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08/09/2005: Gem o'the Day:
From additions to Brian Weatherson's Silly Talk about Philosophy thread since I mentioned it yesterday, I like this one from one "Robert H.", talking about his Oxford tenure:
Sir [Lordship]: And what have you been studying whilst here at Oxford?Though "the systematic justification of everything you already knew" sounds a bit like F.H. Bradley's classic "definition" of metaphysics as "The finding of bad reasons for what we believe on instinct." I wonder if Robert was engaging in a deliberate homage to Bradley, or if this is just another data point in support of the proposition that there is no such thing (anymore) as a truly original idea.
Moi: Philosophy and Mathematics.
SL: Mmm, right, I've never really understood what that is ... so just what is philosophy, actually?
M: Hmm, how shall I answer you with a single short sentence? ... Philosophy is ... the systematic justification of everything you already knew.
SL: [Face registers happy surprise:] Ho! I like that!"
Len on 08.09.05 @ 09:02 AM CST
