User:S. Perquin
Welcome to my user page! As a Dutch philosopher, I like to engage in philosophy. I enjoy thinking deeply about things and then expressing my ideas in my own words. Since English is not my native language and I find it difficult to express myself when I have to type in English, I type everything in Dutch and then have it translated into English by ChatGPT, DeepL or Google Translate. Reading English is going well for me. I understand the differences between English and Dutch spelling, sentence structure and grammar quite well.
In the constant interaction between Dutch and English and switching between both languages, I've noticed that it's interesting how I sometimes come up with entirely new ideas after my words are translated into other words with slightly different meanings. For example, if you would translate the Dutch word gezellig, it could mean cozy (this refers more to the atmosphere or appearance of a place), it could mean convivial (this refers more to a nice, pleasant situation) or it could mean sociable or entertaining (this relates more to the fun presence of a person). In Dutch, a place can be gezellig, a situation can be gezellig and a person can be gezellig. When you "gezellig watch television" with others, is it related to the place (you are sitting in a cozy living room where you are watching television), the situation (you simply find the act of watching television itself enjoyable and pleasant) or the people (you are watching television together with the people you like)? In English, you essentially have at least three options, while in Dutch, you only have one. That is also one of the reasons why I believe in the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis. In any case, I find writing on Wikiversity gezellig! 😉
My contributions to Wikiversity
[edit | edit source]- Founder of Wikiphilosophers - a project I started where thinkers can share their own philosophical views and explore them through dialogue
- I have started several wikidebates, including:
- Will we lose our consciousness after we die?
- Is it possible to philosophize if you don't speak any language?
- Can we know things for certain?
- May anyone call themselves a philosopher?
- Can something come from nothing?
- Is democracy the best form of governance?
- Do all religions and philosophies originate from one universal and timeless truth?
- Are all conspiracy theories nonsense?
- Is civil disobedience justifiable?
- Is World War III inevitable?
- Can a psychosis be the result of a mystical experience?
- Is LGBTQIA+ being forced on society?
- Do dreams have a deeper meaning?
- Are Western countries truly democracies?
- I have described ideas in articles, including:
- Allegory of information storage - an allegory about where information goes after death
- Council of the Wise - an addition to the current form of government for my ideal state
- What we could learn from people with psychotic experiences
- All possibilities for what would happen to consciousness after death
- Perquin's Life Purposes - a categorisation of the four life goals people can set for themselves