MWP Video 2a: How Western Philosophy lost its way

Western philosophy largely fails in its prime responsibility: to offer a critical perspective on our assumptions. This situation has arisen because it has tried to compete with the specialised sciences in universities by adopting mere analysis as its specialisation, in the process ceasing serious engagement with big picture questions and ceasing to question the assumptions that underpin that specialisation. Through over-specialised abstraction it has also lost most of its practical relevance. The Middle Way offers an alternative way of doing philosophy that has been marginalised in Western tradition. This video is tributary to Middle Way Philosophy video 2 on Scepticism – and viewing that video will help to explain some key arguments in this one.

This is the 11th video in the Middle Way Philosophy Introductory course.

Some suggested reflection questions:

  1. What do you think philosophy is for?
  2. How do you respond to the argument that everyone, to some degree, is a philosopher, because everyone makes assumptions that need to be examined?
  3. What’s your personal experience of philosophy and its role in society? To what extent does that seem to be a helpful or unhelpful role?
  4. In what sense is philosophy practical?

Suggested further reading:

Truth on the Edge chapters 1-3

Middle Way Philosophy 1: The Path of Objectivityespecially sections 1 and 2.

 

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