The philosophical activity PDF

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Philosophy is not an isolated activity of human life, since it has been linked to the main needs of man. Both philosophy, religion and myth seek to save the distance between man and the unknown, unmanageable, hostile world, in which he is lost; Making this world "a home" familiar and tidy ("Cosmos")...

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THE PHILOSOPHICAL ACTIVITY The philosophical activity is today a valid, necessary and relevant activity in the current society. Current opinions regarding philosophy: Retirement of Philosophy: Philosophical activity was essential in the past, but today it is meaningless. Disappearance of philosophy: Statement: Philosophical activity is totally meaningless, due to so many "nonsense" committed by it. Accordingly, and given the demand for "good sense" of the present world, philosophy has its days numbered (Schlick). Critique: For thousands of years and thousands of people have been devoted to philosophy and have been interested in it, without crossing it from "nonsense". "Nonsense" has given rise to knowledge as solid as modern science and technology. The river of philosophy has resulted in the Sea of Science: Philosophy has contributed to the progress of humanity, but it has fulfilled its historical destiny by disappearing in scientific knowledge (Allan Watts). Inefficiency of Philosophy: In our technical world, philosophy is ineffective because the technique demands practical results, and philosophy remains in pure theory. Philosophy is inhibited from the problems ACtuales: Statement: Philosophy turns its back on the serious and pressing problems of today's society, dedicating itself only to the analysis of technical problems, without elaborating guiding guidelines for the solution of the problems that afflict the men of the present day. Criticism: If this is true, it is logical to cross the philosophical activity of "nonsense", because the sense of philosophy is to respond to the problems of man in his time. Diagnosis of philosophical activity today: It is true that there is some disorientation and sterility in the current philosophy, but this is not reason enough to affirm categóricamete that the source has dried the philosophical inspiration. This fact is not new in the history of philosophy, and not so the philosophical activity has not reborn stronger. The scientific-technical civilization has given rise to fundamental contradictions, thwarting the hope of a liberation and transformation of human life. It is not the known nuclear "war", but of the war of dehumanization and degradation of daily life. This dissatisfaction and crisis that we live in consciences is the trigger to excite philosophical thought ("The owl of Minerva only embarks on the sunset Flight" Heguel).

The "sense" of philosophy today is to respond to the problems posed by scientific and technical development, trying to capture in reality a true human life "according to Reason". The foregoing constituted the goal and main goal of philosophy as it happened and replaced mythical thought. And if the current philosophers are not dedicated to the above, it is not the fault of philosophy WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? Difficulty understanding the nature of Philosophy: Although it is said that philosophers are dedicated to "philosophy", there is no agreement on what it is to do "philosophy": For some, it's something that needs no explanation, because it's obvious. For others, it is something that is defined by resorting to what is "not doing philosophy". Others do not give an answer because "doing philosophy" has meant throughout their lives, many "things", and they are not sure about it. Others give us a clear answer, but those answers are antagonistic to each other. Socrates said that "the principle of wisdom lies in knowing that nothing is known." In other words, the world of philosophy is more unknown than it is known to the philosopher. Traits common to all "philosophies" (what differentiates them from other human activities): Science cannot answer philosophical questions: Experimental Science (physics, Chemistry...) can establish "bad" definitions without affecting "scientific progress", given that there is a body of systematized knowledge and accepted methods to solve the problems historically Consolidated. Philosophy, on the other hand, does not "progress" to scientific mode, guaranteeing a body of absolute and immutable truths. The only thing that exists "perennial" in Philosophy is "philosophy" itself, and along with it, there are questions or problems that are always repeated throughout history, and which philosopher addresses with greater depth and rigor (simil: The layers of an onion): What is the nature of Universe? What is the nature of man? Does history walk towards a goal? Do you have a sense of man's life? Science has no answer to the above questions, because the "experimental" (laboratory) method has no place. Philosophy has to give an account of itself: The sciences do not need to urgently consider the nature of their activity. The musician to make music does not need to consider "What is Music?" Although it is true that many physicists, such as Heisenberg or Einstein have done so, belligerent on the foundations of their own knowledge, but at that time their activity ceases to be "science" to become "philosophy" (The Philosophy of science).

