tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post3373902956753865628..comments2024-01-26T20:41:02.065+13:00Comments on Quote Unquote: Alain de Botton, cod philosopherStephen Stratfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-52605794423727715992014-04-30T22:41:13.526+12:002014-04-30T22:41:13.526+12:00Hi Emily - I think it does matter if someone calls...Hi Emily - I think it does matter if someone calls himself a philosopher but has no academic credentials. It's just too easy to label oneself as this to make one's published thoughts seem to have the same weight as, say, Plato's, Hume's or Wittgenstein's. Journalists let him get away with it - I don't see why the rest of us should. <br /><br />As for "To reduce his work to 'seventh form' level is highly typical of cynical, academic New Zealand", I may be cynical but am not in the least academic. The charge of seventh-formism has been made, much more harshly, by English people. <br /><br />I agree that it's a good thing that he tries to get people to think a bit. But this venture seems to be a money-making one (nothing wrong with that) which exploits under-qualified and unpaid volunteers (a lot wrong with that).Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-7613256522658495152014-04-29T22:46:12.385+12:002014-04-29T22:46:12.385+12:00It may be assuming a lot that quality of writing i...It may be assuming a lot that quality of writing is a result of unpaid contributors. That fails to account for the hordes of poorly written articles for established outlets by those compensated for their work. <br /><br />You've concentrated your point around de Botton's lack of credentials as a "real" philosopher, and whether or not he should walk around calling himself one. <br /><br />I'd argue the point that indeed more people should claim the title Philosopher - one who asks questions of profound a nature. <br /><br />Why does it matter so much if he published a paper in a journal or not? It doesn't make him (or any others like him) less genuine in his intent to encourage people to THINK more. To reduce his work to "seventh form" level is highly typical of cynical, academic New Zealand. <br /><br />Marketing ploy or not, Alain de Botton has some interesting ideas around really considering what it is we value in ourselves and others. The Philosophers Mail has copied the trash-news format of every other news website around. Sadly, that may well be the only form mainstream media junkies can digest engaging thought - via celebrity tag-lines. <br /><br /><br /><br />Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-38569512888492409882014-03-25T18:20:53.048+13:002014-03-25T18:20:53.048+13:00I think you are on to something here. Maybe there ...I think you are on to something here. Maybe there is more to happiness than M. de Botton is telling. Maybe the secret to life is getting rich, just like his daddy did.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07698462817285436315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-42207860155510803352014-03-25T09:52:09.591+13:002014-03-25T09:52:09.591+13:00I assume you mean Mr de Botton's site, not QUQ...I assume you mean Mr de Botton's site, not QUQ. Yes, I had wondered about the economics. I assume the contributors are unpaid, which may help explain the low quality of the writing/content. The main sponsor is an outfit called the School of Life (www.schooloflife.com), which Mr de Botton founded. It seems to be a mechanism for parting sad people from their money.Stephen Stratfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426799380228308536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2131514811483888026.post-58103712655626777392014-03-25T08:38:26.393+13:002014-03-25T08:38:26.393+13:00Unlike the Daily Mail, there is no advertising on ...Unlike the Daily Mail, there is no advertising on this site. I wonder how it pays its uncredited contributors.Asking for a Friendnoreply@blogger.com