What are philosophers for?

Question

What do they contribute to society? How on earth do they make a living?
They research into this and research into that. They write books as thick as dictionaries about things that seem to have no real outcome or effects to society. At least that's my limited understanding, so please correct and educate me.

Answer 1

Philosophers have always been around contributing great and stupid ideas.

It's easy to come up with examples of past contributions. Some have already been mentioned. Guys like Hobbes and John Locke are basically responsible for the US constitution (I know many others held influence as well). Philosophers were the original scientists, and starting in the medieval period began to actually invent science as a method of inquiry.

Today, although you may not have the patience to read the work, philosophers actually make lots of contributions. They often talk about or critique another discipline. E.g. philosophy OF science, of sociology, of psychology, of biology. They shape, and sometimes create, the methods of these disciplines. For example, why must scientific claims be subject to experimental test in order to be science? What is a scientific explanation? How do we know if theories are true, and how well do we know them to be so? What is spacetime? How do we interpret quantum phenomena? What is a gene? What is a mental image? What is a concept? What is language, or meaning?
Don't know? See a philosopher.

There's also logic and philosophy of mathematics. The sexy stuff.

And of course ethics and political philosophy. You have "rights" because philosophers decided we all did, and we liked the idea. Animal Rights is another emerging area. Legal philosophy is also big, and there is growing literature on international bodies like the UN. Yay or nay on euthanasia? Of course, the people ultimately decide that for themselves. But eggheads who read philosophy take the ideas and arguments they've read and teach them or explain them to others. Eventually it gets to the public, even if it's just in the background, or in doctor's opinions and decisions.

Basically, the ideas of philosophers trickle down through the academic community, into classrooms, and into students. You don't know where the idea originally came from, but you can trace many of the ideas and methods (even of teaching, see phl of education) back to an ivory tower and a philosopher's desk.

Answer 2

Philosophers have always tried to answer the same questions that religions do: what is all this? why am I alive? what does it all mean? how can I live a good life?

But philosphers use logic instead of faith. They reason their way through these issues. In past centuries, philosophers tried to answer these questions in writing. These are the people you study in school now.

Today, such people are "professional philosophers" who teach as professors in universities. They often write books applying their own logic to the major issues of life, but mostly their books are about the old philosophers. You see, these issues have been treated over and over again at this point. Philosophizing has become "academic," a scholarly exercise. A young person who wants to major in philosophy is either preparing for a career as a professor, or hoping that this kind of general learning will apply generally to any profession. Hopefully, the employer will, too. But maybe not.

So I think your instincts are correct. It's hard to appreciate what they actually contribute these days. Their "contributions" have little practical use for people like you and me. Which is one way of saying they are practically useless. If you went through college and never took a course in philosopy, there would probably be no negative consequences. If you're interested, read books on your own. Actually, I believe you can learn a lot more about life by enjoying an excellent novel or an excellent movie. Or by talking about life with people who share your experiences.

Answer 3

Not all philosophers serve a purpose as you say. By the same token, not all chemical engineers do either.

Philosophers can work in any number of professions and specializations, ranging from physiques, metaphysics, ethics, religian, theology and so on.

Philosophers attempt to answer many different questions that are often not answered by scientists or religious figures. So they answer a lot of "why" questions, whereas a physicist answers "how" questions.

Philosophers, like Kant, can also provide an ethical roadmap for others to follow. The question of cloning for instance will generally require the input of a philosopher or an ethicist.

Questions about "where the universe came from" (as in, before or outside of the Big Bang), cannot be answered by the scientific community. Most religions do not offer compelling accounts either. Philosophers, using inductive and deductive reasoning, may offer a more plausible account for such things.

Many lawyers come with a background in philosophy because it enables people to think analytically and use logic to answer tough questions.

You actually owe a lot to philosophers. Without Socrates, Christianity would not exist. And without Aristotle, Alexander the Great would probably not have been so great, and Western nations would be very different than they are now. Without St Thomas Aquinas there wouldn't be the 5 proofs that helped Christianity "proove" the existence of God. While the logic used in his arguments are flawed, Christianity may not have survived without him.

Answer 4

Do you recommend how does one develop right into a professional philosopher? the respond approximately getting the PhD, solutions that. The etymology given via yet another answerer is likewise good. questioning heavily approximately philosophical subjects: what does it recommend to "be attentive to" some thing, what's nice and incorrect all approximately, what's reason and how does one reason nicely -- stuff like that. Doing philosophy potential questioning approximately such questions. Doing it nicely is a few thing else fullyyt. Or are you asking why human beings do philosophy? We addicts only can no longer help ourselves. For the philosophical concepts, philosophy is relaxing.

Answer 5

the job of a philosopher is to introduce his thought on a subject. about money from what see. the philosopher is concerned for the people and spends his free timne to try to help the world around him and it is also a journel of his journey for truth, just as jesus has his journel of his life and so paul, and john..........

Answer 6

cause one to question