In my country you must have a special license to practice Philosophy. It is very difficult to even apply for, much less receive. Many applicants are severely injured in the process and have to be sent to special camps to re-debilitate them so that they can function in our society.

My closest friend Otto, for instance, was intentionally rendered completely deaf by the examiners and sent alone into the most remote forest in our region. His body was found several days later, crushed beneath a tree which he had not heard falling. No one could believe it had happened.

Though this may seem harsh, I'm glad that a Philosophy License is required in my country. Without it, what would be stopping ordinary people from just going around pondering at will and holding forth about whatever topic caught their fancy?

Logically, the word philosopher, implies the idea of 'not a philosopher', so not all are thus.

For I, the philosopher, is one who is always ready to suspend belief (Descartes) and see both sides of the argument.:detective:

A non-philosopher cannot do this: such a person would be dogmatically sticking to his point of view with ever more elaborate illogical explanations. Such a person could be termed a philosophismer.:poke-eye:

The philosopher realises that there is only one correct model, but is always ready to see the other side, just to be sure. The philosopher doubts everything, in order to decide what is true, beyond reasonable doubt. She is not bothered overly with paradox as a stepping stone to the one truth.:listening:

We all have the potential to be philosophers, but some just choose not to do so. They have not abstracted their mind distinctly from the senses. His imagination is so preoccupied with the senses, that the concept of paradox, just looks like a contradiction. Word-truths are for the philosophismer, pure ideas for the philosopher.

A philosopher realizes that the REAL philosophy actually takes place in the lounge.:shifty:

Ticktockman,

Dang. It sounds like you live in "the clockwork orange." Hate to see what happens when you apply for a drivers license.

Poseidon,

From Plato, it seems that ancient philosophizing was done with serious, sober intent on some nights, but then also in the midst of wild drinking parties on other nights.

Is it responsible to engage in philosophy while in a chemically-altered state of mind? Perhaps that would be for another topic, but my short answer would be "no".

You really don't want to go there! But I think it has something to do with lizards! (read TickTock's resume)

As the word "philosopher" means lover of wisdom, then that is perhaps the best explanation. Someone who loves wisdom for its own sake. I am sure all my fellow philosophers have had some well-meaning person asking them why they want to spend time reading Plato or Descartes - rather than studying to become a cost accountant or something similar. "But what will you get out of it?" If you have to ask, you ain't a philosopher!

Interestingly enough, they hand those out to anyone who shows up with $30. If you're smart enough to find your way to the Driver License Bureau, you're smart enough to drive a car... which makes each day an adventure for those of us who ride a motorcycle.

Everybody have their philosophy, but I think that a good philosopher is a person that isn't too certain about things, and isn't afraid to realize that he thought wrong.

If my reply had been "A philosopher is a person that isn't too certain about things", I wouldn't consider myself a good philosopher.

... a lot of nice replies here. So being overly-fascinated with words as I tend to be, I snagged some dictionary definitions and thought I'd offer them - for no particular reason:

Merriam-WebsterPrinceton.Edu

• S: (n) philosopher (a specialist in philosophy)
  
• S: (n) philosopher (a wise person who is calm and rational; someone who lives a life of reason with equanimity)
  

MSN-Encarta[INDENT]1. somebody who studies philosophy: somebody who seeks to understand and explain the principles of existence and reality
2. somebody holding particular beliefs: somebody who believes in a particular philosophy and thinks and acts accordingly
3. thinking person: a thinker who deeply and seriously considers human affairs and life in general
4. calm and rational person: somebody who calmly and rationally reacts to events, especially adversity
[/INDENT]TheFreeDictionary.com[INDENT]1. A student of or specialist in philosophy.
2. A person who lives and thinks according to a particular philosophy.
3. A person who is calm and rational under any circumstances.
[/INDENT]So yea, there's a LOT of philosophers out there! Let's have a convention!

so the word breather also implies that there are those that do not breathe. Thinker implies there are those who do not think. Drinker, Stinker, Smeller, Talker the list goes on.... Just because "all humans" There is not necessarily something about philosophy that excludes parts of humanity.

