If you’ve been around a philosopher long enough, you might begin to notice a certain trend toward fixation on a certain idea within philosophy that they bring up in almost any situation. Let’s use, for example, my philosopher’s current fixation on the idea within ethics of “moral luck.” We might be talking about a nuclear disaster or my cat’s habits of being underfoot at every opportunity, and inevitably the conversation will come back to moral luck. I might say offhandedly, “If I had tripped fifteen seconds earlier, I might have landed on the cat.” Then my philosopher will perk up and say, “You see, this is a clear example of moral luck.”
Next thing you know, I’m either rolling my eyes (and sighing with a “Here we go again”) and/or listening to a mini-philosophy-lecture.
Your philosopher might go through stages of fixations on different ideas within philosophy, but you will often notice a trend toward some idea if you listen long enough. To us non-philosophers, these fixations can be rather annoying if we let them be, but they can also be extremely useful, for several purposes:
1. Distracting your philosopher
Sometimes you will need to distract your philosopher. Perhaps you could sense a philosopher-attack coming on, or perhaps your philosopher is just really depressed during paper-writing/grading season. Nothing will distract and/or divert a philosopher like asking, “In [situation A that I experienced today], was this an example of [philosopher’s fixation]?”
2. Convincing your philosopher that you like them
Sometimes we snap one too many times at our philosophers or lose our patience at movie commentary. Whatever the case, our philosophers will be convinced that we do not like them. An easy way to remind your philosopher that you do really like them is to start asking them questions or making claims about their fixation. Next thing you know, your philosopher will be happily prattling away about why you are right/wrong and answering your questions. This kind of discussion makes philosophers very happy.
3. Impressing other philosophers
Because you have heard your philosopher mention their fixation so many times, it is a very helpful thing to use when around other philosophers (particularly if your philosopher is also present). You don’t even have to do much of the heavy-lifting, either. For example, let’s say you went out with some philosophers for drinks. They start talking about these other ideas within philosophy that you don’t understand, so during a lull in a conversation you might ask, “What do you think of the problem of [philosopher’s fixation]?” If your philosopher is with you, she/he will jump in with a more thorough (i.e. “correct”) explanation of what you mean, and next thing you know, the philosophers will be dickering back and forth about the fixation and you have kept yourself from looking like you know absolutely nothing about philosophy.
You can follow me on twitter (@philosiologist) or friend me on facebook (Philosiologist Qed). I also welcome emails (left sidebar), expensive chocolates, and sweet job offers in Europe.
~The Philosiologist~
Awesome blog, but not sure I like the image of the philosopher being offered here. The impression I get is that philosophers are eccentric little creatures like ewoks. When they get mad and start waving their spears about, just tickle them on their tummies and give them cookies.
ReplyDeleteAs a philosopher, I like to see myself as Nietzsche's superman. I philosophize with my hammer, crushing down the skulls of foes who dare oppose my position, with Ride of the Valkyries blasting in the background. But now are you telling me I just look like an ewok?
I think anti-fixations would make an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThe negative reaction some philosophers have towards certain ideas... Perhaps a combo with philosopher attacks?
Anonymous 1...I don't know about you in particular, but as the wife of someone who's just completed his PhD and therefore someone who drinks with philosophers, I can say the Ewok comparison is fair. Sometimes you're ubermenschen (more often when presenting papers/teaching classes), but sometimes you're just adorable and spear-waving.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, philosophers respond well to cookies unless they're REALLY caught up in it. In which case, they brush the cookies aside with a "No! This is important!" and brandish their spears.
I think the more damning half of the Ewok comparison is not the cuteness, but the depiction of philosophers as a parochial and irrelevant culture detached from the more sensible and less strange non-Ewok culture.
ReplyDeleteStrange creatures, perhaps, but they still managed to demolish those Imperial Walkers in some clever ways...
ReplyDelete"Awesome blog, but not sure I like the image of the philosopher being offered here. The impression I get is that philosophers are eccentric little creatures like ewoks. When they get mad and start waving their spears about, just tickle them on their tummies and give them cookies.
ReplyDeleteAs a philosopher, I like to see myself as Nietzsche's superman. I philosophize with my hammer, crushing down the skulls of foes who dare oppose my position, with Ride of the Valkyries blasting in the background. But now are you telling me I just look like an ewok? "
You should probably just think of yourself as a douche bag who uses philosophy to feel superior to your fellow humans (all of whom are ewoks).
Anyway, this post is dead on, I need to send this to my poor wife who at times definitely grows weary of me :)
I want to be feared, not cuddled and fed cookies. But if you must give me cookies, give me gingerbread men which I will gnaw in contemptuous satisfaction as I smash the idols of the tribe and the cave and so forth to smithereens with my Teutonic hammer of critical reason. (thus spake Anonymous1)
ReplyDeleteDoes any of this change with gender? The commenters with philosopher spouses, or who are philosopher spouses, all represent a Male Philosopher - Female Companion dyad. Would any of these observations and posts be different, do you think, if gender was reversed??
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 14:33 - That is a great question. I tend to find them more "mainstream" from a psychosocial standpoint.
ReplyDeleteQuick and rough typology of female philosophers(5+ years of observation): 1)well-adjusted and professionally competent, 2) pain in the ass and incompetent. I have yet to meet a hybrid.
Joana,
ReplyDeleteHow is that different from the male variety?
I AM a female philosopher, and I have to say - having just read through all of these brilliant posts - I recognize A LOT here (the intoxication, the enthusiasm in taking up any non-philosopher's sincere question, the tenacity in following the question beyond or outside of appropriate discussion-times -- the *pens*). So (at least regarding observations so far) no great gender divide. Possibly the philosophy-attacks are less frequent from female philosophers? (But by no means unheard of) But the thing is, we don't Feel like we're attacking....
ReplyDeleteKatie, this is brilliant!
brilliant philosopher play a tremendously essence role in a society , most of them are fertile skulls ,...they could analyze certain things in a much clever way ,..their ideas could make change ,..an' could lead you to have a different view on the world, their notions could notch the world up,..but , if we take an eagle look from a pragmatic point of you , no one can achieve true perfection of creative thought , you still find some gaps in their thoughts.
ReplyDelete