MISTAKEN BELIEFS ABOUT PHILOSOPHY (MISCONCEPTIONS)
"Oh gosh! How can I dine in the table of the occult? I mean what do you think I would tell my mom, that I'm studying what! Philosophy? No, no, no.... I mean my parents wouldn't have let me rest. Philosophy is worst than hell" said Jane a 16years old girl during a conversation with her friends.
I would have taken it as a mere adolescent talk but getting in touch with Jane's parents I realized that Jane was serious in her remarks. Maybe Mom and Dad had given Jane a pre-orientation about Philosophy but on a negative angle.
People always have a negative way of defining things hence creating a negative impression about such things. The case is not different about Jane and her parents.
Not only Jane have this Mistaken Beliefs about Philosophy other people does have the same. Perhaps, you also have.
Philosophy isn't how Jane and her parents see it. What they think about Philosophy is a Mistaken Beliefs, in other words, Misconceptions.
In this article, we shall address some of the Mistaken Beliefs about Philosophy.
This is to enable the beginners in Philosophy to clear their minds on the negative perceptions they earlier had about Philosophy.
WHAT IS MISCONCEPTIONS?
The word Misconception can be seen as a Mistaken Belief or wrong idea about a certain thing or things.
WHAT ARE THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PHILOSOPHY?
There are several common misconceptions about Philosophy. Below are some commonly known wrong idea or mistaken Belief about Philosophy.
1. A Discipline based on Argument:
People sees Philosophy as a discipline which engages much on Argument.
To a road side readers who has encountered with the word Philosophy on a reading stand, the first thing that would runs in his mind when asked "who Philosophers are?" Would be perhaps "Philosophers are people who argue extensively"
Does this really depict who Philosophers are? What really do we understand by argument?
It is true that Philosophers argue, but they engage only with constructive and sound arguments. This means that any argument which is not aiming at providing solutions to a certain phenomenon, a Philosopher would not engage himself.
Some persons mistaken the word argument to be a fight in a sports center, a conversation in a market, a shout for ones voice to be heard and, or, a verbal extensive disagreement. All these are not what Philosophical arguments stand for.
Philosophical arguments deals with a process of reasoning aims at providing solutions to some issues been raised.
In other words, any argument which appears to be absurd, silly, ridiculous or nonsensical, a Philosopher would not engage himself in such Argument.
2. Question Bank Discipline:
Some persons thinks that Philosophy is a discipline which only ask questions but not providing answers.
This is a Mistaken Belief as far as Philosophy is concern.
The fact is that Philosophy firstly addresses our minds as to what the problem is before going to the remedies for the problems.
It is a discipline that takes to know firstly the nature of things by the use of "What, how, and why" before getting to the remedies.
Philosophy is seriously committed to answering the basic questions of life, or at least provide an alternative to tackle the questions been raised.
3. A Discipline for the Occult:
Just as Jane said she can't dine with the Occult people, it is true that a lot of people sees Philosophy as a discipline which centers on Mysticism. No.. this is not what Philosophy is.
The fact is that, Philosophy deals with everything, but everything is not Philosophy. All human beings can be animals but not all animals are human beings.
Philosophers thinks about many things, this gives them the ability to have clear visions.
Moreover, there is a branch of Philosophy known as Metaphysics which means the science of beings. Through Metaphysics, Philosophy can examine what the Occult people do but that does not means they are part of it.
4. Serious Thinkers:
Some people see Philosophers as those who engages seriously in thinking and for this reason, have no time for leisure.
5. Light Reading:
Philosophy is also seen by some people as a light Reading. People see Philosophy as a book you just read at leisure time.Etc.
Be it Occult, light Reading, arguments or whatever.. the fact is that these are just a mere Mistaken Belief about Philosophy.
Philosophy actually deals with the deepest aspect of life. Only a man in the Philosophical realm can understand very well what philosophy is.
Philosophy is Philosophy not what people think.
The list of misconceptions of Philosophy are numerous. Different people have different misconceptions about Philosophy. Let's here from you, how does people in your area see Philosophy? Is their claims true about Philosophy?
Well said Sir.
ReplyDeleteI also had so many misconceptions too about philosophy especially when I got admitted. At a time my uncle told me that philosophy is about religion that we just argue about God's existence and religious topics that I should just forget about studying such course since I won't really gain anything from it
But just the first day i attended lectures as a philosophy student i was amazed like really this course is nice i mean just that day i gained so much knowledge on academics, politics, ethics, morals and many more not the religion religion that i was told. Now I've understood and come to realize that the misconceptions I had HV been clarified. Philosophy has deeper truths and is vast when it comes to gaining knowledge on diverse areas of life than just religion which is portrayed on the surface. M loving philosophy already. I really appreciate, thanks so much for this write up.