Hahaha I really love this post, thank you for it. You have made my day.

A Philosopher nowadays is foreseen as the deep looking loner deep in ponder over theyre coffee cup or the magnitude & scale of the nearest building or pigeon. This is due to stereotyping, which has became a instantaneous action in a fresh faced narcissist playground that is the modern age. I more than agree that it should be met with skepticism as i beleive the things you are are not are the ones you tell yourself, & others, you are but the ones that come naturally to you adn you dont see any glory in. These are the ones that truly define you, if youre instantly asking questions on other subjects instead of looking for answers on wether you are what you think, or would like, to be then surely you wont be telling anyone youre anything. Its what they are that you and i would like to know.

Plato makes Socrates remark that Philosophy begins with wonder, and that an unexamined life is not worth living. These sayings from the father of philosophy are worth noting.

Just as philosophy began with a rejection of mythology and superstition and sought a rational account of everything, so too it reflected a critical and questioning attitude, of being "confused" or puzzled by events commonly accepted (this is one of the meanings of "wonder"). [The early Socratic dialogues began with an examination of a common conception and finding it inadequate.]

Implied in this concept is that 1) it is important to take the time to pause from daily living and to think about this intrusive event, and 2) that any individual who will do so (with the usual reservations) can arrive at a resolution of this problem by the use of his own reason. Philosophy (and this does not mean merely having opinions about one thing or another) is thus open to all men.

The history of philosophy has been the dialogue of individuals finding problems and proposing answers that in turn generate new problems; tangential to this has been a discussion of the proper rules and procedures for this quest and division of the many kinds of questions into special areas of investigation.

no one is qualified to be a philosopher til thev have walked a mile in some one elses shoes, no one has ever lived to give garanteed proof of life after death and who would believe them anyway no one really cares about anyone else only for themselves. since we cannot say whAT it would be like to live in a comunity there is no foundation for general philosophy u can try but u will fail.

Well that casts a bit of a pall over the forum . . .

I am someone who has critical, generally systematic approach to ideas and a reliance on reasoned argument. I concider myself somewhat of a philosopher.
My husband has no desire to think so deeply and does not like any kind of argument. He likes to keep it simple. If living simple is his philosophy, then would that make him a philosopher?

The idea that i would call myself a philosopher in the fullest meaning of the word i would say is daft ...I can philosophise, i can do first aid but im not a doctor nor am i a philosopher...You have to study and be able to have a reference base to compare your thoughts.A mathematician would not discuss basic division and i apprecisate that philosophers have taken the effort to study their subject and although on occassions they appear superior its their right.I am just grateful they have on the whole the decency to debate with me...creep creep..:sarcastic:

Isn' everyone a philosopher now and then?
But most get scared of the questions they ask or the answers they may receive.

Only those that persevere are worthy of the name.

"Philo" means love and sophy means "wisdom"
I say no more

A philosopher is one who is not afraid to ask why as many times as it takes to find the proper answer.

well that what i love about this place, who really cares who U are dont u think people are more concerned about their own thoughts than delievered messages on this forum especially up setting ones like this , that comment was like saying the fleas bit the dog so the fleas are more significant than the dog when everyone kn ows that a dog is a mans best freind in this context only u speak as if u were me leaving a message from a state in the future however since i have miniplualted this computer in to thinking u are different computer and since i believe that this moment in life is simply the best thing ever as do alot of fleas and since u exist in a totally different universe than i do u have a longer life than me were u born before me will u live for the same time as me are we enemies i have filled that question with energy and the file was removed from my computerso that means u must be an enemy i am ashamed that i would put my name to such a message PLEASE MESSAGE ME BACK AND SEND ME REPLY TO LET ME SAVE MORE ENERGY ON THE OTHER COMPUTER IF U DONT KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT MESSAGE ME BACK TO IM UP FOR A LAUGH