Is philosophy psychology?
What is the meaning of life?
Does the table exist?
If a tree falls but no one hears it, did it really fall?
Why do you study things that are not real?
Do you like to think a lot?
Are there pretty girls in philosophy?
Do I exist?
How do I know that I’m not a brain in a vat (or living in the matrix)?
Why should I study something so impractical?

1. Is philosophy psychology?

The world is not divided into departments. (Bernadette Chin)

Both of them are similar in that they bring you just a bit closer to mastering the Jedi mind trick. Otherwise both disciplines couldn’t be more different. (Huang Yuhuai)

No, psychology is philosophy. Did you know that clicking on the first link in a Wikipedia article and then in subsequent articles eventually gets you to philosophy? All roads lead to philosophy. (Bernadette Chin)

2. What is the meaning of life?

42. (Leung Hao Pu)

The meaning of life is to create a meaning for life! (Phillip Ong)

I have to think about that, return to this place in exactly seven and a half million years. (Huang Yuhuai)

Sorry, can’t seem to find an answer to that. You might however, be able to find an answer to “What is a life of meaning?” (Samuel Lee)

A question to which a simple answer is expected but none at all can be given- you might as well ask, ‘What is the sound of pink?’ (Shannen Song)

Whatever you want it to be. Next question. (Chetan Cetty)

3. Does the table exist?

It’d better, otherwise the non-existent money I spent at the non-existent Ikea would have been wasted. (Huang Yuhuai)

That depends. If you will buy it at or above our asking price, then yes. If not, it doesn’t. (Chetan Chetty)

4. If a tree falls but no one hears it, did it really fall?

Depends on how you established that there was a tree that fell in the first place. (Huang Yuhuai)

Just because the people around the tree are deaf doesn’t me an the tree didn’t fall! (Chetan Cetty)

Well maybe we should check to see if anyone got squashed. (Chetan Cetty)

Assuming the existence of external objects and scientific laws independent of human observation: yes. (Lim Qing Lun)

What tree? (Jonathan Sim)

5. Why do you study things that are not real?

There is no academic discipline that studies ‘real’ things- anything that can be thought of as studied is an idea. They may correspond to something you can perceive, but to expound on the basic perception of that thing is already to study something that isn’t real. You simply are not studying the physical object anymore, but constructing a nexus of ideas based on your perception of said object. (Shannen Song)

We don’t only study things that are not real. And anyway, we’re not the only ones that do it. Physicists do it all the time. Are you sure an atom, quark or boson is real like your hand is and not just a theoretical construction? (Chetan Cetty)

Why not? (Samuel Lee)

6. Do you like to think a lot?

I have to think about that, return to this place in exactly seven and a half million years. (Huang Yuhuai)

Ya, but not about trivial things, so don’t worry. (Chetan Cetty)

I don’t know. To answer the question, I must know what ‘a lot’ means. Presumably, it means I spend more time thinking than the average amount of time people spend thinking. Then I would need to know what is the average amount of time people spend thinking, and how much more than the average I need to think in order for me to count as someone who thinks ‘a lot’. I would also need to know what counts as ‘thinking’. Thinking can mean time spent pondering about how cute your cat is, or time spent thinking about the validity and soundness of philosophical claims. I think ‘thinking’ here means the latter conception. Then we would need to know what counts as philosophical claims such that time spent thinking about them can be taken into account… (Tay Qing Lun)

7. Are there pretty girls in philosophy?

I am sorry to inform you that our department has greatly exceeded its quota for pretty girls. (William Kwan)

Hey girls, there are plenty of hot guys in philosophy. You should come join us. (Siti Jeffrey)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. (Huang Yuhuai)

Well it really depends on which philosopher’s critique of aesthetic judgment you subscribe to. (Shannen Song)

No. Your loss. (Bernadette Chin)

8. Do I exist?

Who am I answering to if you don’t exist? (William Kwan)

As Dehorse*, one of Descarte’s students in university, once said: “I read, therefore I am”. Therefore, you do exist, because you are reading this right now. If this answer sent you into an existential crisis, take some Continental modules with the philosophy department and your existence will be confirmed once you embark on your readings! (*Note: Dehorse didn’t really existed – he didn’t read, so he was not!) (Lester Hio)

I do not know if you exist. I think this is generally known as the ‘problem of other minds’. (Lim Qing Lun)

9. How do I know that I’m not a brain in a vat (or living in the matrix)?

Put a brain that is not yours in a vat and see if it knows. (Siti Jeffrey)

As much I would love to, I can’t activate bullet time or see Keanu Reeves kicking butt. (Huang Yuhuai)

The short answer is that you will never know. At least not until you major in philosophy. (Chetan Cety)

10. Why should I study something so impractical?

I don’t know what you’re talking about. (Chetan Cetty)