Advice from a Philosopher

I know a philosopher who once told me, "Philosophy is like a disease. Once you catch it you just have to work it out and when you are done you can stop doing philosophy and get on with your life. But as long as you insist on doing philosophy something is wrong with you."

I must say I agree with him. I once caught the "philosophy bug" and I had to work my way through it by asking and answering all my questions, but when I was done I had answered my questions and that was it. I no longer had to do philosophy. Doing philosophy is like having cancer. You will either beat it and be stronger because of it, or it will kill you.

When my philosopher friend made that statement someone asked him, "Then why do you do philosophy." To which he replied, "Apparently something is still wrong with me and I was unable to work out all the problems and questions I have." So according to him, and I would have to agree from personal experience, as long as there is some drive to DO philosophy and to constantly question (your) existence then there is something wrong with your thinking, but fortunately it is possible to work your way through it, because by asking the questions it will reveal what is wrong with your thinking. Just beware of staying in the condition that Russell described, the perpetual philosophical state where the philosopher will always be asking questions and never coming to a knowledge of the truth. Also beware the completeness of the Early Wittgenstein and the incompleteness of the Late Wittgenstein.