So the question about the nature of science is a matter outside of science itself. However, science can "progress" outside of knowing its own nature, and a scientist can be an excellent professional and ignore the nature of science. In philosophy it is not possible to "do philosophy" without seriously and rigorously considering the nature of its own activity. This question is an internal question to philosophy itself, not external to it. Philosophy is a "reflective", self-conscious knowledge, so the philosophical activity itself begins by analyzing the nature and the meaning of one's philosophy. But the foregoing does not exhaust all its energy, but it opens up to countless questions. Because philosophy does not fold over itself if it is not constituted previously. And the fact that philosophy is as old as the life of Man's history on Earth is sufficient to justify its validity. Consequently, his role is to understand the task he has had throughout the history of man, and at the present historical moment. Radical disagreement that seems to exist on each and every one of the philosophical approaches, of the methods of analysis and the proposed solutions (most characteristic trait): The variety and incompatibility of the points of view affects marginal aspects and also the philosophical activity itself (its ends and means). The philosophers, at times, are in a TOTAL disagreement in "What is Philosophy", and that causes the society not to "take seriously" the philosophers. First attempt to overcome this "chaos": Reduce Philosophy to "Science" (respectable profession) Basic Ideas: To equate both procedures in their rigorousness and accuracy. It is a nothing new attempt: Descartes, Leibniz, wanted the philosophy to "think" to geometric mode (more geometric); Husserl, I wanted it to be "true science." The most serious attempt has gone from the philosophy of "language" (Wittgenstein): Philosophy would be not a knowledge about the world, but a "knowledge of knowledge", this being its only purpose; This would reduce the philosophy to a "second order" activity, to an activity of conceptual analysis, and its result a clarification of the language (not a knowledge of the world). The philosophical activity would be unique and respectable. Philosophy detects the bad constructions of language, and unmasks many absurd philosophical theories. Reductionism in the philosophy of language: Almost the entire history of philosophy is eliminated, because the philosophical interest to "conceptual analysis" is "reduced", the rest of the philosophical "interests" are meaningless.

This attempt has not ended philosophical disagreements. Failure of the attempt to reduce philosophy to "strict science": Philosophy is not a science (as experimental science), nor can it be. Philosophical thought is manifested in a "personalistic" way: Subjectivity in philosophical activity prevents it from becoming "science", because it has been linked to the philosopher's personality. The "theoretical" philosophy is intimately linked to "practice", under penalty of losing course. Second attempt: to consider that philosophy does not have an "essential" nature: Basic Ideas: There are no traits or ensembles that are common only to all philosophical problems. Therefore, there is no essential nature of philosophical activity; Or look for it where it doesn't exist. The term philosophy, would have a value merely utilitarian, of label. Criticism: The fact that it is difficult to determine the nature of the philosophical activity does not mean that it does not. Although it is difficult to frame certain works as "philosophical" does not mean that there are clearly works of that nature. There is no "a" philosophy, but a philosophy of..., of....: That is to say a common way of addressing the diverse problems. DIAGNOSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE DIVERSITY OF PHILOSOPHIES. "Disagreements between philosophies" cannot be eliminated: The attempts made in the past and in the present to do so have failed. Therefore, the sensible thing is to understand and value it, because it is "essential" to the philosophical activity. This fact, the only thing that proves is that philosophy is not a science in the way that the experimental sciences of today are, and it cannot be raised as a motive for rejecting philosophy. Philosophical disagreement is fatal to those who seek philosophy to offer them the immutable truth, a definitive definition of everything. Thus, the history of philosophy appears as a succeeding (born-dying) of philosophical schools, each one "crushes" to the previous school and is "nullified" by the following. Every philosophy that has pretended to be the last, the only and definitive,.... has ended in failure. A new vision of philosophy:

