[lit-ideas] Re: Why Philosophy. (Was: On Nip Thievery)
- From: cblists@xxxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 05:34:03 +0200
On 7-Jun-08, at 8:36 PM, John Wager wrote:
The first year I taught philosophy, a student committed suicide over
Christmas break, leaving behind a note saying that his reading of
the Phaedo (done in my intro philosophy class) had convinced him
that a "better place" awaited him. ... His death disturbed me
greatly, but I saw that the consequences of getting philosophy
wrong, or not taking it seriously, could literally be deadly. The
opposite would also have to be true: Doing philosophy well might
"save" someone from various kinds of death.
Who was it who claimed that reading Kant *prevented* him from
committing suicide? (It was not that he was convinced by Kant's
prohibition of suicide, but relieved by his solution to problems
generated by contemplation of such notions as eternity and infinity.)
Chris Bruce
Kiel, Germany
P.S.: My first draft of this message had me writing: "Who was it who
claimed that reading Kant *prevented* him from committing
*philosophy*?" !!!
-cb
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