is poetry a type of philosophy?

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Happy Hiram

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Causing someone to emote or feel empathy is not in and of itself philosophy. A poem may have rhetorical power, that is, the ability to change minds based on motivational ideas and devices, but just feeling what they feel is not a rhetorical event. It must change your thoughts or views on something to be rhetoric. I know of no other way that a poem can be philosophical, although it may be about philosophers or philosophies.
 
the words and lines make me think of what the person that wrote it is feeling at the time of writing
 
While poetry in and of itself may not be a type of philosophy, poets themselves SHARE a type of philosophy, the love of words, rhyme and imagery...and the need to create beauty.
 
Yes, I find that some of the best philosophical works are in poetic form. i.e. Lucretius, Milton. Look at other philosophers, they have put out novels and literary pieces, just because you do not write something that specifically lists a systematized thought of philosophie, does not mean that it isn't philosophie. Take Camus, Dostoevsky, Kafka. Camusdid write The Myth of Sisyphus which outlined his thought process, but it all began with The Stranger.
There are philosophers out in the world that will tell you unless they have a frame of thought written out in a systematic way then that person is not a philosopher. Those are the people coming from the Hegelian, Euro centric school.

These people that are saying poetry is not a form of philosophy are really those who have not read much philosophical works.
-enrique
 
Not necessarily but definitely you can find that some philosophy is reflected in some poems and some philosophers thesis wax poetical.
 
Only a poet can discern poetry in the commonplace prose of routine existence. Sculpture originated in idol making, architecture in temple building, poetry in incantations, music in worship chants, drama in the acting for spirit guidance, and dancing in the seasonal worship festivals.

Profound philosophy should be relieved by rhythmic poetry. The strain of living--the time tension of personality--should be relaxed by the restfulness of worship. The feelings of insecurity arising from the fear of personality isolation in the universe should be antidoted by the faith contemplation of the Father and by the attempted realization of the Supreme.

Art proves that man is not mechanistic, but it does not prove that he is spiritually immortal. Art is mortal morontia, the intervening field between man,the material, and man, the spiritual. Poetry is an effort to escape from material realities to spiritual values.
 
Poetry may be employed so as to express a particular view, manner of thought or a lived philosophy however, the poetry in and of itself is not the philosophy. At best, it can be a representation of such.

Be well.
 
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