What's The Point?

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
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On ILP people relentlessly argue their points in response to other people’s questions and comments. We all have out own opinions, and they seem to dictate a lot of what we discuss. Some of us are more pushy or more hostile about other people’s opinions, but this is life. Everyone seems to push their own opinions as true (and indeed they are true to us) as if they were ‘the’ truth. But my question is, why?

I, myself, have come here and contributed. I add to threads (sometimes take away), express opinions and argue with people over theirs. But I have not been, par se, convinced of much I did not already have. Certainly my eyes have been opened to other viewpoints, and some of my previously shaky arguments have been revised and are now much more suppostable.

Is the point of messaging here merely to flex your philosophy muscle? Are we here to show everyone else ‘the light’ of our own enlightenment? Is it just to see what other people are thinking and how it interacts with out own thoughts? Or are we merely here just to have someone to argue with over semantic things that no one else can understand.

Any thoughts? Why are YOU here? Have you been convinced of anything? Has so-and-so said something so profound that you have completely changed a view you have had? Or are you just that smart and need to let some of it go to us mortals?

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I like to flex my philosophy muscle. What I get involved with here I use for fuel when i attend meetings at my club at school. We discuss similar things there.

The only thing that really bothers me is that people here try to be so smart and careful in what they say (at least i hope they are careful) that they don’t bother to spell check, or see if they have used “their” “they’re” or “there” correctly. Firefox has a spell checker just like Word does. Check it out.

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I’m here because I love philosophy.

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I am here to learn. I am also here to focus and clarify what I already know, or think I know.

And I do this because I enjoy it.

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i am here cause its fun…to argue …
ha!
and i learn sometimes…and meet cool people like sauwelios and i question myself further with opposing arguments.
which i usually end up beating :wink:

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im here because most of my mates think im in cuckoo land

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This is my answer too.

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Personally I like debating as a form of self educating myself and trying to understand other people’s beliefs no matter how much I dislike them.

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But we also believe that, just for different reasons.

But do you think you can be convinced by other people’s arguments? Is this understanding mainly to strengthen your own or to possibly see if your arguments need revision or possible restructuring?

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lol, true. but to be seen in cuckoo land due to disagreement is far less frustrating than being in there due to unintelligibility!

And another thing, philosophy (and ILP!) is a refuge for those tormented in a world full of people who just scurry around, never once bothering or being capable of wondering what the fuck is going on!

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I find I am very good at convincing myself of what I think. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that what I think is worth thinking. ILP helps me separate the wheat from the chaff. The exposure to differing viewpoints has also deepened by understanding of how and why people think the way they do.

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Hello Blue chicken. I would have said Blue Chiggen but I see people here frown upon speeling mistakes. Although I have gotten rather good at my mistakes. Anywhere where was I? Oh yeah… I like Pink chickens but blue is good. :smiley:

Why would you be here? Logically why would you be on the internet talking to people you have no idea who they are anyway? Not logical at all.
Now to me, each person in this universe has learned so much in however many years they have been. In that you can discuss, argue all you want but if you think you are always right then you will miss out on most of what is out there. Even if you find you are going to continue on the same way of thinking, dont shut all the doors that are before you. One of them may lead you beyond where the you are.

Then again I think I live next to Standard23

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Through opinions, questions, answers and debates we are all searching for one common goal, if we can figure out everything that’s wrong, we will eventually arrive at what is right.

It’s kind of like what Ben Franklin said when he was having trouble creating the incandescent light bulb, “I have not failed, I’ve merely figured out 1,000 ways how to not make an incandescent light bulb.”

I think that the same statement goes well with philosophy, we will never know the absolute truth about everything in our lifetimes, but if we can figure out enough about what isn’t true, we are inching closer and closer to that possibly unreachable truth.

I don’t come here to win. In my opinion, many of you, (if not a simple majority) are more intelligent than I am, so I come to learn from you. I usually don’t have a whole lot to say unless something said is blatantly wrong.

Ultimately, arguing is one aspect of it that’s fun, (win, lose or draw) because it gives me the ability to test my own logical reasoning against that of another person, and ultimately, I walk away having gained something. I’ve never lost an argument, I’ve only been proven wrong, in the confines of human communication I believe that everything is a gain. Therefore, I’ve been beaten in arguments, but I’ve never lost.

There is much emphasis being put on defending one’s own opinion, believe it or not, sometimes just for fun, I defend the side that I disagree with. It keeps me balanced, as does this site and all of you wonderful, intelligent people.