# New kid on the block.
**URL:** https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931
**Category:** Non-Philosophical Chat
**Created:** [April 21, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931 "2008-04-21T16:46:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/1 "2008-04-21T16:46:05Z")
Hello…
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/2 "2008-04-21T16:56:14Z")
Hola.
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### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/3 "2008-04-21T17:03:27Z")
> [@Smears](#):
>
> Hola.
I should probally say more but I’ve never been great with introductions…
For now I’ll just say I like philosophy especially when it concerns with controversy.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/4 "2008-04-21T17:06:59Z")
You’ll fit right in then. No one here likes anything that isn’t controversial. Well, maybe a few people. Anyway, there’s a section where you can introduce yourself. Have fun posting. Welcome to ILP!
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### Author:  [@xzc](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/xzc)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/5 "2008-04-21T17:10:56Z")
Welcome. We’ve been in need of some fresh perspectives around here…
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/6 "2008-04-21T17:12:12Z")
Yeah. My perspective is pretty stale.
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### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/7 "2008-04-21T17:21:24Z")
Thanks for the welcome. I suppose you could call me a pessimist with a cynical bravado and flare when it comes to human events, whether or not that is a perspective being welcomed around here I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
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### Author:  [@xzc](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/xzc)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/8 "2008-04-21T17:24:22Z")
> [@Smears](#):
>
> Yeah. My perspective is pretty stale.
I wasn’t going to say anything, but yea…
A pessimist, you say? You’ll fit right in.
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### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/9 "2008-04-21T17:27:39Z")
> [@Erlir](#):
>
> > [@Smears](#):
> >
> > Yeah. My perspective is pretty stale.
>
> I wasn’t going to say anything, but yea…
>
> A pessimist, you say? You’ll fit right in.
> [@](#):
>
> A pessimist, you say? You’ll fit right in.
Neat.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/10 "2008-04-21T17:32:51Z")
> [@Erlir](#):
>
> > [@Smears](#):
> >
> > Yeah. My perspective is pretty stale.
>
> I wasn’t going to say anything, but yea…
>
> A pessimist, you say? You’ll fit right in.
Thanks. I needed that affirmation of my staleness.
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### Author:  [@IrvingWashington](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/IrvingWashington)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/11 "2008-04-21T17:51:43Z")
It would be cool if more people were willing to discuss academic philosophy. Then I could get them to tell me what to write in essays. I’ve tried a few threads recently but they’ve not got anywhere. I suppose the problem is that the stuff is so involved that if you haven’t happened to have read a particular guy you won’t get it. Wikipedia only goes so far.
I wish there were less pessimists.
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### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/12 "2008-04-21T17:55:57Z")
> [@IrvingWashington](#):
>
> It would be cool if more people were willing to discuss academic philosophy. Then I could get them to tell me what to write in essays. I’ve tried a few threads recently but they’ve not got anywhere. I suppose the problem is that the stuff is so involved that if you haven’t happened to have read a particular guy you won’t get it. Wikipedia only goes so far.
>
> I wish there were less pessimists.
> [@](#):
>
> It would be cool if more people were willing to discuss academic philosophy.
Academical such as what exactly?
> [@](#):
>
> I wish there were less pessimists.
Why is that? Pessimism seems pretty logical to me compared to all the other systems I have read about in my study of philosophy.
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### Author:  [@IrvingWashington](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/IrvingWashington)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/13 "2008-04-21T17:59:04Z")
You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what? What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe. Why choose pessimism? Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
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### Author:  [@SinisterUrge](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/SinisterUrge)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/14 "2008-04-21T18:45:27Z")
> [@IrvingWashington](#):
>
> You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
>
> Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what? What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe. Why choose pessimism? Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
> [@](#):
>
> You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
I’m not a college graduate. I mostly read philosophy during my own time.
> [@](#):
>
> Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what?
Personally I think pessimism is more realistic then idealistic forms of optimism.
> [@](#):
>
> What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe.
Interpretations of course.
> [@](#):
>
> Why choose pessimism?
It suits me personally.
> [@](#):
>
> Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
I think it all depends on the person projecting these sort of feelings.
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### Author:  [@xzc](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/xzc)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/15 "2008-04-21T18:56:53Z")
Has Joker been reincarnated
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/16 "2008-04-21T19:28:04Z")
> [@IrvingWashington](#):
>
> You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
>
> Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what? What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe. Why choose pessimism? Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
Let’s start a David Kellogg Lewis thread.
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### Author:  [@IrvingWashington](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/IrvingWashington)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/17 "2008-04-21T19:37:11Z")
Right, I don’t know much about him, but modal realism: whats the deal? Why did he think possible worlds exist?
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### Author:  [@IrvingWashington](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/IrvingWashington)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/18 "2008-04-21T19:38:30Z")
> [@SinisterUrge](#):
>
> > [@IrvingWashington](#):
> >
> > You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
> >
> > Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what? What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe. Why choose pessimism? Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > You know, modern analytic philosophy. The stuff they give you to read when you study philosophy at university.
>
> I’m not a college graduate. I mostly read philosophy during my own time.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Pessimism about what? Versus optimism about what?
>
> Personally I think pessimism is more realistic then idealistic forms of optimism.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > What is there to be pessimistic about? What is there to be optimistic about? These are just attitudes we choose to take towards our situation in the universe.
>
> Interpretations of course.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Why choose pessimism?
>
> It suits me personally.
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Optimism makes for a happier life. Its not going to affect the universe either way.
>
> I think it all depends on the person projecting these sort of feelings.
Exactly, it all depends upon the person projecting the feelings. Nothing makes us be pessimists or optimists. I choose to be more of an optimist. But we need to realise that the universe is neither out to get us or built with our needs in mind.
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### Author:  [@Xunzian](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Xunzian)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/19 "2008-04-21T19:42:35Z")
In another world, no one started that thread either. So the counterfactual remains false.
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### Author:  [@Mr\_Reasonable](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mr_Reasonable)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/new-kid-on-the-block/20931/20 "2008-04-21T19:44:48Z")
He thinks that assuming a priori a infinite number of possible worlds gives us a better framework for describing reality. He rejects the idea that he violates occams razor in that he thinks his theory explains more than the next guys simpler one, and so the worlds aren’t multiplied beyond necessity. The worlds are all concrete, because he doesn’t want to say anyone’s wrong, just that they’re confused about which world they’re in, and they’re causally isolated from one another, so you don’t have to think of them as bearing any impact on the one we call actual. I’ve been reading this dude for a good while now, just a bunch of articles that he’s done, but over the summer I’m doing “on the plurality of worlds” which is the big one where he defends modal realism. I think it’s really good stuff. I’ve read all the philosophy that everyone here has read and have been bored with most of it for some time.
I think alot of people avoid guys like Lewis because they know it might take years before they can speak about him with any authority. He also has a pretty good sense of humor. Which helps with the fact that some of his work is intimidatingly dense. He’s a materialist, an athiest, a monist, all the good stuff. And he’s written on almost every philosophical problem. It’s interesting to read one guy writing on all the things you’ve learned, because it sort of gives a unity to the things that may have seemed seperate before. He’s very consistent. I say we get some people to start reading and discussing.
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