Philosophy Stack Exchange
Philosophy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [metaphilosophy]

Metaphilosophy is the philosophical study of philosophy itself — its goals, methods, scope, and relationship to other intellectual disciplines or human projects.

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Why should I read about philosophy?

My knowledge of philosophy is probably only a bit greater than an average person's. I am a trained mathematician so I have the basic knowledge of mathematical logic. I know more or less what modal logic is, but I definitely don't know much about it.…
ymar
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Where one should draw a line between X and Philosophy of X?

It seems clear to many scholars which issues belong to philosophy-of-X and which rather belong to X. And sometimes it is indeed obvious when some given issue is for example mathematical or physical and has little to do with philosophizing. But I…
L.M. Student
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Are there clearly defined limits to philosophy?

How can you define the difference between for example Math and Philosophy and Sociology or Biology. What makes a philosophical question a philosophical question. Is this clearly defined?
DisplayName
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Are we studying philosophy or philosophers?

In science, if one asks the question "What is the structure of DNA?", rarely will one get the answer "According to Watson and Crick, it's twin-helical". Similarly, a chemistry course does not begin by studying Aristotle's theory of the elements and…
user22791
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Is philosophy bad for you (if taken too literally)?

Hume seemed to prove that we are not justified in believing our inductions. Popper, who is very popular among scientists, thought that statements are only ever falsified. Moral error theorists say anything goes. While these sorts of positions aren't…
user67521
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Would philosophy be useless if there were a box of answers?

All of the ideas are mine, I don't know a lot about philosophy's terms, I'll be clear and I'll speak in human's terms. Imagine someday everything is normal, kids going to schools, doctors going to hospitals, and philosophers going to their bedrooms…
HAMDI ABDERRAHMENE
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Can a philosopher philosophize without logic?

Logic, which I mean as the system or subject not the adjective; like modal propositional logic, etc., and not an adjective stating rationality, sense of thinking, common sense, etc. Perhaps we all know who Nietzsche is. For me he is the most unique…
Poli
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What is the goal and toolset of philosophy?

I'm beginning to realize that I might have misconseptions about philosophy in general. Is it to question and contend indefinitely or is there a goal? I thought the goal was truth. While I'm at it, also what is the "philosophical toolkit"? I thought…
QWERTY_dw
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What, if any, are the differences between materialism and empiricism?

Are the differences, if they exist merely semantic ("First World War" vs "World War One") or are they more substantial; for example one's a historical trend and the other's a broader philosophical system? Speaking only as philosophical amateur I…
Luke Isham
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Can we do anything we want in philosophy?

This is maybe kind of an odd question, and it's related to my metaphysics controversies question. In philosophy (to be honest mostly in metaphysics, but also in philosophy as a whole), it seems like many philosophers can make entire philosophical…
Yechiam Weiss
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Is formal education required to fully grasp (academic/analytic) philosophy?

If a person has access to all the readings but lack (peer/mentor)-interaction under formal setting (e.g: university, cutting-edge seminar...), is this auto-didactic study likely to fail (e.g: lead to an incomplete, warped understanding) ? Do…
onion
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Is philosophy primarily about proving things to the best of our ability?

I would have assumed that philosophy is in the business of proving things, or doing so as best as the philosopher can. But Ryle 1959 says Obviously both can't be true, unless Ryle is talking about some esoteric sense of proof, or I am. wikipedia…
user38026
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What is the order of questions?

I have heard the importance of "The order of questions" mentioned a few times by for example Bernard Stiegler in one of his seminars. I am working on a Phd, and it is being drummed into me framing the question is important, and so of course it…
Henry Story
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Philosophical responses to possible biases in the philosophical canon?

Philosophy is supposedly universal, but nearly all of the accepted western philosophical canon has been created by affluent white European men. Are there (canonical) philosophers who have directly interrogated how their own position in society (in…
user22791
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Can philosophy justify itself?

There are some scientists who claim that philosophy is useless: Lawrence Krauss, Lewis Wolpert, Stephen Hawking and so on. Science is a better method for our quest for knowledge, they said. Some answer that science cannot justify itself, because it…
Vinicius Rodrigues
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