Does Philosophy get outdated?

[myron12]

many times i quote Einstein and Socrates and people say. "Times and technology have changed since then and there philosophy isnt relevant anymore.

I say LIES. Technology means nothing in the great scheme of things. The question of life has nothing to do with a mobile phone.

my Favorite quote, which i feel has a lot of meaning even in todays technology.

“I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private. This is my teaching, and if this is the doctrine which corrupts the youth, I am a mischievous person.”
Socrates

[loe]

The day when philosophy gets outdated is the day when the human being itself gets outdated.

Philosophy wants to comprehend the being and meaning of everything, therefore in my opinion it is impossible to get outdated.
Technology cannot be a substitute for this.

Best regards

[JCamilo]

I say however thinks quoting is philosophy is outdated.

[mayneverhave]

How can anything be outdated in a field where there is no progress?

[The Atheist]

How can anything be outdated in a field where there is no progress?

:thumbs_up

Also, in terms of the OP question, some philosphies do indeed become outdated. As we understand more of the physical world, it's impossible not to sweep away some of the older philosophies.

[JacobF]

How can anything be outdated in a field where there is no progress?

I somewhat agree that there is no progress in the study of philosophy; there are, however, shifts in how philosophical issues are approached and expansions of philosophical theories. The Greeks basically mapped out all the philosophical issues which still exist today, but Spinoza's theory of God is much different than Aristotle's. In this sense, then, I would say there is progress in the study of philosophy. Over time, approaches to philosophical issues change, but the issues remain similar in essence.

To arrive at the OP's question: it is misleading on its own, for it asks whether philosophy as a subject can become outdated. But whether certain philosophies become outdated, I would say no. Older authorities may become unpopular, even stale, but are still completely relevant to the study of philosophy. A philosophy should be judged on its merits regardless of the time period from which it originated (unless it is being examined in a historical context). If I were to criticize Plato's theory of universals, I would not do so by calling it 'outdated'; I would respond to the content of the argument. On the other hand, if I were responding to Aristotle's theory of motion, I would certainly cite discoveries that came after him. The nature of the sciences is to replace old theories with new ones as knowledge is updated and obtained. The nature of philosophy is to inquire. Philosophies do not just expire when new ones come along.

[blazeofglory]

I never can think that philosophy can be outdated. As long as people have the power of imagination or man does not cease to think philosophy will go on for eternity.

Of course philosophical questions go through evolutionary phases. Of course we are not Platonist or Aristotelian or Epicurean or Hegelian. But we are a little bit Freudian, a little bit Marxists or spiritualists.

Philosophy goes on and on as long as man can think and imagine

[The Atheist]

I never can think that philosophy can be outdated. As long as people have the power of imagination or man does not cease to think philosophy will go on for eternity.

Yes, that's exactly what philosophers would have us think.


Douglas Adams knew:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9qsvKe81IA

[Agonbite]

Some philosophies do wear out. As an young man I received Marxist education. Fine education it was, at the time. Now it is merely source of private amusement as I read newspapers: oh dear, financial crisis! Out of the blue! And nobody can explain how it happened!

[blazeofglory]

Philosophies never wear out. Philosophy evolves over time. Now there are no Socrates or Plato. Did their ideas drain? You may say they had died long ago; but their ideas have not died out. They are very much with us. What I and you think or our ideas are not solely ours; ours are evolved, developed, advanced, progressed ideas thru the straits of history and geography. There are elements of Pythagoras, Socrates, Marx, Freud, Darwin, J Krishna Murti, Saint August in your thoughts or to put it differently, all your personality, your thought processes, ideologies mirror all your predecessors. Marx has died but his ideologies are still very much with though the forts of communism is breaking step by step

[Agonbite]

Philosophies never wear out. Philosophy evolves over time. Now there are no Socrates or Plato. Did their ideas drain? You may say they had died long ago; but their ideas have not died out. They are very much with us. What I and you think or our ideas are not solely ours; ours are evolved, developed, advanced, progressed ideas thru the straits of history and geography. There are elements of Pythagoras, Socrates, Marx, Freud, Darwin, J Krishna Murti, Saint August in your thoughts or to put it differently, all your personality, your thought processes, ideologies mirror all your predecessors. Marx has died but his ideologies are still very much with though the forts of communism is breaking step by step

I must both agree and disagree, depending on what exactly do we mean by concept "philosophy".

In few words I would put it this, highly simplified, way: "Philosophy" consist on 3 elements.

1. Method.

2. Theories developed by using this method.

3. Tradition.

Theories of Plato are most certainly out of date, as we may conclude after reading dialogues as "Republic" or "Timaeus". Plato´s method, that is, getting right to the core of things through pealing off layers of prejudices from common thinking, is however perfectly valid and sound method today.

Marxist tradition wore out, and I think that is ok. I did not have to live in practising communist state, but I understand vividly why people who did wanted to reject theory as well.

[blazeofglory]

Of course there is a refinery within the human psyche and now we are not Platonists or Marxists or Freudians completely; but all I want to make out is our ideas form part of them and we are here evolutionarily and the ideas of our predecessors had always great influences on the configuration of our own ideas in point of fact. Of course a little of Plato or Marx is still in us though you do not like the idea of communism now. What is more your liking and disliking of a particular thought does not mean that the philosophy of Marx was wrong.

[Heteronym]

If we mean philosophy as a whole, as an activity, of course it's not outdated. There's a lot of philosophical activity going on nowadays. There's just not a lot of attention paid to contemporary philosophers, which is a pity.

Now if we mean that some philosophers' ideas can get outdated, I believe so. It's even surprising how some were ever even taken seriously. Hobbes had a view of life as a constant struggle between individuals for power; he claims to have taken this from nature and the way primitive/barbarian societies lived. But he never saw a savage in his life. But people still believe in it, although everyd ay acts of solidarity and cooperation are witnessed between friends, even between strangers.

On the other hand, Rousseau argued that Man was inherently good but civilisation corrupts him. But this myth of the Noble Savage is rubbish. Rousseau also never saw a savage in his life. He never even left Europe in his life. Anthropology has shown that the Noble Savage is a pure fantasy. But it had influence for a long time.

[Aragorn Elessar]

No, philosophy is a very wide-ranging field of study. It's not dominant, like science is today, but it will never be outdated. Certain philosophies dominant centuries ago may be rarely used today, however. And there are not so many philosophers per se; there are chiefly 'professors of philosophy'. After all, being a philosopher isn't really a paid job, but getting a degree in philosophy and working at a university is not so uncommon.

Although, now I recall a brilliant Aristotle quote: "All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind." So true.

[mal4mac]

"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind." So true.

Is it universally true? Shakespeare was paid to put on plays, did that absorb and degrade his mind? Or did having to earn money spur him on to better things?


No, philosophy is a very wide-ranging field of study. It's not dominant, like science is today, but it will never be outdated.

How can you be certain? We may be entering a new theocratic age where dogma will replace all philosophy, and then an asteroid might hit the Earth...

How can philosophy exist in a thoroughly dogmatic culture? How can it exist if there are no sentient beings?

[Buh4Bee]

Sorry, kind of jumping in here. Followed the thread for a little while.

No one had mentioned the need for the practical application of philosophy. Trends change and that can drive a change in philosophy. This happens constantly in education (research driven field), economics, and politics. Changes can happen faster than the wind can blow. Different people with different agendas mean a new philosophy of how things will be done.

Isn't the point of philosophy to not just sit around and think, but to be used as a tool to help the mind or guide the mind in life's work?

[Jassy Melson]

The field of philosophy is littered with dead philosophies