An Attack on Philosophy

[Mattw]

I guess someone heard about Stefan and now wants to attack philosophy in the West. It's not diverse enough. See an excerpt below:

 

The vast majority of philosophy departments in the United States offer courses only on philosophy derived from Europe and the English-speaking world. For example, of the 118 doctoral programs in philosophy in the United States and Canada, only 10 percent have a specialist in Chinese philosophy as part of their regular faculty. Most philosophy departments also offer no courses on Africana, Indian, Islamic, Jewish, Latin American, Native American or other non-European traditions. Indeed, of the top 50 philosophy doctoral programs in the English-speaking world, only 15 percent have any regular faculty members who teach any non-Western philosophy.

 

Given the importance of non-European traditions in both the history of world philosophy and in the contemporary world, and given the increasing numbers of students in our colleges and universities from non-European backgrounds, this is astonishing. No other humanities discipline demonstrates this systematic neglect of most of the civilizations in its domain. The present situation is hard to justify morally, politically, epistemically or as good educational and research training practice.

 

If Philosophy Won’t Diversify, Let’s Call It What It Really Is - NYTimes.com - http://nyti.ms/1qpNACA

 

At least in my opinion, diversity is about lowering standards. Diversity for diversity's sake is not a good thing. Notice how you never hear explicitly why diversity is better. It just is. But let's ignore communication issues and sensitivity issues. Of course the majority must learn about the sensitivity of each minority group. Why isn't it the other way around? Why don't minorities have to be sensitive to the majority?

 

Philosophy departments at universities are just too logical. They aren't buying into this diversity nonsense.

 

[Will Torbald]

All the left does is attack anything non leftist. I don't see how this is surprising.

[shirgall]

There's more to gain from less work for those who manipulate and threaten, so why would they be attracted to philosophy?

[aviet]

Your breakdown is concise.

It's a shame they are making such a fuss about this, but nothing on say this:

https://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/10/islamic-state-schools-ban-math-music-philosophy-history-french-and-geography-as-incompatible-with-islam

[Marshall B]

There's more to gain from less work for those who manipulate and threaten, so why would they be attracted to philosophy?

 

Dumb that down for me shirgall. I dont quite follow. More to gain from less work?

[shirgall]

 

There's more to gain from less work for those who manipulate and threaten, so why would they be attracted to philosophy?

 

Dumb that down for me shirgall. I dont quite follow. More to gain from less work?

 

 

Shakedown artists and opportunists that can turn small weaknesses into cash have existed for decades. The pros are politicians. The amateurs are confidence tricksters petty thieves.

[AccuTron]

 

There's more to gain from less work for those who manipulate and threaten, so why would they be attracted to philosophy?

 

Dumb that down for me shirgall. I dont quite follow. More to gain from less work?

 

Wait, wait, I just heard this on Car Talk, will look it up again.  It's the 8:36 minute segment in show #1621.

 

Power = work/time

Knowledge = power

Knowledge = work/time

Time = money

Knowledge = work/money

Money = work/knowledge

Therefore:

As knowledge approaches zero, money approaches infinity.

[EclecticIdealist]

Wait, wait, I just heard this on Car Talk, will look it up again.  It's the 8:36 minute segment in show #1621.

 

Power = work/time

Knowledge = power

Knowledge = work/time

Time = money

Knowledge = work/money

Money = work/knowledge

Therefore:

As knowledge approaches zero, money approaches infinity.

You just solved the riddle of why managers are paid more than the employees they manage.

[Thus_Spake_the_Nightspirit]

Non-Europeans don't really have a tradition resembling anything like actual philosophy. Their philosophies are usually just aphorisms. They don't use syllogistic logic or make any attempt at being morally consistent. The reason non-Western philosophy isn't widely taught in universities is because it's not intellectually rigorous in any way. Hardly surprising that non-Europeans aren't interested in philosophy.