Most philosophy seems to be centered on one of 2 things: survival or self-actualization. Almost all non-religious philosophy is centered on the latter. Darwinism (as a philosophy) and existentialism are the only major philosophies of survival that I can think of.
Any others?
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Seems broadly untrue, unless epistemology, ontology, metaphysics, ethics, etc. are all actually/secretly about self-actualization?
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Yup, they are, and it's not "secret" -- it is all concerned with the nature of being and its flourishing/generativity. The question of being vs. non-being is in a way too elemental to theorize a lot. You kinda have to contemplate it and stick to simpler pre-theory.
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Are there not other, more practical reasons why one might be interested in investigating the nature of being? Like, coming up with cool product ideas, or winning debates?
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You realize that requires assuming and embracing being over non-being?
Except during wartime, most people don't realize there are assumptions being made in that department.
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Isn't the idea of "embracing being over non-being" itself a dichotomy advanced by existentialism (a wartime philosophy)?
Is it not self-evident to most that being is preferred over non-being? Perhaps we need philosophy to help those for whom it isn't obvious.
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Camus' "the only serious philosophical question is that of suicide" is something like the P≠NP proposition of philosophy == "Choosing life is better than choosing death".
Most people assume it is true and move along to other questions. Few work on the proposition itself.
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