Philosophers: more than bearded intellectuals

[Sweeney]

5. Sort of wrong

to think of philosophy as some sort of activity outside of normal human behavior. In fact philosophy is central to our human experience and everyone from children to old age practice some sort of philosophical activity. Small p philosophy does not count for much, kind of like small f faith. People find out what works and seems to make sense, and then think no more about it. Still they have their methods and their prejudices as do we all. If they hear a mouse trap snap, they don't expect to find a cat. What fits with their picture of reality is kept and other stuff is rejected, and this is philosophy, and it is general and ongoing.

Is it possible to do it better? No doubt; but no one has a monopoly on wisdom. and the living of a complete life is something few professional philosophers have proved good at. Any effort that is all head and no heart is doomed to failure. The common man and women are forced by their condition to reason without knowledge, but they are no worse of than those having knowledge without reason, or reason without emotion. Anyone who thinks they are doing for God or any other abstraction should better help their friends. Philosophy is by people for people, or it is not philosophy.

Thanks...Sweeney