Post: #26

where to START with philosophy? Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy. if you bounce around philosophers youll miss the less mainstream philosophers like Parmenides, Heraclitus, Plotinus, Dominicritus, etc. Russell has done probably the best job of compiling the best thinkers in the last 2,500 years. after reading it youll have a solid foundation and be able to read what you want.

also how the fuck have NONE OF YOU mentioned Spinoza?

Post: #27

Got burned out today reading philosophy.

Philosophy is fucking gay.

Post: #28

(04-17-2014 12:47 PM)cardguy Wrote:  Philosophy strikes me as a mixture of art and trying to seek the truth. As such - the style in which a person writes actually has an impact on how you respond to their ideas.

And I really can't stand the style in which Nietzsche writes. And on top of that - I don't think that Nietzsche is saying anything that interesting. But maybe his work went over my head and I didn't realise it. That is one of the fun things about philosophy - sometimes you are not sure if a philosopher is stupid - or if you are too stupid to understand what he is saying.

As such - I am always happy to try again with the work of philosophers I have given up on in the past. Since you never know if the next time you study their work will be the point at which it suddenly all clicks into place.

I would be interested in why you found Nietzsche's work to be of value? Since that would give me something to work with in terms of giving you an analysis of why I felt the way I do.

With that said - a lot of Nietzsche's work is do with the foundations of morals and how we can judge the use and abuse of power in life (or themes along those lines). And those are issues that don't really interest me.

Let me end with one of the few philosophical jokes there are:

Nietzsche: God is dead.

God: Nietzsche is dead.

But to sum up. I think Nietzsche sounds like a teenager with a hangover - and when I can figure out what he is saying - it never strikes me as being particularly original, interesting or profound.

Philosophy is a lot like painting. In that some people get revered as geniuses whilst others are ignored. And as such - I am always a little confused (and sceptical) as to why philosophers such as Nietzsche are considered geniuses.

I would be genuinely interested to hear from somebody who could explain why they found his work to be powerful and insightful?

Well of course the books help if you want a background, but what you need to find out personally is your own worldview. Philosophy is a just a group of ideas, and applying those ideas to your personal philosophy is my take on it. Personally OP look through this thread and find one you like and research into them as well as their thinking.

On Nietzsche, it's not really that he comes up with something new but re-interprets old ideas to form a completely new philosophical outlook. I love his work so much as it is new ideas based on old ones as well as his life and musings. I am of the same thought process,and I create my own philosophy due to my musings, life experiences, and the works of others. I guess to each his own. Philosophy is personally taking things from what you like and what you rationally believe then applying them to your own outlook. If you don't like Nietzsche, good for you. Find something that it more attune to your opinions as well as tastes, and take what you like from Nietzsche(that is if you found something you liked).