Re:A Victoria man has gone two decades without money
by mgraczyk on Sunday July 25, 2021 @11:40AM
(#27949962)
I don't think it's accurate to claim that ethics follows moral philosophy, and certainly most philosophers would not endorse that viewpoint. Philosophy doesn't tell society how to improve or behave. Philosophy helps question and understand, it hasn't historically been a driver of change.
Re:A Victoria man has gone two decades without money
by wizzwizz4 on Sunday July 25, 2021 @02:28PM
(#27951610)
> Philosophy helps question and understand, it hasn't historically been a driver of change.
Why do you say understanding isn't a driver of change? It seems to be pretty important to me.
Re:A Victoria man has gone two decades without money
by wizzwizz4 on Sunday July 25, 2021 @11:52AM
(#27950063)
Driver? No. Heck, I hardly know any philosophers. But most of our big ideas were written down by a philosopher and then, decades later, read by to-be-important people at the beginnings of a social movement.
Social philosophy influences societal change, by providing ideas. Without philosophers, activists have to be more visionary than they already are, making them rarer.
(Moral philosophy, not really, I'll agree with you.)
Re:A Victoria man has gone two decades without money
by craftinator on Sunday July 25, 2021 @04:13PM
(#27952522)
> Philosophy helps question and understand, it hasn't historically been a driver of change.
You kind of put your foot in it with this comment. Societal change, for the most part, directly follows questioning and understanding.
If society preys on philosopher poets, we don't get philosophy or poetry, our ethics never develops, and the fundamental principles of society don't improve, limiting how much technological progress can raise the standard of living. I personally call that a bad outcome.