Philosophical Investigations – 10.30 Saturday 10 Dec 2011 Lit & Phil
The theme of thought versus emotion emerged – or was it knowing and feeling?  The terms have many meanings, and sometimes they overlap (e.g. we can feel that we know something).  What is knowledge?  What is thought?  What is feeling?  Has science had the last word?  Are thoughts and feelings processes, energies, forces, information, images, spirits, dynamics, or just concepts?  Is feeling the essence?   Why think at all?  Don’t we already know?  Don’t we feel it in our bones?  Does feeling obstruct understanding?  We can feel moved, so are our feelings our reasons or do we feel for reasons?   Does feeling get in the way of reason, or (as Hume seems to suggest) are reasons themselves felt things?  Is feeling the subjective, and reason the objective?  Must we stand aside from our feelings in order to think and to see the truth, or should we submit to our feelings without thinking.  Is reason repression?  Is passion truth?  It is hard to represent all that was said, because as it happens feelings ran very high.  We strayed from our main line of enquiry, and there was confusion for a time about what we were discussing.  The value of philosophical enquiry was questioned.  Are philosophers cold, unfeeling, and calculating?  Are they superior?  Do they alienate, and should they try not to?  Are all philosophers would-be aristocrats?  Things polarised.  There was no meeting of minds.  It happens, but not always.   In 2011 we have often managed to keep to our line of enquiry, to listen and to try to understand and not judge each other.  We have struggled to resist fear and anger.  On occasions we have been of one mind, which for some reason felt good!  A certain quality of thinking and feeling is required for this, which is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea.  Here’s hoping we all get what we wish for in 2012!