It's amazing to read Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. There's another book that explores the history of the U.S. more through the actual voices of the people: Voices of A People's History of the United States -- also by Howard Zinn.
One thing philosophy does do, it seems, is that in its own strange way, philosophy does have an effect upon social climates through the intellectual power generated by the network of people doing philosophy. This worldwide network of philosophy and philosophers in the field supports the ever continuing hard work of establishing and maintaining free speech and writing and filming and performing. As we all know all too well, attempts to control the languages of others endanger the free exchange of words. To control language sets precidence for curtailing and limiting the free exchange of ideas within all forms of human expression. Philosophy plays its part, as we all must fight for and protect free speech.
Anticipation reveals to Dasein its lostness in the they-self, and brings it face to face with the possibility of being itself, primarily unsupported by concernful solicitude, but of being itself, rather in an impassioned freedom towards death -- a freedom which has been released from the Illusions of the "they", and which is factical, certain of itself, and anxious... -- Martin Heidegger, Being and Time
"Maybe someone will come back from the future and tell us the answers." -- Stephen Hawking from the Preface, Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip S. Thorne
Some texts to ponder:
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Had it been a bad trip? A good trip? A contact high? Was that a gnat or did I just squish god? Find out!
