Philosophers
Jokes
Dean, to the
physics department. "Why do I always have to give you guys so much
money, for laboratories and expensive equipment and stuff. Why couldn't
you be like the math department - all they need is money for pencils,
paper and waste-paper baskets. Or even better, like the philosophy
department. All they need are pencils and paper."
The
First Law of Philosophy: For every philosopher, there
exists an equal and opposite philosopher.
The
Second Law of Philosophy: They're both wrong.
Descartes is
sitting in a bar, having a drink. The bartender asks him if he would
like another. "I think not," he says and vanishes in a puff of logic.
What is Mind?
No Matter.
What is Body? Never Mind.
The French
existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre was sitting in a cafe when a waitress
approached him: "Can I get you something to drink, Monsieur Sartre?"
Sartre replied, "Yes, I'd like a cup of coffee with sugar, but no
cream".
Nodding agreement, the waitress walked off to fill the order and Sartre
returned to working. A few minutes later, however, the waitress
returned and said, "I'm sorry, Monsieur Sartre, we are all out of cream
-- how about with no milk?"
A boy is about
to go on his first date, and is nervous about what to talk about. He
asks his father for advice. The father replies: "My son, there are
three subjects that always work. These are food, family, and
philosophy."
The boy picks
up his date and they go to a soda fountain. Ice cream sodas in front of
them, they stare at each other for a long time, as the boy's
nervousness builds. He remembers his father's advice, and chooses the
first topic. He asks the girl: "Do you like potato pancakes?" She says
"No," and the silence returns.
After a few
more uncomfortable minutes, the boy thinks of his father's suggestion
and turns to the second item on the list. He asks, "Do you have a
brother?" Again, the girl says "No" and there is silence once again.
The boy then
plays his last card. He thinks of his father's advice and asks the girl
the following question: "If you had a brother, would he like potato
pancakes?"
I passed my
ethics exam. Of course I've cheated.
Philosophy is a
game with objectives and no rules.
Mathematics is a game with rules and no objectives.
Theology is a game whose object is to bring rules into the subjective.
A renowned
philosopher was held in high regard by his driver, who listened in awe
at every speech while his boss would easily answer questions about
morality and ethics.
Then one day
the driver approached the philosopher and asked if he was willing to
switch roles for the evening's lecture. The philosopher agreed and, for
a while, the driver handled himself remarkably well. When it came time
for questions from the guests, a woman in the back asked, "Is the
epistemological view of the universe still valid in an existentialist
world?"
"That
is an extremely simple question," he responded. "So simple, in fact,
that even my driver could answer that, which is exactly what he will
do."
One more final
exam:
Q: Is this a
question?
A: If this is an answer!
A philosopher
went into a closet for ten years to contemplate the question, What is
life? When he came out, he went into the street and met an old
colleague, who asked him where in heaven's name he had been all those
years.
"In a closet," he replied."I wanted to know what life really is
."
"And have you found an answer?"
"Yes," he replied. "I think it can best be expressed by saying that
life is like a bridge."
"That's all well and good," replied the colleague, "but can you be a
little more explicit? Can you tell me how life
is like a bridge?"
"Oh," replied the philosopher after some thought, "maybe you're right;
perhaps life is not like a bridge."
Two freshman
philosophy students see the following bulletin posted on the wall of
their lecture hall:
Neither of
them knows what it means and they are both curious. The pair decide to
find the professor and ask some questions. When they locate the
professor's office, the bolder of the two enter the building while the
other remains outside.
Student:
"Uh...Sir..What does Crash Course in Logical Assumptions mean?"
Professor: "Well, it involves taking information that you have, forming
assumptions using logic, and then creating new information. Let me try
to answer your question by asking you a question. Do you own a car?"
Student: "Uh...Yes, I do."
Professor:
"Well, then I can now logically assume that you drive."
Student: "Yes, I drive. "
Professor:
"Then I can logically assume that you drive on weekends."
Student: "Yeah, I drive on weekends, I go out on dates."
Professor:
"Then I can logically assume that you have date partners."
Student: "Well, yes, I have a girlfriend."
Professor:
"Then I can logically assume that you are heterosexual."
Student: "Uh...hell yes! OK, I think I understand what this course is
about now. Thanks a lot for your time."
Once back
outside, his friend asks him: "So, what's it all about?"
"Its about using information and stuff...Let me answer your question by
asking you a question. Do you own a car?"
"No."
"Uh...Then you're homosexual, dude!"
Don't LOOK at
anything in a physics lab.
Don't TASTE anything in a chemistry lab.
Don't SMELL anything in a biology lab.
Don't TOUCH anything in a medical lab.
and, most importantly,
Don't LISTEN to anything in a philosophy department.
The point of
philosophy is to start with something so simple as to seem not worth
stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will
believe it.
If metaphysics
is being qua being;
and if epistemology is knowing qua knowing;
then meta philosophy must be.. qua qua qua.
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