Who Is Your Favorite Philosopher?

Comte De Maistre

[ComtedeMaistre]

That was the question that George W. was asked in the 2000 campaign. Unfortunately, the questioner failed to provide a precise definition of how to define a philosopher.

A useful definition of a philosopher is anybody who has ever written a book on ideas. Anybody. Whether he is an economist, theologian, politician, mathematician, soldier, boxer, musician, historian, artist, psychologist, sociologist, anthropologist, biologist, physicist, athlete, etc, etc, etc.

Yes, I do recognize Yogi Berra as a notable philosopher. Even Barry Goldwater, notwithstanding the fact that his book, "Conscience of a Conservative" was ghost-written for him.

Certainly, if some of the well-read freepers know of philosophers noted for conservative ideas, their contributions are certainly welcome.

For my part, my favorite philosopher is the anti-enlightenment thinker, Joseph de Maistre (also known as Comte de Maistre). I regard him as the most authentic conservative intellectual of all time. Reading his works made me realize how the spread of moral relativism can endanger civilization.

[DoctorMichael]

Why are you being so testy? Read your own tagline, and heal thyself.

Just more "deflection", I see.

Do you feel that you are so full of Liberal self-esteem, carelessness and selfishness that you can just insult people here at FreeRepublic. You must feel REAL proud of yourself that you can do this in a chat room.

On the contrary, it is you that is the mean, rude person.

Do you also feel that you can make assertions without being able to back them up?

I'm still waiting for a link to the article and who the author was. You seemed pretty sure of yourself when you were making those misspelled remarks.

[annyokie]

LOL ME, liberal?

I'm sorry my poor spelling offends you. If I had the link I'd have sent it to you, as previously stated.

Just because I don't think much of Rand is no reason for you to call me a liar, twice, BTW.

[GaConfed]

I think Plato's description of the perfect government in the Republic was just his way of letting you know that perfect anything on this earth is an impossibility. His perfect government was absurd, and I think he meant it to be that way. The philosopher king is a perfect man, and as you know, none of us are perfect. Only God is perfect. In Plato's train of thought the phiolosopher king and his government are in the relm of the Forms. It is just an Idea that we all reach for but never attain in its pure perfection. However, the saving grace for mankind is that even though perfection will never be attained, the more effort one puts into achieving perfection, the closer he will come to it. I gather from reading about everything he ever wrote that this is what Plato meant by "living the good life."

[DoctorMichael]

More deflections.

You cavalierly insult people (Post #81) for having an opinion you don't hold based on falsehoods you can't back up............I'd call THAT having about as much credibility as a cold bucket of spit.

[Michael Barnes]

Who Is Your Favorite Philosopher?

He was by no means a Philosopher, but Douglas Adams had a way with words; and time lines...

[Arrowhead]

Henry David Thoreau

Who said, "Little minded peoples thoughts move in such small circles that five minutes conversation with them is enough to determine their whole curve. The arc of a large intellect does not sensibly differ from a straight line."

Arrowhead-----big government---->

[b4its2late]

I still have it on a t-shirt from college 20 years ago -- it's such a favorite line of mine that I refuse to ever throw the tattered thing out!

I don't blame you. And if it ever gets to a point where it doesn't fit you any longer, frame it.

[Commander8]

Aristotle.

[nonliberal]

Aristotle and Ayn Rand

[nonliberal]

We got our Philosophy prof drunk one night and he started blurting out unpostable things abour Heiddeger.

[Helms]

Thank you so much for pinging me. I f I had to say in what shoes of a Major Philosopher I would have to say Karl Popper.

But the philosopher that I most admire is probably Schopenhauer-he lived.

No Hegel for me.

[Helms]

Nicely said!....Philosophy is a broad field and its hard to chose your timeline. Losts of passion in the 19th century-lots of ideologies we still carry around.

[Helms]

For mental stimulation - Nietsche.

You may want to leave his mind at about the age of 40.

[Helms]

We got our Philosophy proof drunk one night and he started blurting out unpostable things about Heidegger.

LOL.... probably the only opportunity he had. Heidegger still lives in France, so to speak.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Monty Python, from memory:

"Immanuel Kant was a real pissant,
who was very rarely stable
Heidigger was a boozy beggar who could drink you under the table,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene De Carte was a drunken fart,
"I drink therefore I am!"