Popularising philosophy
Popularising philosophy | Question marks | Economist.com
Puzzles are all very well. But arguments have to end. When arguments themselves turn on contentious principles—majority rule, moral truth, science against faith—philosophy will not go away. Shut the door, and back it comes through the window. Philosophy, once readmitted, then turns a characteristic trick. It makes you think how you should be arguing about those principles and tries to make plain what should count as good and bad reasons. It guarantees no answers but does offer the wherewithal to recognise genuine answers when they appear.
Comments
This post reminded me of the ID link posted earler. I doubt if any ID true believer ever studied philosophy. Too feeble-minded.
One should investigate philosophy - popular or otherwise - only if one wishes to question the assumptions by which one lives. That's hardly a comfortable read for most of us and books that offer the illusion of a quick fix in place of meaningful and thoughtful changes will sell well to the crowd who vainly shop for easy answers. After all, who among us really understands that we can't buy a good life of value and meaning? What book would sell well that insists that the quality of our inner lives is a reflection of our ability to ask ourselves the right - and often the most difficult - questions?
Your right on ~B. The self-Improvment and New Age sections are some of our biggest sellers. There was a young girl in the other day wanting to know where the metaphysical section in the bookstore was. I thought "oh my god" here is a kid reading philosophy. Wrong, she wanted the New Age section. There are some (few) books out there that ask the big questions and have sold well, like "Zen an the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" "Grapes of Wrath" you know what in mean. But at last it is the Oprha's and Dr.Phil's that most people buy.
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