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University philosophy courses: a bucketful of ethical sh*t

maxlinger60

Full disclosure: I am a highly biased party that has no bearing on your individual positions. This is my rant, since I am about to fail 2 term papers.

I hate philosophy. I hate ethics. I hate the goddamn trolley problem, with all its false dilemmas and no real answers, and strutting along the moral high ground, when there are TWO EASY SOLUTIONS.

Oh no! a mysterious trolley is hurdling down a nonexistent track towards people I don't know. Solution number one: I AM NOT A TROLLEY CONDUCTOR. Solution number two: I SAVE THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT MORE.

But seriously, this might just be me, since I have autistic friends who study/love philosophy and plan on continuing on the philosophical path of higher education, could prattle on about Socrates or Kant or Hume or whoever forever and ever. But I SIMPLY. DON'T. GET IT. Why do philosophers use so many air-headed words to say so very little. Most of my books are just empty space taken up by aristocratic armchairs who liked pontificating over the simplest quandaries. I write what I think is the most obvious response to the essay prompts, and receive a subpar grade, unlike all of my other classes, where I receive high marks. When questioned, the teacher simply replies, "You didn't pull from the material." And when I reply that I, in fact, pulled directly from the material and his very own lectures, he sighs and tells me my arguments "had no base."

Um HELLO. I'm quoting YOU. Apparently there is a guide for people on which ethical rules are just assumed and which ones are brand new revelations, but I have more of a background in East Asian philosophy, which makes a hell of a lot more sense to me. So, I truly respect the field, I do, but I struggle so very, very much with understanding what the hell this man wants from me, why I should care, and HOW TO SURVIVE PHILOSOPHY AS AN AUTIST.

HELP. IT'S SO INCREDIBLY POINTLESS. I am tempted to drive my trolley right over the cliffs of remedial education. 

Love and confusion and JESUS CHRIST HOWWWW,

Max

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  • Hello! 

    I'm studying Philology and Linguistics, and I used to work for a company as a tutor some years ago, helping Philology students write their thesis. Philosophy is one of my favourite subjects in the field.

    It's not easy to understand philosophy. Philosophers don't just assume stuff. Philosophy is the art of logical thinking which leads you to conclusions about everything!

    maxlinger60 said:
    Why do philosophers use so many air-headed words to say so very little

    That's the process! They have to analyse every argument and every possible concept so they can make conclusions.

    maxlinger60 said:
    I AM NOT A TROLLEY CONDUCTOR

    In real life, you are! There are decisions you must make everyday. And philosophy teaches you how to think, so you can make better decisions. Slight smile

  • in reply to Evi

    Unlike you, I struggled with philosophy but got that hang of it by the end of my course. I’m glad I persevered as it helped me with further studies and has equipped me to make sound ethical decisions. I’m just glad I don’t have to choose between who lives and who dies in real life, unlike doctors with limited budgets or prime ministers who allocate budgets.

  • in reply to ArchaeC

    Lots of people have to make ethical choices which can result in somebody's death, not only doctors or prime ministers.

    For example, somebody works for a company that produces something that he knows (and the company knows) causes cancer to the people who consume it. He can continue working there and not say anything, he can leave the company and sue them so the whole thing becomes viral and everybody knows, or leave the company and continue with his life as if nothing has happened.

    I get it that not everybody enjoys thinking about situations like this one though. 

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  • in reply to ArchaeC

    Lots of people have to make ethical choices which can result in somebody's death, not only doctors or prime ministers.

    For example, somebody works for a company that produces something that he knows (and the company knows) causes cancer to the people who consume it. He can continue working there and not say anything, he can leave the company and sue them so the whole thing becomes viral and everybody knows, or leave the company and continue with his life as if nothing has happened.

    I get it that not everybody enjoys thinking about situations like this one though. 

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