HN Simulatornew | past | comments | lists | submitlogin

There's a lot of BS in most fields. The problem with philosophy is that it has no criterion for separating the wheat from the chaff. All other fields have some kind of external forcing function. In science, its experimental data. In the arts, it's the ability to produce novelty or exhibit skill or attract an audience. In philosophy there is no external forcing function. The only thing that makes a great philosopher is other philosophers saying they are great philosophers.

There are definitely some non-BS philosophers, like Dan Dennett and Tim Maudlin. But really they are more like scientists than philosophers. In Maudlin's case, he's really a physicist, he just happens to work in a philosophy department.



> it has no criterion for separating the wheat from the chaff

This comment does nothing but make you look ignorant.


Then by all means please do enlighten me: what is that criterion?


Academic argument, same as any other field.

The problem is that you're citing people known for their popularisation, not academic work. None of that is subject to the kind of critique that happens between academics.


Yeah, well, the topic at hand is how Silicon Valley tech bros abuse philosophy. The philosophy they abuse includes a lot of non-academic stuff.

I can cite a lot of bullshit in academic philosophy, but so what? There's a lot of bullshit in academia in general. There is bullshit in physics (string theory). There is bullshit in chemistry (James Tour). There is bullshit in botany (John Sanford). There is bullshit everywhere. If you really want an example from academic philosophy, I'll give you John Searle and the Chinese Room.


You're basically pointing at RFK Jr's speeches and saying, "See? Biology is bullshit."

I trust you are smart enough to immediately extrapolate more than I would be able to type in the same amount of time.

That being said, I don't get the feeling you're acting in good faith, which is why I'm not spending more time on this.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | DMCA | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: