Mindless Juices

So, I was at a customers house and somehow she asked if I went to college. Of course, the follow-up question is my major. For anyone who doesn't know, I have a Bachelor's of Science in Philosophy. The answer to the question that inevitably follows is, you teach it. There's other things you can do, but mostly, you teach it. Just so you know what else you can do with it: Study medical ethics, get on an ethical board at a hospital and help doctors decide who lives and dies Study business ethics, help develop policies and make decisions with a major company Study the philosophy of law, help lawyers develop arguments Unfortunately, I fell in love with existentialism which may be less of a philosophy and more of a study of life and death. The easiest way to describe existentialism is to say it sort asks the question: What does it mean to exist? Kierkegaard went from the Christian perspective. Nietzsche leaned more towards what it meant if God did not exist. Both are extremely interesting studies of existence, meaning, and purpose. Meanwhile, the customer asked who my favorite philosopher was. I answered Kierkegaard, but I thought that Nietzsche definitely pulled up a second place finish. I could tell you about Kierkegaard, but most people think Nietzsche was a Nazi and claimed that God was dead. I offer a different thought: Consider the study of what does it mean if the concept of god does not exist. It means man is on his own. He is the only one to blame for atrocities and the only one to take credit for benevolence. He presents a case for what he calls the "über-man." Consider men like daVinci or Mozart... without God, these men acheived amazing things all on their own. Their inspiration and motivation can only be self. Moreover, what if someone prevented them from acheiving greatness? Then, the world today would be somehow less than it is. Therefore, assuming the above, the masses would need to raise up those who are great and insure that they are not prevented from acheiving greatness. Anyway, it's an interesting study of the nature of man. Particularly those who deny God's existence. It still calls them to a certain morality that is not based on divine rules. Some of the rules might actually be stricter in certain regards than the morality Christians tend to strive for. Moreover, whether you believe God exists or not, you likely believe you exist (see Descartes if you don't). If you exist, then it's safe to say that the study of man's existence is applicable to you.