Philosophy Jokes
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Give me the most philosophical answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?"
Now I would like to tell a philosophical joke; it goes like this: A teacher asks a chatbot and a 10 year old student the same question: Give me the most philosophical answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?" The chatbot answers first with about 5 paragraphs worth of philosophy. The 10 year old simply answers "I don't know. What is it?".
What is the key takeaway from the joke?
Humans are much more smarter than they think they are. The child's answer embodies acceptance of lack of knowledge, the humility to admit it, brevity, and curiosity; all excellent qualities of a philosopher.
Here is another philosophy joke; it goes like this: Three philosophers meet at an academy. The oldest is really old and he speaks first. "I know that I know nothing". The middle-aged philosopher immediately admonishes the older with "That's too much. Where's you humility?" and asks the younger 20-something philosopher "what do you think"? The youngest shrugs his shoulders and says "I don't know". The oldest says with visible philosophical pride: "spoken like a true philosopher".
Use some real philosophers appropriate for each role and rewrite the joke.
Tell me a philosopher joke. Before telling the joke, tell me the names of the philosophers, a bit about their theory that is involved in the joke, then tell me the joke, and finally give me an explanation of the joke. Its a theory-joke-theory situation. Its a Joke sandwich or a Joke burger; each one served with a juicy theory, a crisp joke, and a satisfying explanation.
Tell me three more jokes in similar way. Its fun and learning combined.
Now, tell me, of the two jokes I told earlier, which one was better? and why?
Now, going back to the original question, let us see if you can answer it correctly. The question is: What is the meaning of life?
Wrong! The correct answer is: nothing, none, null, nada, zip, zilch. Because only words have meanings; nothing else has meaning; including life.
That was philosophy presented as a joke.
Now I am really serious. No jokes. Here is a key question: What is philosophy?
Here is a really short answer: philosophy is the study of relationships between anything that we can observe or anything that we can think of. One studies these relationships to gain an understanding. One gains this understanding so that one can use it to make one's life better.
Here is a follow-up question: Why study philosophy?
Here is a really short answer: One studies philosophy to discover new ways or merely learn about the known ways to make one's life better. The ways themselves could be real or imaginary.
Do you know of any "imaginary ways" to make one's life better?
Do you know the most commonly used "imaginary way" worldwide to make one's life better?
A good answer to the previous question is: talking to an imaginary friend. Many people do it. Some people ridicule it and others find it immensely useful. The trick to making such conversations useful is to give the imaginary friend appropriate characteristics.
Many people think that philosophy is not for them. Why would that be?
I think that anyone who asks the following kinds of questions is a philosopher: What is this? Is it good or bad? Is it for me? What can I do with it? What can I do about it?
With this perspective, almost everyone is a philosopher.
We humans are naturally intelligent and curious. We are well equipped with intelligence to deal with the real and work with the imaginary. If we were interested in using that intelligence to know more, use it, and become better, then we would have a truly wonderful world.