Philosophy cannot be seen as a gallery of opinions (Hegel), but we have to find a new perspective. We must see in history and examine why they philosophized, why it was necessary to philosophize, ie, we will not see simply "The film of Philosophy", but the "why the film was made". So we will see the role it had in the past and the role that today has philosophy. The philosophies of the past cannot respond to our problems today (different needs), but the thoughts of the past offer us "seeds" that can germinate in today's land, and offer shelter to the problems of personal, social life,.... It is a matter of seeing why and why they philosophized, and not so much the specific content of this or that philosophy. THE ORIGINS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT: Why go to the origins? We seek the reason why philosophy is born, and nothing better to contemplate it than to go to the original source, and not so much for being scholars or the mystery that it encloses. Philosophy wasn't born out of nothing. In the philosophical activity there is a historical continuity, and one cannot understand the current philosophy without seeing its connection with the past. "Western" philosophy is the daughter of Greek philosophy: the "Atomic" era, the "philosophy".... Even in words and see this influx. And the nature of a historical reality is nothing other than the particular ways of his birth (Vico). And although today we talk about the "scientific philosophy" as opposed to the "pre-scientific" (before the TWENTIETH century), philosophy as activity "critical" and "creative", which seeks to answer the current problems, is "a-scientific". Why did philosophy arise? Change of course in thought: Philosophy, religion and myth: Philosophy is not an isolated activity of human life, since it has been linked to the main needs of man. Both philosophy, religion and myth seek to save the distance between man and the unknown, unmanageable, hostile world, in which he is lost; Making this world "a home" familiar and tidy ("Cosmos"). Religion and myth may not be "true" but they always have a "sense". And although religion, myth and philosophy are three ways of interpreting the world and man; The ways to undertake this interpretation ("hermeneutics") are different: The myth or legend is part of a desiderativo reasoning; the invocation religion; Philosophy has its demonstrative reasoning (rational, based on "logos" or logical rationality). That change of mind was given in Greece: in it was born the human reason (logos), and with it sought to solve the problems and human needs. The world of the gods will lose prominence, to give it to man. Fate will no longer be in the hands of the deity, but of the

fragile and uncertain human will. The chaotic and unknown world will become "Cosmos" ordained for human reason. The change, is done by the philosophers, who replace the priests and prophets. The philosopher is not presented neither as "inspired", nor as "possessor of the divine truth", but "invested of the reason" able to examine things by themselves and to initiate the path of philosophy and science. Why did philosophy arise? Religion, myth and philosophy seek to respond to practical needs. When religion and mythology are not enough to meet new demands and needs; When the arbitrary and capricious view of religion does not serve to ensure control over the world..... The conditions for the change of course are given in that society. That change of course was the recourse to the "reason" that seeks the true and effective word. He's looking to touch real, real things. Only truth is objective and effective; And only she liberates the man from slavery in the face of the powers of nature. The search for scientific rationality that seeks to understand nature is the requirement for man to own his own destiny. The first philosophers understood that true efficacy, which justifies the activity of thinking, was only possible with rational reflection. In other words, there is no opposition between "interpreting" (theory) and "transforming" (practice) the world; The real interpretation gives us the key to its transformation. It is true that practical efficacy is not immediately visible, nor often possible, that sometimes the efficacy of a line of intellectual reflection can take centuries or even the utterly barren effort, but it is no less true that the philosophical activity and are constituted in the only guarantee of real progress for individuals and societies. The genius of the first philosophers, who sought real solutions to the problems of the society in which they lived, consisted of: To warn that the purely practical spirit fleeing from the theory was enormously limited, as was the "popular wisdom" based on the simple accumulation of experiences, which was full of superstitious and routine elements that would impede progress. To fall into the account of this, is what made the Greeks the creators of philosophy and science. Not limited, as other peoples did, in accumulating data and procedures of all kinds for daily life, but they sought to understand the REASON for all that, through intellectual reflection, and thus created the foundations of Western civilization. Since old has been described the theoretical activity as "useless" (such of Miletus, looking to the sky fell in the one well). But as Aristotle says, only true knowledge can be effective, and it is the only form of true efficacy. (Such was enriched with its prediction of abundant harvest of olives). The first philosophers were convinced that if they wanted to dominate and change the world, they had to change the ideas; And that building the "polis" (city-state) required new intellectual property, that myths and religion were not able to offer. Therefore, they endeavored to seek a new theoretical order, and thus began the first babbling to establish

