Theses for discussion on "anti-philosophy". 1. All (or nearly all) great philosophers are "anti-philosophical" in the sense that they are against much or most of what passes for philosophy; and not only against because its content is false or mistaken but because its content lacks much value. 2. Nevertheless their own views can be regarded as philosophical - more aptly than they can be regarded as something other than philosophy such as science or art. 3. The stance of being "anti-philosophical" is as old as philosophy itself: we may say that, at its most valuable, it represents the critical tendency to question the value of philosophy itself, and to question its character and status - to apply the philosophical mode of thought, where this might be regarded as the mode of critical reflection, to philosophy itself. Indeed, the "anti-philosophical" views of the great philosophers were put forward to develop and enhance what is worthwhile in philosophy by trying to make clear what is not worthwhile. 4. We may say that the "anti-philosophical" stance becomes uncritical when it is used as a way to deflate any attempt at philosophy irrespective of its content (and therefore of its possible value) - indeed, this stance is uncritical to the extent that it fails to see that it is itself unavoidably a philosophical stance, albeit one held (largely) uncritically. 5. We all, whether critically or uncritically, have beliefs and attitudes that may be best described as philosophical - and these may even have an important practical effect on the conduct of human affairs, including possibly disastrous effects [e.g. the philosophical roots of 'historicism' and 'fascism']. This makes understanding and appreciating these beliefs and attitudes, and their merits and demerits, something that is potentially illuminating of our human life and also something that may be of great practical consequence for how we conduct our life. 6. Nevertheless we typically find the pursuit of philosophical knowledge comes to a point beyond which it is hard to to advance much further, and so a law of diminishing returns may operate in terms of philosophy as an advance in knowledge. On the other hand, much of the value of philosophy may lie - as with art and even science (when considered as a purely intellectual product) - not in some kind of measurable 'advance' but as a pursuit enhancing our appreciation of life and its wonders Donal Soothsayer and ancient Celt spirit Available for children's parties ________________________________ From: "Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx" <Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx> To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, 23 August 2012, 3:18 Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Eric Banks's Antiphilosophical Philosophy It seems the antiphilosophical philosophy is Eric Banks's? Cheers, Speranza --- Banks is the former editor in chief of Bookforum and currently the president of the National Book Critics Circle. In a message dated 8/22/2012 9:49:07 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx writes: From a review of Witold Gombrowicz's diary. Literature, philosophy, Lit-Ideas > > >Whatever confessions fill these pages, they are as philosophical as they are >personal, though in Gombrowicz’s universe the two can never be neatly >separated. It would slight his arsenal of caustic bad humor to say he >reserved the driest of his ammunition for those who would philosophize from >on high, but he savaged the engagé model of the intellectual with special >glee whenever the occasion arose. Look at how he pulled the rug out from >under Sartre: >When I applied maximum consciousness to life, in an attempt to found my >existence on [authenticity], I noticed that something stupid was happening to >me. Too bad, but no way. It can’t be done. It seems impossible to meet the >demands of Dasein and simultaneously have coffee and croissants for an >evening snack. To fear nothingness, but to fear the dentist more. To be >consciousness, which walks around in pants and talks on the telephone. To be >responsibility, which runs little shopping errands downtown. >This dismissal of all philosophy “speculated in isolation from life” would >carry much less of a spark had it not come from a writer who had studied >philosophy as a young man in Paris, whose Ferdydurke was championed as a kind >of naive but no less sage anticipation of the postwar gospels holding sway on >the Left Bank, who in fact peddled a course in philosophy in Buenos Aires as >a way to help supplement his income. Yet how decisively Gombrowicz lets the >air out of the philosophical balloon! >It's cranking up to be another blistering August day in Yokohama. > > >Cheers, > > >John > >-- >John McCreery >The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN >Tel. +81-45-314-9324 >jlm@xxxxxxxxxxxx >http://www.wordworks.jp/ >