17 July 2001
Is Philosophy Dangerous?
-- Andrew on the topic of Chuy's, Tex-Mex, and CA
I miss Chuy's more than some of my own family! :-)
-- Sean, on the same topic
A recurring theme of western political philosophy centers on the "danger" of philosophy. The theme has been present since Socrates, and is can be found throughout the canon of political philosophy. In rereading Rousseau's First Discourse recently, for example, I noticed Rousseau commenting on philosophy by proclaiming "What dangers there are!" A seemingly innocuous statement. One present in most of the greats. Something I hadn't even picked up on in Rousseau previously, and have probably missed in more subtle (and less subtle) formulations in other thinkers as well (the reason being that I instinctively DISAGREED with the notion, and that filtered my consideration of what it meant -- a violation of any good theory of textual analysis, albeit a common one).
Isn't the notion instinctively offensive, even abhorrent? Shouldn't the acquisition of knowledge (philosophic and otherwise) be regarded positively? Aren't education and enlightenment the keys to stamping out bad ideas and making the world a better, happier, more productive place? I think most of us influenced by Ayn Rand and/or the moderns instinctively have that reaction.
Recently, I've been questioning that instinctive reaction more and more, largely in response to Rousseau, partially in response to empirical observation. But yesterday, I went beyond questioning. For the first time, I BEHAVED as if philosophy is dangerous. Dangerous for some of the reasons Rousseau gives in the First Discourse, but moreso because of the implications (which he leaves unstated). I would have thought that such behavior would have been harder, that I would have questioned it more. But I didn't hesitate.
[Posted @ 01:46 PM CST]
