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On Thinking in a Thoughtless Time

  • Jeff Malpas
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Why Philosophy?
This chapter is in the book Why Philosophy?

Abstract

This essay explores the contemporary relevance of philosophy through a consideration of philosophy as it stands in relation to thinking, and through a consideration of thinking itself. It argues is that the thoughtlessness that underlies so much of what we see around us in the contemporary world is a forgetting or refusal of what thinking itself is, and that this forgetting or refusal is essentially a forgetting or refusal of limit or of bound, and a forgetting or refusal of truth. In this, it involves a forgetting or refusal, not only of philosophy, but also of what is essential to the human.

Abstract

This essay explores the contemporary relevance of philosophy through a consideration of philosophy as it stands in relation to thinking, and through a consideration of thinking itself. It argues is that the thoughtlessness that underlies so much of what we see around us in the contemporary world is a forgetting or refusal of what thinking itself is, and that this forgetting or refusal is essentially a forgetting or refusal of limit or of bound, and a forgetting or refusal of truth. In this, it involves a forgetting or refusal, not only of philosophy, but also of what is essential to the human.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Acknowledgements VII
  4. Introduction: Why Philosophy? IX
  5. I. What Is Philosophy?
  6. Doing Philosophy 3
  7. The House Always Wins: Why Philosophy Isn’t Optional 15
  8. Why We Need Philosophy – and Philosophers 27
  9. Irreverent Thoughts on the Relevance of Philosophy 41
  10. II. What can Philosophy Contribute?
  11. Philosophy, Bias, and Stigma 51
  12. Thinking Failure in the War in Iraq: The Cultural Turn and the Concept of “World” 65
  13. The Role of Philosophy in “Post-Truth” Times 81
  14. III. What can Philosophy do?
  15. A Robot Took My Boyfriend and My Job: Positioning Philosophy for a Resurgence 105
  16. Good for Nothing: On Philosophy and its Discontents 123
  17. On Thinking in a Thoughtless Time 151
  18. Contributors 173
  19. Index of Names 177
  20. Index of Subjects 181
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110650990-012

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Acknowledgements VII
  4. Introduction: Why Philosophy? IX
  5. I. What Is Philosophy?
  6. Doing Philosophy 3
  7. The House Always Wins: Why Philosophy Isn’t Optional 15
  8. Why We Need Philosophy – and Philosophers 27
  9. Irreverent Thoughts on the Relevance of Philosophy 41
  10. II. What can Philosophy Contribute?
  11. Philosophy, Bias, and Stigma 51
  12. Thinking Failure in the War in Iraq: The Cultural Turn and the Concept of “World” 65
  13. The Role of Philosophy in “Post-Truth” Times 81
  14. III. What can Philosophy do?
  15. A Robot Took My Boyfriend and My Job: Positioning Philosophy for a Resurgence 105
  16. Good for Nothing: On Philosophy and its Discontents 123
  17. On Thinking in a Thoughtless Time 151
  18. Contributors 173
  19. Index of Names 177
  20. Index of Subjects 181
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