First World Philosophy

“Is philosophy outdated?”

We will explore this topic with First-World-Philosopher, Dr. Hans-Peter Söder. Born in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, as the only child of a German-Protestant household, Hans-Peter Söder pursued higher education. With a Bachelors degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, a Masters Degree in German Literary History and a PhD in German Intellectual History and Philosophy, today his current research focusses on the History and Philosophy of Technology, Romantic Philosophy, and Linguistic Theory.

What was your first philosophical question?

I was 17. I wanted to post an anthology of poetry and literature against administration. The question was: “How do I tell if an article is good?” I decided that, if the administration did not like the article, there must be something good about it.

Why did you want to publish this article?

I was a very bad student, and I was a very shy student. I kept sitting in the way back of the classroom. But I really couldn’t see the blackboard and I started to listen. People kept saying “Hans gück in die Luft,” which means a dreamer who always looks up into the sky. I found that what the school wanted us to say was not what people wanted to read. So, I said let’s do something we’re interested in and I’ll publish a book. So, that’s how it started. I started to look in the air and started looking inside.

Which philosophers have you studied?

My specialty in philosophy is philosophers who have to do with time. How do I experience time? How do I deal with time? How do I live in time? German philosopher Immanuel Kant has established categories. Nietzsche has written on time. Einstein, of course, has written on time, and I consider him a philosopher. But time, as a subject, is generally not done.

Are there any philosophical theories that you particularly agree with?

I am a follower of Freidrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche I find interesting because he tried to think himself, outside of his own body. He thought that “whatever I represent and say… my thoughts are determined by who my father was, what my sex is, and what my race is. What if I want to think purely without these? This is impossible and that’s why I became insane.”

Do you think old philosophy will remain relevant as time goes on?

People say that philosophy is sort of like history. It’s what great people have said in the past. What does it mean today? Is it something that has to do with me… living… today? How am I supposed to live my life? With whom am I supposed to live my life? These are questions one should ask.

How do you think philosophers perceive the modern world?

I think our freedoms are in danger. I am now working on the aspect of “has freedom changed? Is it changeable? What does freedom mean? And what endangers our freedoms today.” Is it technology? Is that not taking away for freedom of experience? This has to do with authentic being and sincerity. I think it has to do with sincerity and being who you are. There is a whole world connected to this really simple word.

What are your thoughts about new age philosophy versus science?

The fact that there are so many people still interested in philosophy, shows that the question of who you are and where you want to be and what you ought to believe in is not a past subject. There is a wholesale rejection of what we call “academic philosophy” and it is why we now have so many philosophers writing what you call “new age.”

To conclude, what is your personal opinion about the debate between philosophy and science?

The situation is that philosophy used to be something that allowed the sciences to be. The scientist will always do what is doable. The only person who can say “is this the right thing to do?” in fact, is the philosopher. But philosophy has become devalued. A lot will be happening over the next 50 years, and I think human beings should question scientists “Is every new invention necessary?” Philosophers would say “Let’s think about it.”