physical sciences

Description

Philosophical Tales: being an alternative history of philosophy, featuring the characters, the plots and the hidden scenes that make up the TRUE story of philosophy Philosophy TV is surprisingly popular TV. Social Science, Physics, Law, they all have their adherents, but only philosophy appeals to that broader audience. It is not for nothing that Harry Potter's first adventure featured 'the Philosophers'' stone', nor was Seinfield's creators completely mad to write a book about the connections between the cartoon show and mainstream philosophy. That said, most philosophy treatments assume that there is a very standard , very straightforward story to philosophy, which it is somehow a kind of virtuous duty to explore. Philosophy is treated as a kind of 101 course (introduction for students) leading on to everything else, notably the physical sciences, ethics, and these days, computing. What is it not treated as, what it is not thought of as being, is a subject that is partisan, political and plain scurrilous. Its characters are not wise old men in togas, as the radio chat show hosts always like to quip, but fanatical young men in velveteen suits. And there are women in the story too - often suffering persecution, sometimes even death for their philosophical activities. There are many fascinating stories in philosophy solely concerned indeed with what happens when the male and the female philosophers meed - not so much philosophically (the man borrows the woman'\s ideas) but politically and above all sexually. Philosophical Tales aims to present this 'other side of philosophy' - the murky, tabloid side -but also a revealing reality. This video is educational in purpose and intended to launch discussion. It includes very short extracts covered by the fair use protections for cultural rescue, launching discussion and incidental use.