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Single Idea 20446

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / d. Philosophy as puzzles ]

Full Idea

I claim that philosophy begins in disappointment, and there are two forms of disappointment that interest me: religious and political disappointment

Gist of Idea

Philosophy begins in disappointment, notably in religion and politics

Source

Simon Critchley (Impossible Objects: interviews [2012], 2)

Book Ref

Critchley,Simon: 'Impossible Objects: interviews' [Politty 2012], p.31


A Reaction

You are only disappointed by reality if you expected something better. To be disappointed by the failures of religion strikes me as rather old-fashioned, which Critchley sort of admits. Given the size and tumult of modern states, politics isn't promising.


The 10 ideas from 'Impossible Objects: interviews'

Philosophy begins in disappointment, notably in religion and politics [Critchley]
Science gives us an excessively theoretical view of life [Critchley]
Phenomenology uncovers and redescribes the pre-theoretical layer of life [Critchley]
The problems is not justifying ethics, but motivating it. Why should a self seek its good? [Critchley]
Anarchism used to be libertarian (especially for sexuality), but now concerns responsibility [Critchley]
The state, law, bureaucracy and capital are limitations on life, so I prefer federalist anarchism [Critchley]
Belief that humans are wicked leads to authoritarian politics [Critchley]
Wallace Stevens is the greatest philosophical poet of the twentieth century in English [Critchley]
Philosophy really got started as the rival mode of discourse to tragedy [Critchley]
Interesting art is always organised around ethical demands [Critchley]