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Philosophy
Hi Everyone,
I've just completed a degree in politics and intend to do a masters, starting this year, in philosophy. I hope to specialise in political philosophy, as that is my area of interest. In the meantime, I have to do a catch-up course in philosophy as my degree is social science and the university wanted me to show I didn't have any gaps in my knowledge. I've just got the books for it and it seems really interesting so far.
I wondered if anyone else on the forum has studied philosophy, predominantly Western Philosophy, and if so, if you found interesting connections with Buddhism? Personally, the more philosophy I study, the more impressed I am with the Buddha's insights. He really was a genius.
I have found several of my Buddhist friends very wary of my studying philosophy and they seem to think it will damage my practice. I disagree - I don't think it is any more damaging to my practice than studying maths or biology. But then I find many people are very ignorant of what modern philosophy is about and assume we just sit around saying "I think, therefore I am" (I think
).
Although my course is predominantly Western philosophy, increasingly students are learning a little of Eastern and African philosophy. Ideas tend to circulate globally these days, so it is not unusual to find a French philosopher quoting a Chinese Buddhist philosopher, or a German philosopher quoting a Hindu. I was talking to a lama recently who said that in his opinion, it was very important that there is this cross-fertilisation of ideas, and that Buddhism should not be insular. He also said that every profession needs Buddhists!
My cunning plan is to do research, probably into equality issues. I am pretty sure I can sneak some dharma into my thesis without too much difficulty.
I've just completed a degree in politics and intend to do a masters, starting this year, in philosophy. I hope to specialise in political philosophy, as that is my area of interest. In the meantime, I have to do a catch-up course in philosophy as my degree is social science and the university wanted me to show I didn't have any gaps in my knowledge. I've just got the books for it and it seems really interesting so far.
I wondered if anyone else on the forum has studied philosophy, predominantly Western Philosophy, and if so, if you found interesting connections with Buddhism? Personally, the more philosophy I study, the more impressed I am with the Buddha's insights. He really was a genius.
I have found several of my Buddhist friends very wary of my studying philosophy and they seem to think it will damage my practice. I disagree - I don't think it is any more damaging to my practice than studying maths or biology. But then I find many people are very ignorant of what modern philosophy is about and assume we just sit around saying "I think, therefore I am" (I think
).Although my course is predominantly Western philosophy, increasingly students are learning a little of Eastern and African philosophy. Ideas tend to circulate globally these days, so it is not unusual to find a French philosopher quoting a Chinese Buddhist philosopher, or a German philosopher quoting a Hindu. I was talking to a lama recently who said that in his opinion, it was very important that there is this cross-fertilisation of ideas, and that Buddhism should not be insular. He also said that every profession needs Buddhists!
My cunning plan is to do research, probably into equality issues. I am pretty sure I can sneak some dharma into my thesis without too much difficulty.
0
Comments
You are in danger of losing your irrational beliefs.
You are not going to believe in karma and rebirth any longer once you embraced the basic notions of the philosophy of science.
This adage bears mention just for the valuable challenge that's so portable; keep it with you like a compass: "Philosophy is the systematic abuse of language specifically designed for the purpose." I picked that up after my W. exposure. Kept me on my toes.
What??
The Head Monk at my local Monastery has a master's degree (1st Class honours) in Philosophy.
I think his confidence in the Dhamma and the Buddha's teachings has not wavered....
Actually, I don't know many people in my sangha all that well, but we have a paediatrician, an industrial chemist and an astrophysicist and none of them seem to have a problem with "irrational beliefs". Rational beliefs, perhaps?
I googled "this, this, this and this" and got this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobeightpop/3290484172/
Just kidding.
(your links DO work)
The subjects were, as far as I remember "View on nature", "liberal democracy", "ethics" and "free will". We worked with philosophers such as Kant, Berlin, Berkeley, Rawls, Nietzsche, Løgstrup, Nozick, Husserl, Locke, Kuhn and a few more who I don't remember.
I must say that I do not think any of them really has anything to do with Buddhism, but of course it's impossible that there are no overlapping ideas in some form or another - but when talking philosophy it's dangerous to think that one idea in one philosophical system is "the same" as a (seemingly) similar idea in another philosophical system, because the premises may be very different.
And personally, I don't think Berkeleys immaterialism/radical idealism is very Buddhist - he seriously (and literally) meant, that matter which isn't perceived by someone doesn't exist. He meant, that while I write this very post, my bathroom is non-existent because no one perceives it! Luckily though, God perceives everything all the time and therefore the world is stable...
I don't really see how that fit's into Buddhism
But now I understand Dharma I think the Buddha was a genius philosopher, amongst other things.
>>>He really was a genius.
Yes, but not just philosophical.
>>>>I have found several of my Buddhist friends very wary of my studying philosophy and they seem to think it will damage my practice.
If you believe in things without reason or are attached to mistaken beliefs then I guess they are right about that, but that is a problem with your beliefs, not dharma or philosophy.
>>>But then I find many people are very ignorant of what modern philosophy is..
And anchient dharma...
>>>"I think, therefore I am".
Is dharma compatible with the cogito?
"There is no thinker only thoughts"
Good luck!:)
namaste
We think that way because we're stuck in these physical bodies, with these sense organs and feel the sensation of time which is the ultimately the result of our bodies' basic chemical reactions which require time to occur.
So "I think therefore I am" is a subject/predicate dualism ONLY valid for these human bodies. ****It's got no metaphysical value.****
Too bad since Descartes is the basis of all modern western philosophy.
I dunno. I could be very rusty. :eek2:
When you look at the “theories” of karma and rebirth as a scientist, I think the most optimistic finding is that they are impossible to disprove. And that’s not very much.
My type of Buddhism embraces not-knowing as the core of the teaching.
So ultimately I don’t know anything. Doesn’t that make me a proper scientist?
Schopenhauer, Hume, and Nietzsche come to mind.
Schopenhauer most notably for his essay on the emptiness of existence. but also the will to life. - the parallel in buddhism being the teaching of emptiness as well as the idea of our reactive responses to things.
Nietzsche for both his questioning of common moral practices, nihilism, and the general process of taking nothing without rational consideration. - the parallel in buddhism being the idea of no god, the idea of a lack of meaning in events.
Hume for compatibility and bundle theory. - the parallel in buddhism being the five aggregates and the teaching of no "inner self" that we have free will despite our purely physical nature
these guys all described an aspect of Buddha's view of the world but Buddha told us what to do about it. I'll try and think of a few more but i g2g
If you walk far enough towards the West, you'll end up in the East.
Same thing if you turn around
Any suggestions?
What would be an argument FOR studying Western philosophy for a Buddhist?
Paul
Rebirth may be a little tougher to defend, but it can be seen as the continuation of the mind into another form, as determined by our thoughts/actions/virtue throughout time. If you believe that the mind is separate from the body, not based in physical form, then it doesn't seem so far fetched that it would be able to transmigrate from this life to another.
I'm going to start a new thread called Hippie talks about the universe. Check it out.
Besides, what you need these days is a good degree and you are far more likely to get a good degree in something you enjoy. If only I had known this the first time I went to university, and studied biochemistry because I thought it was better for my career! (I hated it).
However, you could always consider a join honours. My degree is in Social Sciences with politics, but a more popular degree is Psych/Phil (psychology and philosophy).
P.