What is Philosophy?

Yes. Philosophy. What is Philosophy?  Sometimes it seems that we are just a collection of opinions. And we hit each other over the head with our competing opinions. How we actually arrived at our opinions is subject to opinion.

It sometimes seems like this is all an elaborate Clown Show. And our opinions are like balloons, and we bop each other on the noggin with the balloons.  It's like really bad entertainment. And doesn't really entertain anyone.

So you'd like to reach for some greater wisdom. Some framework. Some underlying system of thought that you could draw upon.  You'd like to.  You read the great books. You try on the great thoughts. You delve into an intensive study of lofty things.

And then you come up with opinions on all that... just another collection of balloons... and you wield them like they are something different... but really they are just more balloons... balloons filled with a little more hot air.  And you act like no one has ever wielded balloons like that before.  But you are most assuredly wrong...