Any philosophers out there?

[Flash Harry]

Hang on, there is a false premise going on here. You need to start with solilogisms.

All men are mortal, Socrates is a man therefore Socrates is mortal. This is an example of a true solilogism. Another (ridiculous for effect) true one is: All men are elephants, (an assertion, not neccessarily a truth) Socrates is a man, (another assertion), therefore Socrates is an elephant (this follows logically from the first two assertions and so the solilogism is true. The topic is obviously bollocks.)

However, the following is not true.

All men are elephants, Socrates is an elephant, therefore Socrates is a man.

This isn't true because there could be other things that are elephants also.

You have to be very careful how your first proposition works, otherwise you arrive at false conclusions based upon faulty logic. Stones cannot by extension become cognisant simply because there are other self aware objects in the universe.

[tony]

Stones cannot by extension become cognisant simply because there are other self aware objects in the universe.

But can stones become cognisant (assuming that they were a living organism) because they exist in a community that becomes increasingly dependent on social activity and specialised behaviours and develop the need to communicate beyond territorial recognition and then develop (first as a need and later as a byproduct) the ability to propose theories of their own existence?  They might well do because it seems like that's what happened to us. 

[Oldrottenhead]

i am aware of stones but are stones aware of me?maybe i should ask that again when i'm stoned. i'm sure i would come up some interesting answers.

[fenderbender]

  hmmmmm sorry
if stone is aware "look at me Im a stone"
if man builds wall from stones -do the stones then have mass pwer -maybe mumbling in stoneish(?)" I am stone -but we are wall "-
so if wall fall on man -could that have been organised by stones (or chief stone or head stone)
ahhhhhhh.................................................
think I'll go watch the finish of the newcastle match 

[Gritter]

I think they have a few more years of awareness!



...sorry but taking this thread seriously hurts my head!

[gingertilly18]

surprisingly the degree im currently doing is a philosophy single honors degree, but you guys seem to have it covered 

too late for thinking,

Plato and a platypus walk into a bar, Plato remarks 'She looked better in the cave'
 

michael

[launched]

...sorry but taking this thread seriously hurts my head!

I know - Was thinking about quoting some Edie Brickell, but decided against it...

[Oldrottenhead]

The First Law of Philosophy: For every philosopher, there exists an equal and opposite philosopher.

The Second Law of Philosophy: They're both wrong.

[Oldrottenhead]

A renowned philosopher was held in high regard by his driver, who listened in awe at every speech while his boss would easily answer questions about morality and ethics.

Then one day the driver approached the philosopher and asked if he was willing to switch roles for the evening's lecture. The philosopher agreed and, for a while, the driver handled himself remarkably well. When it came time for questions from the guests, a woman in the back asked, "Is the epistemological view of the universe still valid in an existentialist world?"

"That is an extremely simple question," he responded. "So simple, in fact, that even my driver could answer that, which is exactly what he will do."

[Ted]

However, the following is not true.

All men are elephants, Socrates is an elephant, therefore Socrates is a man.

"The fallacy of affirming the antecedent."

I do remember something from college.

And the bare truth of course is: No One Knows.

problem is a lot of people think they know, i tend not to trust people that are certain about everything, i trust the guy that says "well you know, i'm not quite sure about that"

Here here!

It is said that science will dehumanize people and turn them into numbers. That is false, tragically false. Look for yourself. This is the concentration camp and crematorium at Auschwitz. This is where people were turned into numbers. Into this pond were flushed the ashes of some four million people. And that was not done by gas. It was done by ignorance. When people believe that they have absolute knowledge, with no test in reality, this is how they behave. This is what men do when they aspire to the knowledge of gods

The video is even more forceful:

Downer Alert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mIfatdNqBA