The Philosophical Conundrum

Message 320 of 2772

Axioms are not self-evident truths, they are fundamentally unprovable assumptions.

We know what we are experiencing right now -- and everything else is inferred.

Hume says that the fundamental basis of any philosophical system cannot be proven.

Therefore, ..... given all the above ...... what is philosophy?

posted by MartiInMexico

I have several things to say.

First, to say that “axioms are not self-evident truths” does not imply that there are no self evident truths.

Second, Hume’s claim is a self-evident truth, because it is true by definition. That which could be proven would not be the fundamental basis for anything, but derived from some fundamental basis.

Third, the second claim in the above opening post is simply false. I know that “2+2=4” and I do not infer it from anything I am experiencing right now.

Fourth, I see no reason to accept the theory of knowledge assumed in that second statement

Fifth, I see no “philosophical conundrum” implied by these statements.

Sixth, and finally (for now), ”Therefore, …given all the above…”, it is irrelevant to the question ”What Is Philosophy”