វិធីដើម្បីក្លាយជាទស្សនវិទូ ​ How to Become a Philosopher

By admin on June 2nd, 2008

Tip from one of the original great philosophers:

“By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll be happy.

If you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.”

- Socrates (469 BC - 399 BC)

Have you ever thought you could be just like Socrates or Aristotle - if you just had the right push? Well, here it is. These are instructions on how to become the philosopher you have always wanted to be.

(1) Understand that there is no exact way to become a philosopher, you either have the ideas or you don’t. You must free yourself of all limitations such as prejudice, religion, and point of view. Philosophers are often people that see the world from a child’s eyes. It is important to listen to people, and travel a lot, to get a sense of the world and the people in it. Asking people in your town about what they think of the war in Iraq isn’t really going to help, as a lot of these will give stereotypical answers, and will not be well-informed.

(2) Understand that there is also no exact way in which you can investigate, and this is part of philosophy. Some philosophers, like Descartes, only trusted their mind and logic, and not the senses. Some say that the best way to start off, is to research about philosophy. When you study philosophy in college or university, you study about all the different philosophers and their opinions. Think about it, and disagree, or agree with what they think.

(3) Think about the world, what it means to live, to die, to exist, and what the point of it is. Be the source of your own investigation. Since you’re always available to yourself, any line of investigation about yourself (and there can be many) allows you to always make some progress. Consider the basis for what you believe. Why do you believe what you believe? Start from scratch and identify your reasoning.

(4) Write down what you think about these subjects, including ideas you think you shouldn’t write down (possibly because you think others may think they are stupid). While you may not be arriving at any striking conclusions, you will be exposing your own assumptions to yourself. You will probably marvel at how silly some of your assumptions can be, and in the process you will mature.

(5) Re-write your ideas more formally and let others read your work, so you can get others to hear your ideas. You can ask friends, relatives, teachers, or classmates if they could offer some thoughts on your work, or you can post your writings online (through a website, a blog, or a message board) and look for responses there.

(6) Engage in any debate possible. This will increase your ability to think freely. Keep in mind however, that you are not engaging in intellectual Olympics. There will always be someone who knows something better than you, and arrogance will stop you dead. You will need a healthy measure of humility.

(7) Read philosophy copiously, learning new questions and problems to think about and past solutions, and their criticisms. Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in philosophy is a good way to structure these studies, but many great philosophers were also self-taught.

(8) Pursue philosophy as a career by acquiring a doctorate in philosophy and getting a professorship at a university. This can be highly competitive, expensive, and challenging, but getting paid to think can be extremely rewarding.

As George Bernard Shaw said: “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea as well, and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” Don’t be scared of having your ideas stolen by others when you share it with them. Having people hear your ideas will spark criticism and contribution within them, only strengthening your own thoughts and counter-argumentation.

Assumptions are the bane of philosophy and of fresh, intelligent thought. Never stop asking “why?”

• Don’t hesitate to argue positions that are the opposite of what you believe. Being able to see as many sides of an issue as possible is an excellent way to express yourself and opinions. A supreme philosopher can (and probably will) challenge even the most basic beliefs and ideals the human race stands for without fear of criticism.
• Always remember that wisdom is applied knowledge
• Look for meaning behind everything around you. WHENEVER you encounter something that your intuition tells you don’t make sense or seems “fishy” then look into why. Often when we think “I’m not sure that’s entirely true” it’s our deep philosophical assumptions contradicting each other. Nietzsche said that philosophy is more than reading philosophical works. True philosophy comes from daily thought and analysis of everything around us.

Warnings

• Don’t be afraid to voice a radical opinion. But letting its novelty and originality turn into arrogance will only blind you from seeing the validity of more conservative ideas, thus destroying philosophy, which is centered around questioning and finding the truth, not around satisfying your desires.
• You need to be able to accept criticism, and work with it. As a philosopher, you will have a lot of criticism. This is because you are one of those radical thinkers who make the ideas rather than just agree with them.
• By philosophizing, your ideas will mature, so much so that you may outgrow friends. You may find that your friends are not interested, or they are unwilling to compromise their ideas. This is normal, though it can be isolating. Remember to stay humble. Philosophy can tear friendships apart if you are do not practice caution.
• source: wikihow

