<p>I quite like that documentary. Actually, the show has so many to watch- they're great! :)</p>
<p>well i would think physics majors would have to be strong at math...which tends to be a more male dominated area and 'harder'. there is a reason why the mathematical sciences are known as the hard sciences.</p>
<p>Isn't the "hard" more about the supposed solidness of the subject, as balla implies when he talks about philosophy being wishy washy (as much as we've show physics to be, at times)?</p>
<p>Philosophy has its math type area. Logic, as they say, is almost always required of philosophy majors. At its more developed stages, it's much like pure math-it's actually purer. Many mathematicians deal with logic, and vice versa. </p>
<p>Don't think that the philosophers are good at math? Well, if you search cc, you see the posts that talk about how they rock the gre, better than all others on average than math and i believe econ majors. Look at those posts for more. </p>
<p>By the way, i respect physics very much, and find it interesting. I post on this thread to show that philosophy should not be considered lesser.</p>
<p>true philosophy uses propositional calculus, but for the most part especially in the modern day, philosophy seems to have become disconnected from its original roots where philosophers and mathematicians were usually (the same people) but where mathematician/scientists would often subscribe to a system of thought, which would hence influence their work, and the 'philosophy' so to speak would even give insight into their work. but today i think modern philosophy is much less connected as the math and physics has gotten complicated to the point where probably only a few individuals can even attempt to understand current material. i mean modern philosophy seems to be much more concerned with what i believe to be somewhat trivial matters concerning morality, religion, etc... politics.</p>
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philosophy seems to have become disconnected from its original roots
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<p>In some ways I agree with your statement, that certainly philosophy and mathematics have separated. However, philosophy continues to be the "roots" of the "hard" sciences. For example, the study of "feelings", as in "how, why, what we feel", has been a philosophical argument for a very loong time. It is only relatively recently that it has evolved into a "hard" or practiceable science with neurobiology. Now one can go into a lab and find answers in chemicals...just a new technique really. After all, there was a reason why the Teaching Fellow for my Phil. class was a Neurobiology grad student.</p>
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i mean modern philosophy seems to be much more concerned with what i believe to be somewhat trivial matters concerning morality, religion...etc politics.
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<p>The philosophy you are describing is such a small aspect of the subject as a whole. All three of those "topics" fall under ethics, IMO, although religion is a whole 'nother sphere of it's own.</p>
<p>i also perhaps the reason why it could be called the 'feminine version of physics...' is that many people find elementary treatments of philosophy to not be particularly hard, whereas many people even today still find classical theory of things like mechanics to be difficult.</p>
<p>what i was trying to say isn't that philosophy no longer has any real applicaiton in the manner of science, but merely that the focus of philosophers has changed. i mean if i could quote stephen hawking i could, but in the brief history of time he more or less states that because the mathematics involved in modern physics has gotten so difficult that only a few people can understand them that many philosophers have all but given up on trying to extrapolate meaning from them. i mean there is no denying the influence of philosophy; one could argue that the invention of calculus and the idea of the differential was largely a philosophical ones (this is before cauchy's epsilon delta proofs) or that even the philosophy of characters like gauss's limited his power to invent new maths. but in the modern day, you (or at least i am) hard pressed to find something that tries the two together.</p>
<p>The way I see it while physics and philosophy both apply to males and females but I believe the general perception could be that of philosophy being "feminine". Men tend to be more exact and perfer to have things figured out. Its seems more technical and I being a male have always like anything technical with math and logic. I don't understand the inner workings of a female mind (which male truly does)but from what I have observed females aren't very exact and dwell on things that can have more than one meaning. Philosphy can be difficult but the way I see it women like it their way and the way I see it philosophy isn't exact and can be interpreted who you see it. I may be wrong but thats how I see it.</p>
<p>But Icer, a significant portion of philosophy IS logic.</p>
