Brainstorming

[saorisan]

One What do you consider to be the most intriguing or revealing aspect/event of contemporary American history?

Two Who, if anyone, do you find most convincing of all modern and historical female philosophers? (& why?)

Comments

[goyascats]

I sat here, and thought, and thought, and thought, and could not think of a single female philosopher. Unless you extend the concept of 'philosopher' to encompass women who did thinking, period.

You couldn't think of one?

[saorisan]

Theano is always the first female philosopher that I think of. She was the wife of Pythagoras and philosopher in her own right

Re: You couldn't think of one?

[goyascats]

If you're going to include Mary Astell, then you've broadly widened the category. I tend to think of philosophy as encompassing only normative politics, or metaphysics, or other such boring stuff.

Re: You couldn't think of one?

[saorisan]

I've been taught that philosophy is the love of wisdom, and it counts as philosophy if it addresses either ontological, metaphysical, epistemological or an axiological question. Based on this criteria, I definitely believe that Mary Astell's writings qualify to be included in the category of philosophy.

[monarch99]

1. the watergate scandal.
2. i have absolutely no idea.... Karoline von Günderode combined philosophy with poetry. according to google, that is. you know how i am about poetry.

[anonymous]

While Watergate was certainly intriguing, the whole "impeach Clinton" movement and the Ken Starr hearings w/Linda Tripp recording her conversations with Monica etc were, to me, most revealing and unsettling. The whole nation got wrapped up in some silly little sex scandal as if our lives depended on it when the same people are completly uninterested in anything (say Global Warming, Government officials who lie to the country or CEOs who lay off thousands so they can up their already seven-figure-plus salaries) that actually matters to our future as a nation. This saddens me more than just about anything when I think of mainstream America

[realmrpger]

Hahaha! Oh, PLEASE, everyone knows there is no such thing as a female philosopher! If history has taught us anything, it's that women are smart, but men are geniuses. =p (don't take this too seriously, but you can't deny my logic. =p )

[julialikesred]

one. the urbanization of left-leaning politics-- meaning the striking blue city vs. red countryside mapping of the country as per the new york times and AP post election coverage. completely at odds with the way politics "physically" stood from the 20's-60's. purty too.
two. ayn rand-- fascinating that half your friends love her to the point of obsession, and the other half hate her enough to want to torture and kill her, isn't it?