Informed Consent and Informed Choice ការយល់ព្រមប្រកបដោយការយល់ដឹងនិងការជ្រើសរើសប្រកបដោយ ការយល់ដឹង

By admin on April 30th, 2008

ពេទ្យសត្វអាចកាត់សាច់ដុះនៅលើជើងរបស់សត្វឆ្កែដោយមិនចាំបាច់

មានការយល់ព្រមពី​សត្វឆ្កែឡើយ…………………………

ថតទុកអត្ថបទពិស្តារ (Informed Consent and Informed Choice)

ការអប់រំសំរាប់ការអភិវឌ្ឍប្រកបដោយចីរភាព:ការភ្ជាប់ការសិក្សានិងសុភមង្គល​ Education for Sustainable Development: Linking Learning and Happiness

By admin on April 19th, 2008

ថតទុក Download PDF, 5MB

ការអប់រំសំរាប់ការអភិវឌ្ឍប្រកបដោយចីរភាព: ការភ្ជាប់ការសិក្សានិងសុភមង្គល

Education for Sustainable Development: Linking Learning and Happiness
Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2007, 19 p.
ISBN 978-92-9223-147-7 (Print version)
ISBN 978-92-9223-146-0 (Electronic version)

មាតិការ

១.​ ហេតុអ្វីត្រូវការសុភមង្គល?

២.  តើសុភមង្គលគឺជាអ្វី?

៣.​ តើសុភមង្គលជាតិសរុប (GPH) គឺជាអ្វី?

៤.​​ តើការអប់រំសំរាប់ការអភិវឌ្ឍប្រកបដោយចីរភាពគឺជាអ្វី?

៥. ការអប់រំសំរាប់ការអភិវឌ្ឍប្រកបដោយចីរភាព៖ ការភ្ជាប់ការសិក្សានិងសុភមង្គល

៦.​  ការឆ្ពោះទៅមុខ: ការសិក្សាសំរាប់សុភមង្គល

៧.​​ សំណួរសំរាប់ការត្រិះរិះនិងពិភាក្សា

៨. ការអានបន្ថែម

CONTENTS1. Why Happiness?

2. What is Happiness?

3. What is Gross National Happiness?

4. What is Education for Sustainable Development?

5. ESD: Linking Learning and Happiness

6. Moving Ahead: Learning for Happiness

7. Questions for Thought and Discussion

8. Further Reading

ទំនាក់ទំនងក្នុងថ្នាក់រៀន:ការប្រើប្រាស់សញ្ចេតបញានិងការប្រើប្រាស់ ការទំនាក់ទំនងដោយកាយវិការក្នុងការអប់រំសីលធម៌នៅសាលាសុខាភិបាល ​Classroom Communication: Use of emotional intelligence and non-verbal communication in ethics education at medical schools

By admin on April 19th, 2008

ឯកសារសំរាប់ការបណ្តុះបណ្តាលស្តីពីការទំនាក់ទំនងសំរាប់ឧទ្ទេស  សំរាប់គ្រូបង្រៀនសីលធម៌ជីវសាស្ត្រនៅសាលាសុខាភិបាល

A training manual on effective didactic communication for bioethics teachers at medical schools.​​

ថតទុក (ជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស)​ Download (English, PDF)

Source: UNESCO Bioethics Education

The International Network of Women Philosophers

By admin on March 7th, 2008

Dear friends of philosophy,

  On the occasion of 8 March, International Women’s Day, it is our pleasure to announce that the website of the International Network of Women Philosophers sponsored by UNESCO is now available online at the following address:

www.unesco.org/shs/philosophy/women_philosophers (in English)

www.unesco.org/shs/fr/philosophy/women_philosophers (in French)

  Have a nice visit!

Chanroeun Pa

Executive Director, Cambodian Centre for Applied Philosophy and Ethics

Buddhism for Teenagers (Wisdom and Compassion for Life)

By admin on February 12th, 2008

Teens face many different problems in our society everyday. But we can get a lot of strength and support from a spiritual path. This is a place where we can talk about things like school, family, friends, love, and life in the light of Buddhist teachings.

