The Philosopher

"Thoughts that grow narrow upon being verbally released"

It's about being a blabbermouths who expect everyone to listen to their opinions, and in turn don't listen to anyone elses. You can't really say it's against christians, because you have loudmouths of all ideologies.

Chuck said in an interview this song was indeed about Paul Masvidal. The lyrics are basically about pseudo-intellectuals who preach bullshit in general. They make conjectures about things that don't actually matter or pertain to real life and are so immersed in their bullshit ideas that are lacking in any sort of substance. I don't believe Chuck is ignorant enough to be condemning philosophy as a whole though, merely just the pseudo-intellectuals. As an amateur philosophy scholar myself, I myself must agree with his sentiments.

I never thought about it before, but this song very easily be against Paul Masivdal. Paul is a philosopher, and many believe he is homosexual. I just can't picture Chuck getting mad at a guy like Paul...

"The philosopher You know so much about nothing at all" Sokrates

"Do you feel what I feel See what I see Hear what I hear There is a line you must draw Between your dream world and reality" René Descartes

"So you preach about how I'm supposed to be Yet you don't you know your own sexuality" Yeh, could very well be Freud

"So you preach about how I'm supposed to be Yet you don't you know your own sexuality"

I always had a feeling this line was talking about Sigmund Freud. Like he's saying to Freud concerning his theories "That is my business, oh and, what the hell would you know about sexuality ?" I just wanted to add that, the meaning of the rest of the song is pretty obvious.

People just ignore this Blackened89 retard. His entire life consists of visiting metal bands on this page and whining about how he hates their lyrics. The guy is insane

I have read that Chuck read a lot of philosophical literature, and have always thought this song is about a (possibly temporary) disillusionment in using philosophy to help make you a better person. It's happened to me for sure. At first you absorb all the thoughts and writings of others, then you realize that none of these people have lived your life thus have no idea what is right for you to do.

But if my interpretation of the song is correct, and Chuck's opinion on philosophers is correct, then it's basically saying that you can't learn anything from other people, and I don't think Chuck was ignorant enough to believe that so I'm probably wrong somewhere.

An absolutely amazing song.

I think that it's about a person who feels that they are the know-all of everything going on in the world around them, including things that are not within their grasp (ie; other peoples personal affairs.) This person isn't even quite sure of his own matters but continues to make false insights about everything else going on.

For all I know, this may have an even deeper meaning regarding something such as media. Meh.

this song isnt an anti-christain song at all. Chuck has said that he isnt "anit-Christian" and that he doesn't sing about religion. its about Paul Masvidal, whos a "philosopher" who's rumored to be gay

"[...]the video for the track The Philosopher, a lyrical slam against former guitarist Masvidal, even made it on to a Beavis & Butt-head episode in 1994[...]" from wikipedia.org I wonder what that is about...