[Book Sip] Philosophers Who Ignored Humor... There Was a Time When Even Laughter Was Controlled

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Few people are unfamiliar with Socrates or Nietzsche. Most have probably heard their names at least once in their lives. However, few truly know who they were or what their philosophies entail. Whether seeking wisdom for life, satisfying intellectual curiosity, or aiming for healing, there are times when one must face philosophy, but often people are intimidated prematurely. This book is a general knowledge guide for readers who want to learn philosophy easily. It explains 24 philosophers from Socrates to Nietzsche, 23 theories from metaphysics to the philosophy of humor, and 7 dilemmas from the paradox of the dummy to the trolley problem.

Philosophy touches on every subject we can think about. It wasn’t only the ancient Greeks who endlessly questioned each other (though they did contribute to the development of philosophy). From ethical issues arising in government policies to the logical forms required in computer programming, philosophy is actually a very useful discipline in our lives. - p.11, from "Introduction: What is Philosophy?"

The English term ‘pre-Socratic’ combines ‘pre,’ meaning ‘before’ or ‘prior,’ and ‘Socratic,’ referring to Socrates. It was popularized by the German scholar Hermann Diels in 1903. However, many philosophers labeled as pre-Socratic actually lived during the same era as Socrates. Therefore, this term does not refer to philosophy that came before Socrates. Rather, it indicates that the ideology or principles differ from Socratic philosophy. - p.16, from "Pre-Socratic Philosophers: Why Does the World Change?"

Imagine a person floating in the air. That person would experience complete isolation from the senses while floating (in other words, he would not be in sensory contact even with his own body). Ibn Sina believed that humans have self-awareness even when isolated from sensory experience. A human separated from sensory experience can determine their own existence, which shows that the soul is an immaterial entity existing independently of the body. Ibn Sina also concluded that because this setup is reasonable, the soul can be grasped by intellect. - p.42, from "Ibn Sina: Philosopher of the Islamic Golden Age"

Kant believed that philosophy should prioritize critique of our own mental faculties over contemplation of the external world. We must rethink everything familiar to us, understand and acknowledge the limits of our knowledge, and grasp how our mental processes influence the way we understand everything. Kant believed that by looking inward rather than contemplating and reflecting on the universe, philosophy could answer many questions it poses. In this respect, Kant can be seen as a philosopher who shifted from metaphysics to epistemology, the study of knowledge. - pp.102-103, from "Immanuel Kant: The Step from Metaphysics to Epistemology"

In the final years of his life, plagued by madness, Nietzsche was cared for by his sister Elisabeth F?rster-Nietzsche. Elisabeth, who married an extreme right-wing anti-Semite, edited and published Nietzsche’s works as she pleased. Nietzsche gained fame he was unaware of and later became an icon for the Nazis. This was because the distorted publications were used to promote Nazi ideology. It was only after World War II that the world came to know Friedrich Nietzsche’s true beliefs. - p.127, from "Friedrich Nietzsche: The Mad Philosopher Who Affirmed Life"

Philosophers who focused on humor sought to explain its functions, how humor improves or worsens human relationships, and the conditions of humor. Traditionally, many philosophers looked down on humor. Plato even said laughter is an emotion that disrupts human rational self-control. He called laughter evil and said enjoying comedy was a form of contempt. In Plato’s ideal state, humor is strictly controlled. The guardian class must refrain from laughter. The “makers of comedy” must not make citizens laugh uncontrollably. - p.232, from "The Philosophy of Humor: A Serious Reflection on Laughter"

In philosophical debates about the nature of time, the A-theory is the view held by contemporary philosophers that essential inseparable properties such as pastness, presentness, and futurity exist. They argue that events in time have these A-properties, which is why they are past, present, or future. The origin of this theory can be found in John McTaggart and Ellis McTaggart’s book The Unreality of Time. In this book, they address the topic of time using the concepts of the ‘A-series’ and ‘B-series.’ - p.257, from "A-Theory: Time is a Series of Positions"

There is an imaginary planet called Twin Earth. This planet is identical to Earth in every detail, including the people living there, who are exactly the same as Earthlings. However, there is one difference between Earth and Twin Earth. Earth has water, but Twin Earth has a substance called XYZ instead. For the purpose of this story, the time setting is around 1750 on Earth, before the chemical composition of water, H₂O, was discovered. On Twin Earth, rain, lakes, and oceans contain XYZ instead of water. Moreover, XYZ has observable properties similar to water, differing only in microscopic structure. The inhabitants of Twin Earth, identical to Earth’s residents, call their planet Earth, speak their own version of ‘English,’ and call XYZ ‘water.’ So, when a person named Oscar on Earth and his counterpart Oscar on Twin Earth use the word ‘water,’ are they using the word with the same meaning? - p.352, from "Twin Earth: ‘Meaning Is Not Inside Our Heads!’"

Philosophy Study for the First Time in Life | Written by Paul Kleinman | Translated by Lee Sejin | Hyundae Jiseong | 368 pages | 15,000 KRW

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