Essential priority on this page is to educate and help to those who like to have a simple peaceful life style. I had both bad and good experiences in the education, friends and many other ways. So I know that every teen have same problems during teenage life. I hope you can have a guide to life from this page.

Who Do You Associate With: Good Friends Or Bad Friends?

“Friend” is a person who shares good or bad things with his companion. There are two kinds of friends:
(1) a false or bad friend
(2) a true or good friend.

Four Bad Friends and Their Characteristics

(Footnote: Singala Sutta, Maha-Vagga, Digha-Nikaya)
There are these four types who can be seen as false or bad friends pretending to be true or good friends:
1. one who takes anything
2. one who is a great talker or only pays lip-service by making empty promises
3. one who flatters or only says pleasant things
4. one who is a fellow-spendthrift or debauched companion

1. The first bad friend, who takes anything, has four characteristics:
(i) taking everything from you
(ii) Wanting a lot for very little (or wanting much in return for giving only a little)
(iii) doing service only when he gets into trouble.
(iv) seeking only his own advantage.

2. The second bad friend, who is a great talker, has also four characteristics:
(i) talking of favours in the past
(ii) talking of favours in the future
(iii) trying to please you with empty promises or mouthing empty promises of goodwill
(iv) pleading inability owing to some disaster when something needs to be done in the present.

3. The third bad friend, who flatters, has also four characteristics:
(i) agreeing to the bad actions of you
(ii) also, agreeing to the good actions of you
(iii) praising you in your presence
(iv) disparaging you behind your back.

4. The fourth bad friend, who is a fellow-spendthrift or who debauches, also has four characteristiocs:
(i) being a companion when indulging in strong drink
(ii) being a companion when haunting the streets at unfitting times
(iii) being a companion when frequenting shows and entertainments
(iv) being a companion when indulging in gambling.

Four Good Friends and Their Characteristics

(Footnote: Singala Sutta, Maha-Vagga, Digha-Nikaya)
There are these four types can be seen to be good or true friends. They are orderly:
1. one who is helpful
2. one who is the same in happy and unhappy times
3. one who points out what is good for you
4. one who is sympathetic.

1. The first good friend, who is helpful, has four characteristics:
(i) looking for you when you are drunk
(ii) looking for your possessions when you are drunk
(iii) being a refuge for you are in trouble
(iv) leting you have twice what you ask for when some business is to be done.

2. The second good friend, who is the same in happy and unhappy times, has four characteristics:
(i) telling you his secrets
(ii) keeping your secrets
(iii) not forsaking you when you are in trouble
(iv) sacrificing even his life for you. More

Recent Events Underscore Our Loss of Dignity

By admin on January 22nd, 2008

from The Cambodia Daily (January 22, 2008, page 19)

Letter to the Editor by Muoy You, Phnom Penh

 Last week, there pieces of news and events made me reflect on the condition of our country. A poor man knocked a powerful man unconscious with a steel pipe and rammed the man’s car into the wall of his house. While nobody can condone such violence, it might be helpful to reflect on what caused this act of rage. We usually read about the poor robbing, attacking or killing other poor for money or grudge. The rich and powerful were up to then immune from such danger. Not anymore, it seems. When frustrations build, they lead to anger and rage. Fences, however tall, and barbed wire, however impressive, could not protect one that was the object of hatred.

In some countries, a king, a queen, a minister or a major can be seen in the streets, going on a bike or public transport, on their own, without body guards. They have nothing to fear from their people. Such a thing is unimaginable in Cambodia. Why? Is it status or fear or both? If it’s fear, why?  There can only two reasons: (a) they have too many enemies, or (b) they have no faith in the police.

And what turns a man into an enemy? When he is not given a chance and when he is robbed of his hope and dignity. What is dignity? I was there in my reflection when a piece of news gave me the answer to the question.

It seems Cambodia is less poor now. Its GDP has increased, there are less people living under the poverty line. I was really happy with this good news until I read that the poverty line was $o.45 per day.

