How does philosophy make you feel?
Philosophy scares me.
I always considered myself a fairly intelligent individual with special knowledge in Latin America. I am working on taking the next step in the long journey to a PhD in history with a focus in Latin America. I am comfortable in my area, as anyone would be, and always am looking for new ways to branch out in my field. I always believed even learning about other fields was crucial in being a truly educated and well rounded individual. I’ve taken several psychology courses, math, geology, religion and other unrelated history courses that I did not need for a distribution. I wanted to learn about other fields of study. I enjoyed some of the classes and I did not enjoy others. I was very skilled in some, and in others I struggled. The one type of class I avoided at all costs, despite recommendations from other students and my parents, was philosophy. In retrospect, choosing to not take a philosophy course seems like a juvenile and immature thing to do.
I let fear of the unknown govern my decisions. I also let the fear of what I thought I knew influence my decision. After a few years of fear and curiosity, I summoned up my courage and signed up for an introduction to philosophy course.
Am I still scared of philosophy? Yes I am. It can present very scary propositions about the world and what we all thought we knew. It challenges conventional and accepted ideas. It can never be wrong and never be right. It provides endless material for academic and personal debates. While in a cab in New York City with several friends, I was able to discuss the finer points of Meno after midnight. It is a mental exercise in this increasing apathetic and mindless world.
Would I recommend to someone else to take a philosophy course? I probably would although I would warn them it would not be easy. Some people have the talent for philosophical understanding, which I do not possess. I can discuss the concept of honor in Mexico pre-independence for hours. I can read texts about the indigenous people of Brazil, understand it, and enjoy it. I put forth one hundred percent effort. Philosophy does not come as easy to me as Latin American history. I can read a text several times over and still be confused. I am terrified of posting my writing about a particular text because of my intense fear that I read it completely wrong or missed out on the most obvious or most famous point of the writing.