The Role of the Philosopher in Public Life

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The Role of the Philosopher in Public Life
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The paradigmatic philosopherSocrates

• ignorance
• dialogue

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• Hans Christian Andersen The Emperor's New Cloths

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• Roger Penrose The Emperor's New Mind. Concerning
  Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics (1989)

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• Bertrand Russell
• Jean-Paul Sartre
• Similarities
• Independent intellectuals
• Nobel prize in literature

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Nobel prize in literature

• Russell (1950)
• In recognition of his varied and significant
  writings in which he champions humanitarian
  ideals and freedom of thought.
• Sartre (1962)
• ...for his work which, rich in ideas and filled
  with the spirit of freedom and the quest for
  truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on
  our age.

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• Georg Henrik von Wright
• Vetenskapen och förnuftet (Science and Reason)
  1985
• Myten om framsteget (The Myth of Progress) 1993

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• von Wright's important insights
• To understand the present, we have to understand
  the past
• To solve the problems of modern society, radical
  changes are required

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• The problem of rationality is multi-dimensional
  (refers to Weber, Adorno and Habermas)
• Distinction between rationality and
  reasonableness (related to Weber's distinction
  between Zweckrationalität and Wertrationalität)

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• The alliance between the new rationality and
  power introduces a new chapter in the history of
  science.
• Modern science and technology is closely related
  to a mechanistic world view.

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Challenges to the mechanistic world view?

• Quantum mechanics
• Non-reductionist biology (for example Barbara
  McClintock)
• Systems theory and holistic theories in general

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• Do we need more applied philosophy?
• In a certain sense, yes.
• However, the distinction should be used with care.

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• Peter Galison Einstein's Clocks, Poincaré's
  Maps. Empires of Time, 2003

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• Either
• Applied philosophy pure philosophy applied
  to concrete cases
• or
• Pure philosophy purified applied philosophy

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• Stephen Toulmin
• Cosmopolis. The hidden Agenda of Modernity (1987)
• Return to Reason

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Is ignorance a virtue?

• The importance of asking stupid questions
• The importance of knowledge