transient Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 So for the past few years I've been reading through a bunch of different philosophy related material. Basically trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can, to better understand the world and more importantly myself. Unfortunately, I feel like the more I study the more lost I become. Kinda like I'm becoming more stupid the more I learn. I'm pretty sure this can't be the case. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this or what you might think is the reason for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bouncelot Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 There is a study or principal or something that discusses this. Basically it equated to the more you know the more you realize how little you know. The less you know the more certain you know everything. This explains how complete morons seem to think they have the answers to everything; and truly intelligent people will never claim to have all the answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaSait Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 "I know that I know nothing." That's one of my favourite quotes, from Socrates. The wiser you become, the better you realize how complex things really are. Also, philosophy is kind of like an "arch-discipline" where you question all the fundamental things, and people really come up with various, wildly differing answers to those questions. Of course that all tends to be very confusing. It's just so easy to get lost. Really, just keep going, you're not doing something wrong or anything. This is simply the kind of "pain" that is experienced when your wisdom is growing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-William Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 What have you been reading? I ask because after reading certain "philosophical" works I felt stupider. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transient Posted September 27, 2014 Author Share Posted September 27, 2014 @bouncelot Thanks for that answer. It seems so simple I don't know how I could've missed it. @parasait I think you were saying that by gaining new perspective I call into question my old beliefs, breaking them down and even stripping them away. And that through this process I lose some sense of "intellectual stability" or something like that? I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but it's what I was sort of thinking before reading any answers. @j-william A few things I've read are Plato's republic, a couple philosophy textbooks, some work by Henry David Thoreau, philosophic dictionary by Voltaire and I've started a couple more. Though, mostly I just search Google and YouTube for articles, essays, lectures, debates and other related info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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