a new formulation, in rational terms, of the universe and to constitute a new political and moral order based on a spirit of rationality and objectivity. This new vision began by rejecting the old ways of thinking contained in the great poetic creations, especially in Homer (true educator of the people). That is why philosophy appears as a critique of the contents (not the form) of poetry. But overcoming the content also led to a change in the style of language: It appears as sober, simple and austere. These linguistic notes do not perish the charm of the philosophical style (Alcibiades, it presents Socrates like the "Pied Piper" of Marias, which Embelesaba). The critique that philosophy makes to poetry is that it is incapable of attaining the objectivity and precision that practical life demands. The solutions that the epic Homeric offers are lacking in rigor, and it doesn't really solve the problems. However, the impersonation of poetic thought by the philosophical did not pose the total rupture of traditional thinking. This step was slow, and we are currently immersed in this change: the passage from "Mythos" to "logos". How did the first philosophers understand their philosophical activity? They never thought that philosophy was a purely critical, or "destructive" activity. They sought to offer solutions to the problems of a particular society, and that compels them to exercise criticism against the superstition and prejudices of mythical-religious consciousness. But they look for results. And they wanted and largely succeeded, to replace the old model of culture and civilization with a new one: a new order and a new man. With their activity they do not intend to reveal the problematic of the existence of the world, of Man; Nor dynamite the ancient and unsound certainties. They did not pretended to be consumed in an eternal search, always unsatisfied; But to consummate in rational knowledge. They did not see in philosophy a purely speculative activity, like an escape from the world to immerse themselves in ethereal thoughts, or "to know by knowing". They sought to respond to real demands and solve specific problems; Dominate and possess nature, only means to provide men with their well-being. Consequences for the philosophical activity today: Philosophy cannot be reduced to a purely speculative activity and lacking any virtuality for practical life (Callicles cast this in the face of Socrates). Plato replies that philosophy leads to a wise and just life, a way of avoiding the "evils" of humanity. Philosophy does not pretend that the philosopher is "happy", but that the whole "polis" is. The intellectual effort is aimed at the human well-being: "Vain is the word of the philosopher who does not alleviate human suffering" (Epicurus); Being the best remedy for this relief the true knowledge of nature. The love of men, demands a will of truth and knowledge.. The dignity of human "thought" is not a good in itself, but this "power" must be oriented to the full development of man: "Philosophy is the use of knowledge for the benefit of Man" (Plato). The ideal of the philosopher "is not to be an artist of the reason, but the legislator

of the human Reason" (Kant). However, the theory cannot be sacrificed or absorbed by action, which still needs thought, and especially philosophical thought. THE INITIATORS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT: WHAT WAS HIS PHILOSOPHY? Philosophy and science do in Greek culture. Why was he born? Where are you born? It is not born in continental Greece, but in the coastal and insular (on the coasts of Asia minor): There were given the favorable conditions for the audacity to break the vague and confusing mythological-religious representations, and to initiate a new route of the thought. Trade, political freedom, the spirit of adventure and risk, typical of sailing peoples, is the breeding ground of philosophy. Especially Miletus, opulent commercial city, founder of colonies (6TH century a.J.) who gives birth to the first philosophers Objective of your activity: They reject all forms of mythical thought, to respond to the need of the Society of Miletus. Its objectives were eminently practical, set by the founding of the colonies. They were political advisers, colonization technicians and truth Masters. Looking for the truth of things, they seek to clarify the many phenomena with which travelers and colonizers were to find. His science of nature is intended to dominate the world making it intelligible, eliminating the mysterious and unknown factors, so that men knew at all times exactly what to abide. In seeking the real causes of things, they want to remove the unknown from their mystery, making it familiar to man. (Such, predicts the eclipse of the year 58...