Quote by Russell?: Philosophy Forums

Quote by Russell?
Trying to find a quote about how problems in philosophy are forgotten not solved

Quote by Russell?

twistedapples
Initiate

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Sep 17, 2009

Total Topics: 1
Total Posts: 1

Posted 09/17/09 - 06:17 PM: Subject: Quote by Russell?	#1
I am trying to find a quote by a philosopher, I think it was maybe by Bertrand Russell. But I'm having a really hard time finding it. It went along the lines of "Problems in philosophy rarely get solved. Instead, philosophers get bored with problems after awhile and then forget them, moving on to other problems." Can anyone direct me to this quote? Sorry if it's a little vague. It's frustrating because I can remember it clearly but I can't quite seem to place it. Thanks!

notquitethere
Professor

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Location: Reading - England

Total Topics: 41
Total Posts: 970

Posted 09/25/09 - 04:34 AM:	#2
From a quick search about, it looks like Richard Rorty wrote something similar to that on the bottom of page 165 of Philosophy as Cultural Politics. Also, page 3 of Routledge philosophy guidebook to Rorty and the mirror of nature By James Tartaglia attributes to Rorty the view that philsophical problems are historical abberations to be ignored, to be forgotten like we've forgotten the problems of the mediaeval scholars. (You can google book search both these texts). The Rorty view is more prescriptive than your half-forgotten quote.
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise." - The Duchess

Cadrache
Tenured Poster

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Dec 09, 2006
Location: AB, Canada

Total Topics: 104
Total Posts: 2644

Posted 09/26/09 - 07:04 AM:	#3
yawn It's not that they get bored with the question. They get bored with that particular answer.
"...There was a writer who asked why it was that when we find positive experiences we say that only the physical facts are real, but in negative experiences we believe that reality is subjective. He made an example of those who say that in birth only the pain is real, the joy a subjective point of view, but that in death it is the emotional loss that is the reality." - Tony Ballantyne, Recursion. _____________________________________________ Truth is want. - The internal state of matters. Truth is Need. - The external state of affairs.

Sorry, you don't have permission to post. Log in, or register if you haven't yet.