Hi, I love philosophy and have recently been reading a lot about it. It interests me greatly but my mum just doesn't get it. I tried talking to her about it but she said it is "blather for blather's sake." This is ignorant of her I know, but I'm not sure why. What can I say to strengthen my argument and make her understand why it is so important?

Thanks xxxx

Why is it so important to you that she contemplate it as seriously as you do?
What do you hope to gain from it?
How would her life be better by doing so?

There's nothing unwise about keeping your thoughts simple. One day you'll probably see that your old Mom has a lot of wisdom that you didn't have the frame of reference to recognize at the time (believe me, she does)

This quote comes to mind.

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned."
--Mark Twain

I believe philiosophy is a healthy subject. You question the things in life and where they came from but I personally think people are skeptical because its mainly words not actions. Philosophers think. I don't think your mum is ignorant. To be honest with you (and no offence) but how many philosophers nowadays do you hear about, your mum probably wants the best for you in life. Nevertheless philosophy is fascinating so you should keep reading about it

To say that your Mom's attitude spells ignorance on her part does not spell intelligence on your part. Your Mom is coming from a different perspective. Did she ever have the chances you have in education? To be honest, philosoophy does not put a meal on the table, nor does it wash the clothes and iron the shirts and clean the house. But you can sit under the tree and discuss the merits of it all in grand style, while your Mom is there doing all the work.

Grow up!

What is the point of philosophy then?

philosophy - Definitions from Dictionary.com

Philosophy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe these could give you more of an idea ? :)

In the Age of Enlightment men would debate for hours, literal hours, on even the smallest of topics. They were very learned men, granted, and some had profound thoughts. Such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Leibniz, etc. Philosophy leads us to discoveries of the wonders in the world and in human nature.

Philosophy is a valuable study, should be a mandatory study even in junior high, but it is not meant to replace what some called plain common sense.

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Originally Posted by shygrneyzs

In the Age of Enlightment men would debate for hours, literal hours, on even the smallest of topics.

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While the women busted their hump getting the children fed, house clean, laundry done, chores finished... kind of like today!

;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kat10436

Hi, I love philosophy and have recently been reading a lot about it. It interests me greatly but my mum just doesn't get it. I tried talking to her about it but she said it is "blather for blather's sake." This is ignorant of her i know, but I'm not sure why. What can i say to strengthen my argument and make her understand why it is so important?

Thanks xxxx

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One reason philosophy is important, you might explain to your mother, is that it entails the highest form of thought…critical thinking. Informal logic is a basis for learning how to tell the difference between a poor argument and a good one, and is the ground on which good philosophy rests.

Informal logic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your Mum is right. And, feeding children and making chocolate cakes is much more important. But, if you like to blather for the sake of blather... blather on.

I suppose if fat kids is your objective

We could blather on endlessly about moderation now couldn't we?

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Originally Posted by magprob

We could blather on endlessly about moderation now couldn't we?

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I couldn’t, some people however seem to be content in endless chatter about nothing in particular…on the other hand, all the better philosophers I have read pack a bundle into a small space.

Tell her how greatly philosophy has influenced world decisions and that it is at the heart of many great times in history and recently it was very big in world affairs communism, nazism etc..

Mien Kampf comes to mind. Karl Marx is another.

The study and practice of philosophy develops intellectual abilities and skills important for life as a whole; it increases analytical, critical and interpretive capacities applicable to any subject-matter, and in any human situation.

Philosophy and its practice develops the talents and skills for self-expression and thought, for exchange and debate of opinions and ideas, for life-long learning, and for finding resolutions for problems in every aspect of life.


So, in view of the above, philosophy IS important.

Every action's ancestor was once a thought.