How do you summarize the difference between someone "doing" philosophy & someone who doesn't do philosophy?

Question

ps If you don't "summarize the difference between...", I can't see how you think you answered my Q.

Answer 1

Somebody who is striving to answer an unanswered question is doing philosophy.

Somebody who is finding out what philosophers said about the question is studying philosophers, not doing philosophy themselves.

Somebody who doesn't care or doesn't try to answer the question isn't doing either.

Answer 2

Oh, everyone "does" philosophy.  It is just that most people assume that if they ignore life it will eventually go away.  

They are right.

Unfortunately, they go with it, which must be a bit of a disappointment for them.

Answer 3

"I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there. "

Confucius, The Confucian Analects

Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)

Answer 4

I guess for me I can recognize that someone "does" Philosophy by the way they look at things. Are they inquisitive? Are they unoffended by ideas and prepared to entertain them to see if they have merit? Can they apply proper criticism to knowledge and beliefs? Can they argue logically, connecting premises and conclusions? Are they fascinated with life and all its mysteries? Do they try to see past the surface? Do they recognize the fallacies of their own assumptions? Are they able to objectively view a situation outside of themselves?

These are just a few questions that help me to identify someone who "does" philosophy.

__________

Edit: A summary would be the answers to those questions. If someone can answer yes to those questions, they "do" philosophy; if they can't, they "don't". If this isn't the kind of answer you're looking for perhaps you might wish to ask the question differently.

Answer 5

Truly seeking out a cleavage of man vs. nature & religion

AS OPPOSED TO:

Taking the above statement for granted or not taking it into consideration at all.