The Philosophers of Tyria

[Cleritic]

Hey all, long time 'viewer, first time poster.

I was wondering, in your professional opinion(s), what you feel the profession most suited to a life of a Philosopher would be in Guild Wars.

Personally, I think it's a toss-up between the caster classes.

Elementalists are always hungry for knowledge
Necromancers/Ritualists commune with the dead and spirit world, definitely exemplifying the metaphysical branch or Philosophy
Mesmers seem like a quasi-acceptable answer, as they are 'mental masters of illusion,' and just seem like the type.
Monks... well, with all that meditating and wandering, you inevitably start asking the questions of life.

So what do you guys think?

[Quintus Antonius]

I voted other because I feel that each class has its own philosophies.

Simply put, there is no universal philosophy, so it's rather hard to quantify it to something measurable to one group of people. Certainly each group has their own philosophers.

A better question to me would be "Who exemplifies "the Philosopher" for each profession?" Who can forget all those times Little Thom stopped and ponder a situation instead of fighting, and certainly Ritualists like Master Togo have to be credited as philosophers as well as teachers, and then there are people like Lady Althea who were practiced in philosophies of another kind. Those are just a few examples of a few people from a small group of professions.

[The Fly]

The warrior ofcourse

[Cleritic]

I voted other because I feel that each class has its own philosophies.

Simply put, there is no universal philosophy, so it's rather hard to quantify it to something measurable to one group of people. Certainly each group has their own philosophers.

A better question to me would be "Who exemplifies "the Philosopher" for each profession?" Who can forget all those times Little Thom stopped and ponder a situation instead of fighting, and certainly Ritualists like Master Togo have to be credited as philosophers as well as teachers, and then there are people like Lady Althea who were practiced in philosophies of another kind. Those are just a few examples of a few people from a small group of professions.

Sorry, I must've phrased the question poorly. I meant not a philosophy of life, but the philosophers of the metaphysical and epistemological branches, the good old Platos and Socrates. Thales, and Aristotle. You know...

[Quintus Antonius]

Sorry, I must've phrased the question poorly. I meant not a philosophy of life, but the philosophers of the metaphysical and epistemological branches, the good old Platos and Socrates. Thales, and Aristotle. You know...

Yes I do, I understood what you were asking. That said, I stand by my statement. Warriors have unique philosophies on the afterlife and nature of the soul (both metaphysical). Like I said, there are philosophers in each profession, and I don't feel any profession exemplifies philosophy above any of the others.

[Zion Farbow]

coodnt agree with quintus anymore :)

[critical vengeance]

personally i think the dervish or the paragon might be more of a universal type... but i lean toward dervish, they don't have to meditate all the time and yet are almost one with the gods it seems.

[lavenbb]

personally i think the dervish or the paragon might be more of a universal type... but i lean toward dervish, they don't have to meditate all the time and yet are almost one with the gods it seems.

philosophy does not equal religion :P

[Quintus Antonius]

philosophy does not equal religion :P

Philosophy is an intergral part of religion though.

[Veregre]

IMO, i do not believe that the Elementalist is the streotypical philosopher, because they are thristy for knowledge not necessarily for truth or enlightenment (power is not truth), the accepted purpose of philosophy. Nor do i believe it can be the Monks, for they dwell on divinity, not the workings of the mind.

The Ranger, nor the Warrior can be it, for one lusts for war, the other nature. War and nature, although part of Philosohpy, if taken in to strongly, block all other thoughts out of the mind.

This leaves the Necromancer, and the Ritualist. The Necromancer, to achieve true power and "enlightenment" from thier patron, Grenth, must sacrifce the self, and live only though him and his teachings, not much truth there. Tjis leaves the Ritualist, and although they too fall short of the streotype, i believe they come closest to it for they are described as "discousing" with the ancesters, not controlled by them. This leaves more freedom to thier thoughts; more ways to achieve enlightenment.

So, for the people that don't like to read, in the short term i think the Rit. In the long term, none do. Gods don't give out nor allow enlighenment, and ALL the classes have some patron or another.

(sins were not mentioned because i do not like them. )