Sometimes, when people ask me what I do, I am a little hesitant to tell them that I am a philosophy professor. I'm afraid to answer largely because I know that much of the time my answer makes the person who asked feel a little awkward.
I think this is because most people I meet don't know what philosophy is, or what one does with it. So when I say what I do, they aren't sure what to say next.
So let me tell you what I do: I ask questions, and I teach others how to do that.*
You could say I'm a professional trainer of skeptics. I train people in curiosity. My aim is to be like a child again in front of big ideas, and to show my students that it's alright to indulge in a little wonder.
Because we don't just learn by being given good answers; more than anything, we learn by asking good questions.
* By the way, it's a fair question to ask if you want to know how I do that.
And it's also fair to notice that by suggesting that you ask that question I've just given you a little example of what I do.
I think this is because most people I meet don't know what philosophy is, or what one does with it. So when I say what I do, they aren't sure what to say next.
So let me tell you what I do: I ask questions, and I teach others how to do that.*
You could say I'm a professional trainer of skeptics. I train people in curiosity. My aim is to be like a child again in front of big ideas, and to show my students that it's alright to indulge in a little wonder.
Because we don't just learn by being given good answers; more than anything, we learn by asking good questions.
*****
* By the way, it's a fair question to ask if you want to know how I do that.
And it's also fair to notice that by suggesting that you ask that question I've just given you a little example of what I do.
My friend Brian Cubbage has a related post on his blog, about philosophy as nonviolence. It's worth the time it will take you to read what he writes:
ReplyDeletehttp://briancubbage.com/2013/01/08/philosophy-as-nonviolence/