What can one do with $0.45 a day? Why don’t we all try to live with $0.45 for a day t see how it feels? I had the experience ten years ago, trying to live with, not $0.45 but $1 a day. It was ten years ago and I didn’t take the rent or transportation into account, just food for just myself. I knew what it was like to count every cent before buying something, to choose always the cheapest, to pretend I was not hungry. Now in 2008, what can one do with 1800 riel a day? One cannot even have a car wash. But of course, the poor do not have cars to wash. Only their dignity is washed away.

In 1979, the Cambodian people were the most equal in the world- all of them had nothing. Twenty nine years later, the gap is Himalayan-some have millions of dollars and the crowd has $0.45 a day. How could this have happened?

Some say those poor are lazy or stupid otherwise they would have made it like the others. Either that-we are a nation of lazy and stupid people-or there is something wrong in the economic management of the country and the values that govern our lives. A car knocked a man down. The owner came out and went to check the damage done to his car before he noticed the man and told him off- so much for individual dignity. What about our dignity as a nation?

សញ្ញាណទូទៅនៃសីលធម៌ជីវសាស្រ្ត Introduction to Bioethics

By admin on January 17th, 2008

Bioethics can be defined as the study of ethical issues and decision-making associated with the use of living organism. It is a field of study that concerns the relationship between biology, science, medicine and ethics, philosophy and theology. Bioethics analyzes the ethical and moral implications of new biological discoveries and biomedical advances. Bioethics is learning how to balance different benefits, risks and duties.

សីលធម៌ជីវសាស្រ្តត្រូវបានគេអោយនិយមន័យថាជាការសិក្សាអំពីបញ្ហា​សីលធម៌​និងការ​សំរេច​ចិត្តដែលជាប់ទាក់ទងជាមួយនឹងការប្រើប្រាស់សរីរាង្គមានជីវិតទាំងឡាយ។ សីលធម៌​ជីវសាស្រ្ត គឺជាការសិក្សាដើម្បីធ្វើអោយមានតុល្យ​ភាពរវាងអត្ថប្រយោជន៍ ​ គ្រោះមហន្ត​រាយ និងកាតព្វកិច្ច។

(អត្ថបទទាំងមូល [Introductiont-to-Bioethics.pdf in Khmer(PDF,457KB)]                                                     Introduction to Bioethics in English (MSdoc, 270 KB)

Teaching materials compiled under the UNESCO Bangkok Bioethics Education Project available at www.eubios.info

Picture: www.nc.univie.ac.at/…/teaching_bioethics.jpg 

The XXII World Congress of Philosophy

By admin on December 16th, 2007

Information about the XXII World Congress of Philosophy (WCP 2008) is now available.

UNESCO “Philosophy: A School of Freedom”

By admin on December 9th, 2007

UNESCO published “Philosophy: A School of Freedom. Teaching philosophy and learning to philosophize: Status and prospects” - an innovative publication based on the results of a worldwide study and abounding with unprecedented recommendations and proposals on the teaching of philosophy.

Discovering the wonder of children when they face questions aroused well as on the role of teachers.

Encountering philosophy during adolescence proves to be such an important point in the memory of one’s educational career! Chapter II reveals the multiple facets of what the imprint left will be, a genuine creative potential. Readers will sense the pedagogical force of philosophy teaching at this turning point in people’s lives, when one’s personality seeks to construct itself. Teenagers who question, often opposing in order better to affirm themselves, this is the pattern of the evolution – revolution that the publication proposes to grasp with all its underlying paradoxes and contradictions.

Describing the vast field of philosophical reflection at university is the ambition of Chapter III. It grapples with all the complexity of philosophy teaching with its many facets and ramifications, as well as the variety of its intrinsic links with the defense of academic freedoms and of freedom of expression.

Drawing upon philosophy’s infinite resources is the aspiration of Chapter IV, by spelling out all the richness of alternative ways of philosophizing: other places, other needs, other responses…. These pages will not fail to surprise readers by the unexpectedness of the practices they describe, and also by the originality of twenty suggestions that call upon each and every one’s imagination and will to become involved.

Exploring the extent of philosophy through figures, quotes, graphics and statistics on the basis of the results of UNESCO’s questionnaire – this is what Chapter V is designed to do. In its way, it makes its contribution to reflecting the flourishing picture of philosophy.

Download the publication in English [PDF]

Download the publication in French [PDF]

Source: Philosophy at UNESCO