know how to implement is only 1% away from the elusive "globally optimal"?
Plus: There is a different between "mathematical way of thinking" and using Maths per se. Eg in logic, we use mathematical thinking but not maths per se (to structure thought "algorithms"). One does not always have in one's disposal all the data needed to use a math model to solve the problem and we are a problem solving based society, the western one, in our "Philosophy". Should we not?
A "problem" is not a "problem" per se, it is merely an opportunity for finding a solution and the fun of the process looking for it!
Philosophy for All!
Philosophy means the pursuit of wisdom
And wisdom is applications oriented
The Socratic method to ask questions to his pupils rather than preach? But they were his pupils.
Some philosophers pose questions instead of theories because in their brand of philosophy, but the idea is for one to reach one's own philosophical conclusions rather than theologise others'.
Does a philosopher need a PhD in Philosophy to be a Philosopher? Does a painter or poet need a PhD in Arts to be one? Some people produce/create philosophy, some other quote the philosophy of those and others. Who are the Philosophers?
Let us philosophise on that!
What is your Philosophy?
Quantifying everything and turning any decision into a mathematical model (function) to be optimised is what I actually studied (2 degrees) and it is called "Decisions Science", it is IMO not Philosophy per se. Philosophy can and should use Decision Science techniques to aid a person reach "better" decisions in his/her life, airlines allocate aircraft to flights, companies optimise the production and distribution of the products or services (logistics), governments design and formulate public policy, etc.
"What is the "philosophy" of this company, policy, "system", person (his/her life)" is a question made at least in Greek. Or to be "philosophised" ie to be aware "why" you are doing something, how it fits with one's own "living philosophy" and/or the Society - "system" one lives in.
But IME many problems are too complex or large to be turned into one mathematical model and "globally" optimised (find the best possible "solution"). Thus one usually combines quantitative AND qualitative techniques to analyse problems and formulate them into a problem to be solved. But IMO Philosophy is not pure mathematics or decision sciences, even the concepts of "optimality" and "efficiency" need Philosophical analysis. Science, in general, shows us the "how" and Philosophy searches the "why".
Eg in dating, Philosophy helps reply to the question "why should I date her/him" and other disciplines the "how". lol The same with "should I make love with her/him", lol.
Eros is one area where decisions are not rational at all and can hardly be put into mathematical formulas. On the contrary, "LT partner selection" can. Eros not only defies logic, it also defies Philosophy, true Eros that is.
Originally written: November 11, 2007
Updated: May 22, 2009
Many issues/problems in life are not a matter or binary type, "right or wrong". Eg trying to find an as near optimal as possible solution to an aircraft assignment problem. There are ways to assign the aircraft that are far from the best possible one and there are ways near that elusive optimal. Knowing you are somewhere near the optimal, even though you do not know where that optimal is exactly or how to go from where you are to it, is very often good enough ("right" enough). So bother to look further when you know that the assignment you have found and know how to implement is only 1% away from the elusive "globally optimal"?
Plus: There is a different between "mathematical way of thinking" and using Maths per se. Eg in logic, we use mathematical thinking but not maths per se (to structure thought "algorithms"). One does not always have in one's disposal all the data needed to use a math model to solve the problem and we are a problem solving based society, the western one, in our "Philosophy". Should we not?
A "problem" is not a "problem" per se, it is merely an opportunity for finding a solution and the fun of the process looking for it!
Philosophy for All!
Philosophy means the pursuit of wisdom
And wisdom is applications oriented
The Socratic method to ask questions to his pupils rather than preach? But they were his pupils.
Some philosophers pose questions instead of theories because in their brand of philosophy, but the idea is for one to reach one's own philosophical conclusions rather than theologise others'.
Does a philosopher need a PhD in Philosophy to be a Philosopher? Does a painter or poet need a PhD in Arts to be one? Some people produce/create philosophy, some other quote the philosophy of those and others. Who are the Philosophers?
Let us philosophise on that!
What is your Philosophy?
Quantifying everything and turning any decision into a mathematical model (function) to be optimised is what I actually studied (2 degrees) and it is called "Decisions Science", it is IMO not Philosophy per se. Philosophy can and should use Decision Science techniques to aid a person reach "better" decisions in his/her life, airlines allocate aircraft to flights, companies optimise the production and distribution of the products or services (logistics), governments design and formulate public policy, etc.
"What is the "philosophy" of this company, policy, "system", person (his/her life)" is a question made at least in Greek. Or to be "philosophised" ie to be aware "why" you are doing something, how it fits with one's own "living philosophy" and/or the Society - "system" one lives in.
But IME many problems are too complex or large to be turned into one mathematical model and "globally" optimised (find the best possible "solution"). Thus one usually combines quantitative AND qualitative techniques to analyse problems and formulate them into a problem to be solved. But IMO Philosophy is not pure mathematics or decision sciences, even the concepts of "optimality" and "efficiency" need Philosophical analysis. Science, in general, shows us the "how" and Philosophy searches the "why".
Eg in dating, Philosophy helps reply to the question "why should I date her/him" and other disciplines the "how". lol The same with "should I make love with her/him", lol.
Eros is one area where decisions are not rational at all and can hardly be put into mathematical formulas. On the contrary, "LT partner selection" can. Eros not only defies logic, it also defies Philosophy, true Eros that is.
Originally written: November 11, 2007
Updated: May 22, 2009
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