Why is there a need for us to have philosophy?

Question

It just confuses people.

Answer 1

Philosophy is needed for three main reasons:

1. To UNCONFUSE thinking. Philosophical analysis is about making our concepts clear in themselves and distinct from each other. If you are confused by philosophy then you have failed to realise that, unlike religion, it is not about providing final answers to the questions it asks, it is about using reason to constantly probe and test the limits of our understanding.

2. To work towards HARMONY in all aspects of life. It might seem that philosophy is the opposite of harmony, considering how much argument and disagreement there is in it. But that long process of argument amongst disagreeing positions is a millennia-long project to test the strengths and weaknesses of those various ways of seeing the world.

3. To try to achieve PRECISION in our various worldviews. That is, to work towards accountings of the various worldviews that are complete accountings but not over-complete; that account for everything but cut out what is false, fictional, misconceived, and unnecessary.

Answer 2

philosophy is the drive that defines us as human beings, that need to explain things and figure out what our minds and our reality are all about. most philosophical answers end with more questions, but that's the way it goes, it's infinite. but at least people strive to figure things out, and over the years we've really come a long way. you say it just confuses people...but think about how much more confusing the world and the universe would be if we never questioned it, if we never tried. philosophy allows us to get a little closer to understanding the inner workings of human ways, and our place in this dark blob of spinning spheres and exploding fireballs.

Answer 3

Ayn Rand's book "Philosophy, Who Needs it?" explains that everybody has a philosophy, whether they even know it or not. It is the nature of man to conceive some explanation for the world and the way things happen.

Answer 4

the whole thing, is about philosophy, if we didn't philosophy things then how would we ever know if it's rite, wrong, or even feel it...

it is to make us see the rite things rite, and the wrong things wrong, ALSO, it makes some people see the rite things wrong, and the wrong things rite...

you relief your self if you were seduced by some one, it's FOOLING your self, finding your self an excuse when you are in trouble, or when you feel some guilt while still having the desire to do it...

for me, i do philosophy every single thing in my life, it's almost everything that my brain is thinking of, when i feel happy, when i feel sad, upset, whatever....any kind of feeling...

i got distracted just now, and my brain is gone to a million thoughts, so I'll stop tying, though i remember that i had a good point com'n up....:)

enjoy your selves

Answer 5

I like Bertrand Russell's answer to that question:

"The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his deliberate reason. To such a man the world tends to become definite, finite, obvious; common objects rouse no questions, and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected. As soon as we begin to philosophize, on the contrary, we find, as we saw in our opening chapters, that even the most everyday things lead to problems to which only very incomplete answers can be given. Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect.

Apart from its utility in showing unsuspected possibilities, philosophy has a value -- perhaps its chief value -- through the greatness of the objects which it contemplates, and the freedom from narrow and personal aims resulting from this contemplation. The life of the instinctive man is shut up within the circle of his private interests: family and friends may be included, but the outer world is not regarded except as it may help or hinder what comes within the circle of instinctive wishes. In such a life there is something feverish and confined, in comparison with which the philosophic life is calm and free. The private world of instinctive interests is a small one, set in the midst of a great and powerful world which must, sooner or later, lay our private world in ruins. Unless we can so enlarge our interests as to include the whole outer world, we remain like a garrison in a beleagured fortress, knowing that the enemy prevents escape and that ultimate surrender is inevitable. In such a life there is no peace, but a constant strife between the insistence of desire and the powerlessness of will. In one way or another, if our life is to be great and free, we must escape this prison and this strife."

--The Problems of Philosophy

Without philosophy, how can we not call ourselves fools?

Answer 6

It just serves as to attend a higher perspective in life. We have a mind, so why let it go to waste when there are so many things in life that have no meaning, or explanations.

Answer 7

Quite the opposite.

Answer 8

Phil comes from greek word for love.
Sophy comes from a greek word for wisdom.
Philosophy = love of wisdom.
How could that confuse people?

Answer 9

It is useful for gossips and some other people to learn thinking before speaking.

Answer 10

So we can pretend to know the things we could never possibly comprehend if we knew the real answer :)