Is philosophy for mass consumption?

[kvnchrist]

I've been reading about the history of Philosophy to it strikes me as strange that something I took as a personal journey into a manner of thinking has seeming morphed into something more akin to group speak where more and more people think less and less as individuals and more as a idealist mob.

Is there a point when Philosophy becomes Ideology and if it does, does it server the purposes of understanding or indoctrination?

[Lisnpuppy]

I think philosophy and ideology are polar opposites. Philosophy implies a certain amount of introspection, questioning and self-awareness of the individual even if the philosophy is being discussed by a group.

 

With an ideology the will and introspection is traded off for the group mindset and self-awareness given over to the ideology itself. It implies no self-thought or self-doubt no questioning as the individual has given these thing up for the comfort of no longer having to think for themselves.

[kvnchrist]

The Websters dictionary has two definitions of Philosophy:

 

(1) the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.

 

(2) a particular set of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.

 

I don't usually use dictionary definitions but me lacking a better description was forced to do so.

 

I understand the first one, but I am most concerned about the second. The idea that the search will lead the seeker to a source that will instill their own set of truths, knowledge and the nature and meaning of life in the seeker. If it comes to pass that these sets of truths are taken as absolutes without further thought would that not be ideology?

[Lisnpuppy]

The definition does not speak of your worry. A person can be a part of a group that studies a philosophy and come away with whatever they wish. As people we are never not impacted by what those around us say but having a philosophy or someone studying a philosophy doesn't mean that it will become ideology.

 

Since we are working from some definitions here is the Oxford definition for ideology:

 

noun

• 1 (plural ideologies) A system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy: the ideology of republicanism
• 1.1The ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a group, social class, or individual: a critique of bourgeois ideology
• 1.2 • archaic Visionary speculation, especially of an unrealistic or idealistic nature.

I assume you are concerned about a sociopolitical ideology in which one person shares their vision of things and this is readily accepted by the masses. It could be argued I suppose that philosophy can be the basis of an ideology but the fundamental difference is that philosophy implies a level of self-thought and an ideology is the conformity of thought.

The etomology of the word philosophy comes from the Greek philosophia meaning love of wisdom. It developed from the Greek philosophos which was a person or sage that speculated the nature of truth...like Socrates for example. Who though his teachings were where he questioned everything..he was ultimately silenced.

So your worry of philosophy to the masses as one truth is something that had been fought for and against for all of humanity. This is not a new thing. The mass information age just makes it easier for more folks to take a belief or set of beliefs and turn it from a questioning "of truth" to "a truth" to "the only truth." Every major religion does this. Most political ideals are this. When the people stop thinking and philosophizing is where these things take hold. We need to encourage thinking and questioning and the search especially in our young. To not just accept things as true and on face value. But to educate yourself and study and question.

A quote:

Dogmatism and skepticism are both,

in a sense,

absolute philosophies;

one is certain of knowing,

the other not knowing.

What philosophy should dissipate is certainty,

whether of knowledge or ignorance.

~Bertrand Russell