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posted by martyb on Thursday January 24 2019, @02:26AM   Printer-friendly
from the With-great-beard-comes-great-responsibility dept.

Philosophers deal with real, empirical, questions! From Quartzy, the ethical question of male facial hair.

Those who believe growing a beard is a personal fashion choice need to reconsider. The bristly facial hair of men is, in fact, the physical embodiment of deep ethical and aesthetic considerations. Henry Pratt, philosophy professor at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, wrote a detailed analysis of such philosophical conundrums in his aptly titled paper, “To Beard or Not to Beard: Ethical and Aesthetic Obligations and Facial Hair.”

Why now: well, it all goes back to the "fool says in his heart" guy, St. Anselm.

In this paper, presented at the January 2019 eastern division meeting of the American Philosophical Association in New York, Pratt considers the premise set out by Saint Anselm of Canterbury, an 11th century philosopher. Anselm writes:

Not having a beard is not dishonorable for a man who is not yet supposed to have a beard, but once he ought to have a beard, it is unbecoming for him not to have one. In the same way, not having justice is not a defect in a nature that is not obligated to have justice, but it is disgraceful for a nature that ought to have it.

The take-away:

However, one surprising consequence of my philosophical work on pogonotrophy is that I now find myself thinking that the choices made by myself and others about what to grow on our faces are actually pretty important. I find myself wondering whether I should worry about the masculinity projected by my beard, and the effects thereof. I also consider whether friends and associates should have the facial hair they grow. But just as it’s a bad idea to tell other parents they’re raising their kids wrong, I think it’s a bad idea to tell others that their beards are wrong. So far.

Other relevant sources:
The Philosophy of Beards: A Lecture Physiological, Artistic and Historical, by Thomas Gowing; 1875;
The Philosopher’s Beard
Beard Taxes!
The Gentleman Lawyer’s Guide to Facial Hair
"Law of Conservation of Facial Hair" still applies.


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  • (Score: 2) by Kalas on Thursday January 24 2019, @08:50AM (5 children)

    by Kalas (4247) on Thursday January 24 2019, @08:50AM (#791143)

    In retrospect, yes I was acting out of character when I posted that. I was in an altered state of mind for medical reasons and was pissed off after making the mistake of subjecting myself to too many youtube comments. Normally my response would be more restrained but I wasn't in a normal state of mind so I can see how someone might dish out my very first downmod. It just took some sobering up to see it. There aren't many things that can truly piss me off but this deliberately divisive crap crosses my shit line like nothing else.

    But all that aside, my points were fair and with the state of society today I think they absolutely needed to be said. That this hateful bullshit be called out for what it is whenever we see it trying to make us less compassionate for our fellow man or woman. And from the look of your other posts I'd say we're perfect agreement on the matter.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by Kalas on Thursday January 24 2019, @08:55AM (4 children)

    by Kalas (4247) on Thursday January 24 2019, @08:55AM (#791144)

    Ugh, sure enough it's poorly edited. This is why I debated posting right before bed vs finally getting some sleep.

    • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday January 24 2019, @05:19PM (3 children)

      by Freeman (732) on Thursday January 24 2019, @05:19PM (#791306) Journal

      You can't please everyone. Trying to do so will inevitably lead to problems. In fact, I would say, trying to please others isn't what you should be focusing on at all. There's being considerate and then there's being a "Yes Man".

      --
      Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
      • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday January 24 2019, @06:17PM (2 children)

        by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Thursday January 24 2019, @06:17PM (#791346) Journal

        And then there's being a solipsistic, willfully-ignorant jackoff like you, who literally resorts to spewing Bible verses whenever he sees something he can't handle. You are the last person who should be talking about this.

        --
        I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
        • (Score: 2) by Mykl on Friday January 25 2019, @02:34AM (1 child)

          by Mykl (1112) on Friday January 25 2019, @02:34AM (#791574)

          Perhaps we need a "-1, Unhelpful" mod.

          Azuma - I get that you have a problem with Freeman. But his specific post here was perfectly reasonable and positive and did not merit your bile-filled post. Why not respond to each post on its merits instead of carrying unrelated grudges across from other conversations (which I've seen you do many times)?

          • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday January 25 2019, @07:10AM

            by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday January 25 2019, @07:10AM (#791650) Journal

            Uh...have you *seen* *his* posts? If you want to talk about unhelpful...

            Look, some people deserve all the bile and spite there is and more. Go read his post history. "Civil" is not the same thing as helpful, or reasonable, or useful, or even correct. Like, at all. And I am in despair watching this place slowly sink into a poisonous cesspit of RWA sewage, anti-vax and other anti-scientific bullshit, and general willful ignorance. I have to fight. What choice do I have? What choice does anyone with a working conscience have?

            --
            I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...