The biggun'

There was no topic posted in Philosophy when I got here.

One question.


"Why?"

Best philosophical graffiti I ever saw was on a park bench:

I'm pink, therefore I'm spam

It's a new forum, waiting for you to launch the maiden thread. We felt there was a need for it - and surely anticipated your arrival...

I always remember in my first week of my undergraduate degree we had an introduction from the heads of departments of the various subjects which we could study. The Head of Philosophy mentioned that he once posed the following question on an exam paper, "Why study Philosophy?". One of the answers simply read "Why not?".

He gave him a first

My favourite part of the HDip by FAR was the philosophy module. Dr Pádraig Hogan in Maynooth was brilliant - inspiring, provocative and encouraging. Funnily, I remember very little of what he had to actually say, but he pushed me so far inside my own heart, soul and brain that he transformed me as a person and as a teacher. If the job of an educator is 'educare' - to draw out, then he was easily the best teacher I've ever had.

"The biggun'"? Meaning the big question of philosophy?

If that's what is meant, I suppose the question is:

Why is there something and not nothing?

(I have the answer, but I'll let you figure it out for yourselves.)

The question is associated with, among others, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who spent many months in Ireland in the late 1940s and apparently wrote significant parts of his late works there. See, for example, here. And not just in Dublin; he spent months in Wicklow and in Connemara.

And didn't he sort-of convert to Catholicism on his death-bed? Anyway, Ireland was a peculiar place 60 years ago. But I can think of a lot of good things from that time that have been lost.

BuachaillBeo wrote:

"Why?"

Why what?

Auditor #9 wrote:

BuachaillBeo wrote:

"Why?"

Why what?

Exactly !

soubresauts wrote:

"The biggun'"? Meaning the big question of philosophy?

If that's what is meant, I suppose the question is:

Why is there something and not nothing?

(I have the answer, but I'll let you figure it out for yourselves.)

The question is associated with, among others, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who spent many months in Ireland in the late 1940s and apparently wrote significant parts of his late works there. See, for example, here. And not just in Dublin; he spent months in Wicklow and in Connemara.

And didn't he sort-of convert to Catholicism on his death-bed? Anyway, Ireland was a peculiar place 60 years ago. But I can think of a lot of good things from that time that have been lost.

Thanks for the link, soubresaults - I'd read more by Conor Mc Cabe. It was a nice piece.

I did a lot of Wittgenstein (in the context of literature) when I was in college but I remember very little of it, really. You might just have inspired me to brave the attic to rumble through my old notes.

soubresauts wrote:

"The biggun'"? Meaning the big question of philosophy?

If that's what is meant, I suppose the question is:

Why is there something and not nothing?

(I have the answer, but I'll let you figure it out for yourselves.)

The question is associated with, among others, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who spent many months in Ireland in the late 1940s and apparently wrote significant parts of his late works there. See, for example, here. And not just in Dublin; he spent months in Wicklow and in Connemara.

And didn't he sort-of convert to Catholicism on his death-bed? Anyway, Ireland was a peculiar place 60 years ago. But I can think of a lot of good things from that time that have been lost.

That was a great link, thanks. Wittgenstein, whatever about his mysticism, was clearly a man of immense practicality, if spending the coldest Dublin winter on record in the hot house at Glasnevin is anything to go by. For the rest, he seems to me to be a bit of an old pagan, like our own Auditor#9. I have a deep sympathy for paganism, even though I am an atheist, as pagans have a much more respectful attitude to the natural world we depend on than newer religions, and also, because atheists do enjoy the thrill of existence just as much as religious people.

Kate P wrote:

My favourite part of the HDip by FAR was the philosophy module. Dr Pádraig Hogan in Maynooth was brilliant - inspiring, provocative and encouraging. Funnily, I remember very little of what he had to actually say, but he pushed me so far inside my own heart, soul and brain that he transformed me as a person and as a teacher. If the job of an educator is 'educare' - to draw out, then he was easily the best teacher I've ever had.

I liked our one in TCD to. I didn't realise, however, that philosophy much more about reasoning sound arguments as it was about interesting and innovative ideas. I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

I've got a degree in it and have to admit it was difficult for me. I had to take a break in the middle too. I'll end up doing an MA or somehing in it later in life I'd say, hopefully not from prison.

Auditor #9 wrote:

I've got a degree in it and have to admit it was difficult for me. I had to take a break in the middle too. I'll end up doing an MA or somehing in it later in life I'd say, hopefully not from prison.

I'm really surprised by Irish and History courses didn't go into more detail on the matter. A general course on how to word arguments and obtain reasoned conclusions from premises without resorting to fallacies would have been extremely useful.

That kind of objectivity is the hardest to maintain - which I tried. I found in the end it was best to take a side - nearly any side for expediency. You could be studying for 500 years otherwise.

How would it have helped you on Irish and History? To rid yourself of the hatred and bile?

No no, with access to conclusions without resorting to fallacies. History is all about premises.