Why do you think the UK is not part of Europe?

[doodab]

In a nutshell England has had a completely different philosophical tradition to Europe. Starting with Bacon and continuing with Smith, England has believed in the empirical tradition of emergence and bottom-up organisation, while Europe believes in a Cartesian top-down approach.
This is very clear in the current crisis, where Europe is imposing structure from on high, while the UK believes in the invisible hand of the market.

The other way of looking at that is that continental Europe has an axiomatic, deductive philosophical approach whereas Bacon & co was more empirical & inductive.

The modern conception of the "invisible hand" owes far more to the European axiomatic tradition than to "British Empiricism" IMO.

[Mich the Tester]

Au contraire, I think it's the most important point. People may not know the origins of the differences but I beleive they are as I've explained.
It accounts for the differences, and answers the OP's question.

So you're stating that the British and the 'Continental' philosophical traditions are entirely different. Yes, Descartes and Smith are entirely different. But where would you put Spinoza or Erasmus in that mix? How about Marx, who wrote his biggest works in England (to be fair I'd put him in the loony bin)? How about Britain's greatest composers, some of whom had their origins in Germany?

You're putting across a dichotomy that isn't real; Britain's philosophers and artists are part of a wider European tradition; they've added thoughts of great value which influence life in Europe, just as European philosophers have influenced Britain.

[Mich the Tester]

Have you travelled there? They are completely different. Religions affect value systems in a huge way.

Yes, and I think value systems possibly affect religions even more than the other way around.

[ThomasSoerensen]

To the majority, that's exactly what they mean. Saying "it's called the E.U. not 'Europe'" is just splitting hairs.

The fact we ARE in the E.U. is more relevant.

Do E.U. members even have to be on the European continental plate?

Just because the majority says something incorrect does not make it right. Facts are not decided democratically.

[doodab]

Britain's philosophers and artists are part of a wider European tradition; they've added thoughts of great value which influence life in Europe, just as European philosophers have influenced Britain.

Exactly. Britain is as integral a part of Europe as it's possible to be. Most philosophical dichotomies can be traced back to the Greeks in some form.

[sasguru]

The other way of looking at that is that continental Europe has an axiomatic, deductive philosophical approach whereas Bacon & co was more empirical & inductive.

The modern conception of the "invisible hand" owes far more to the European axiomatic tradition than to "British Empiricism" IMO.

Nonsense. The axiomatic approach only took hold in the latter two centuries, well after Smith, although the seeds may have been sown earlier.
Britain's empirical approach prior to that proved to be the more creative system, the "suck it and see" approach leading to modern capitalism, advances in science and technology, advanced political systems and the Industrial revolution that were unprecedented in Europe.
Britain is still one of the more creative countries in Europe in its messy way.

[KimberleyChris]

In short Europe is the continent you belong to.

Sorry, but actually Europe belongs to us.

When it is foggy in the Channel, do you not feel cut-off over there?

[Mich the Tester]

Sorry, but actually Europe belongs to us.

When it is foggy in the Channel, do you not feel cut-off over there?

Yes! It denies us the chance to sit in our cafés laughing at stoned, drunken chavs falling over in the streets. The prostitutes certainly see business dropping away too.

[sasguru]

Yes! It denies us the chance to sit in our cafés laughing at stoned, drunken chavs falling over in the streets. The prostitutes certainly see business dropping away too.

I would spend some time retraining if I were you. The icy economic winds about to hit the continent will mean testing (and other jobs) will drop off drastically.

[ThomasSoerensen]

I would spend some time retraining if I were you. The icy economic winds about to hit the continent will mean testing (and other jobs) will drop off drastically.

A prediction of the future from a "Finance guy", I will now expect the opposite.