Philosophical Discussion

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Why?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

[Crispy]

because.

[Q the Ninja]

I'll add.

Why won't Micah stay around?

[Aloysius]

why must we ask why?

[Q the Ninja]

Job asked why, look where it got him.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='May 9 2005, 11:00 AM'] why must we ask why? [/quote]
I assume that you asked that because you sought an answer, or else to muse aloud. Therefore, two conclusions are that we ask why in order to find answers and that we ask why in order to seem intelligent for asking why (the pursuit of wisdom). However, we would not associate asking why with seeking wisdom unless asking why originally had the purpose for seeking wisdom, and so I would point to our first parents as the likely first philosophers and I think then that you should ask them why, since they had the original intent.

[Aloysius]

but why should I ask them why? why would I want to know? why would you bother to answer such questions?

philosophers and three year olds have much in common

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='May 9 2005, 11:04 AM'] philosophers and three year olds have much in common [/quote]


That's because humans are natural philosophers...and children aren't afraid to be human.

[Jaime]

[quote]and so I would point to our first parents as the likely first philosophers and I think then that you should ask them why, since they had the original intent.[/quote]

You pretty sure it wasn't anyone before them?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='hot stuff' date='May 9 2005, 11:07 AM']
You pretty sure it wasn't anyone before them? [/quote]
Why would God ask why? He's omniscient...

[Aloysius]

but He has asked why before... Genesis 3:13; 4:6
so why would God ask why when he knows the answer? he seeks no wisdom, and thus your answer above about why one should ask why is flawed, for when God asks why He is not seeking any knowledge He doesn't already know

the first person to ask why is the serpent.. Genesis 3:1

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='May 9 2005, 11:12 AM'] but He has asked why before... Genesis 3:13; 4:6
so why would God ask why when he knows the answer? he seeks no wisdom, and thus your answer above about why one should ask why is flawed, for when God asks why He is not seeking any knowledge He doesn't already know

the first person to ask why is the serpent.. Genesis 3:1 [/quote]
God is an exception. When He asks why, it is for the benefit to us of our answering.

[Aloysius]

can I ask why for the benefit of the answerer? sure I can, why not? this is an entirely other reason why someone would ask why without seeking wisdom.

[Q the Ninja]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='May 9 2005, 09:04 AM'] but why should I ask them why? why would I want to know? why would you bother to answer such questions?

philosophers and three year olds have much in common [/quote]
Ouch, I'm going to go cry now.

[Noel's angel]

why does why exist? 'Why' only means a question if there is a question mark besde it, so therefore our question is not 'why?' but '?' So i put this to you



?

[Aloysius]

why is not always a question, that is why it is so confusing.

[RandomProddy]

This was a question at a uni exam. the correct answer is "Why Not?".

[Noel's angel]

yeah, but that is too easy. Actually, 'why not?' is another question, so therefore it cannot be the correct answer as you should not answer a question with a question

[RandomProddy]

[quote name='Noel's angel' date='May 9 2005, 07:33 PM'] yeah, but that is too easy. Actually, 'why not?' is another question, so therefore it cannot be the correct answer as you should not answer a question with a question [/quote]
The point is that "Why?" is such an open-ended question that it's basically impossible to answer comprehensively anyway..

[MilesChristi]

I think part of the reason "Why?" is such a hard question to answer is because it deals with motivation, which we can't sensorily determine.

"Who?" "Where?" "When?" and "How?" are much easier to answer because we can seek out physical evidence.