<p>I think that taking a few introduction to philosphy courses would clear this right up. How about this idea- most of the "important" philosphers have been men. Sorry ladies, whether it be because of mass sexism or other causes, it's true, not that i think that's the way it should be or that women have not greatly perpetuated the field of philosphy- the first doctorate granted to a female was in philosophy a long, long time ago (was it the 1600's?) Anyway, the white tower of philosophy is supposed to be occupied by a bunch of old men, just like the white tower of physics. These stereotypes persist in both fields, again, not that i agree with them. While I don't see how physics has been able to benefit anymore from a female (rather than) male perspective, philosophy can greatly benefit from a female perspective on many various subjects. Not that i necessarily agree with their views, it just allows more possibility.</p>
<p>Sure, guys tend to be more technical, and women more able with words and communication. Without discussing the reasons for that, whether they be bioglogical, sociological, both, or something else, we can say that members of either sex can greatly enjoy either or both. I personally see philosophy as a perfect blend of writing/communication and logical deduction because it allows one to do both. Physics, for me, seems just like English, but in the opposite way- while one is overly technical, the other is without enough exactitude. Perhaps it's my Aristotetilian sense of moderation that pointed me towards philosophy.</p>
<p>Perhaps people should think of philosophy more like law. Yes, their can be many valid interpretations from a written law, but when writing a law, one must realize what the words used are communicating. Someone can make things up and "philosophize" in a false manner all they want, but do that in a paper and watch the prof strike down logical fallacy after logical fallacy.</p>
<p>Well put, DRab.</p>
<p>The first woman with a doctorate in philosophy was Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia in 1678. <a href="http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/piscopia.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/piscopia.htm</a></p>
<p>actually that's not very long at all considering how far back philosophy goes...</p>
<p>"I would like to see the physics majors write papers as good as the philosophy majors."</p>
<p>DRab....i'm a physics major and I'm a very good writer. And artist. Award winning writer and artist in fact. People can have multiple facets - just because i can think analytically doesn't mean i'm not creative, too.</p>
<p>videogamerx2, theology is older, but philosophy was still the first discipline to grant a woman a doctorate. You're right, i guess, considering, but it is the first nonetheless.</p>
<p>C0onfusion, in context, i said there was a general trend in the disciplines. I bet there are philosophy majors who are terrible writers and great logicians, just as there are physicists who might be great writers and meteocre analytical thinkers.</p>
<p>I don't doubt the multiple facet theory because the smartest people tend to be great at many ways of thinking or subject areas (artistic, logical, strategic, ect). I'm happy for your awards. Care to tell us about your college and your awards, perhaps give us a link to your work? I'm sure you'd get some audience if you post it.</p>
<p>this is off--why do you guys talk so formal (drab). when i'm in school i maintain my eloquent writing style and always get great grades for doing so (i'm not kidding). but when i'm here online, chillin, relaxin, talkin with my PEERS (not my clients!) I use my normal language or writing style that I would use when addressing my friends. we all have 2 different sides -- at home and at school.</p>
<p>you guys are all my peers here. why do we talk like we're 50 year old men; example, drab: </p>
<p>"Care to tell us about your college and your awards, perhaps give us a link to your work? I'm sure you'd get some audience if you post it"</p>
<p>dude the guy is our age and you are talking to him like he's a 60 year old man who works at the opera.</p>
<p>if you saw him in person i bet you wouldn't be talking like this.</p>
<p>'wanna show us your college awards, etc? i bet everyone else would think that'd be cool." sounds more airy than the 60-year old man writing style you use above.</p>
<p>i know this may be way off and random (whoa HELLO!) but I wanted to point this out. maybe some of you like being formal 24/7. in that case, CC is definitely TOO much for me. LoL.</p>
<p>Haha actually, baller4lyfe, i talk with more formality in person than most people. <em>shrug</em> But whatevah cuz- it all good. I'll keep your comments in mind.</p>
<p>Haha a 60-year old man. That's great. My "sides" are just closer together than most people. :)</p>
<p>i can't wait to take mathematical logic</p>
<p>Nationwide philosophy majors tend to be 70% or so male, just like mathematics and physics.</p>
<p>Hmm, interesting statistic, mol10e. I agree with you, cherrybarry, logic sounds so interesting.</p>
<p>That statistic is interesting. As a (female) future philosophy major, I see that people at my high school tend to associate philosophy with English and theology, ie the "feminine" humanities. The more physics I take, however, the more I see how related it is to philosophy.</p>