What is the purpose of philosophy?

Question

Why do we need to understand things philosophically? can't we take things as they are. Wouldn't life be much easier without the intellect? look at the cats and dogs...aren't they better off?

Some would say......to learn avoid death and not swallow all the fake theories and ideologies that are thrown at us since we were young.....

But would death really matter......and would there be fake ideologies in the first place? would learning how to kill bacteria really matter......If we were able to take things as they are?......Think......

Answer 1

So we can procrastinate more, think more, complain more, dissect more...then come to the conclusion that life is essentially pointless.

Cats and Dogs don't have it that good. Now Water Buffalos....thats a life....

Answer 2

This is an interesting question – why can’t we take things as they are, because the very question is also the answer to its point. If we take all things as they are then we also take the question in our mind, in this case philosophical questions, for real. I can ask, for instance, what is the ultimate purpose of life? Or, who am I? I know that the answers to big questions like this are not to be found in absolute terms, only opinions and transcendental conjectures. But I still ask these questions, just for the reason that they are there. Can you, for instance, make question like these disappear form the mind?

The one purpose of philosophy, in my personal view, is to relate common facts about life to single truthfulness in existence. How would I consider myself same as anyone else around in the world if I am a unique individual? I am neither like anyone else in the world and nor am I altogether different for the rest of the people. Then who can I make sure that I hold my faith in the same ethical, moral, social and religious values of the society I am a part of? I need to see into things slightly deeply, and see similarities across difference to be a human being.

Answer 3

Socrates, at his trial in 399BC for advancing dangerous ideas, maintained that the reason he philosophised was that "the unexamined life was not worth living".He found that nearly all his contemporaries spent their lives pursuing various goals such as fame, riches, pleasure or power without ever asking themselves whether these are important.Unless they raised such a question and seriously sought the answer they would never know if they were doing the right thing.Their entire lives may have been wasted pursuing useless, even dangerous goals.So, many of us, some profesionally and historically others with just a layman's curiosity and commonsense began to philosophise.And, regardless of our preconceptions of the philosopher's role or how remote we may think his or her activities are from our everyday concerns, we should remember that the philosopher is engaged in considering, and hopefully solving, problems that are of importance to all of us.That is his service to the community.Through critical examination he has tried to evaluate information and beliefs about the universe at large and the world of human affairs and extrapolate some systematic, coherent and consistent picture of all that we know and think.This is, obviously, an evolving enterprise but many insights have been gained.The ordinary person can place his own conception of life in this larger framework and is, of course, free to reject it or suggest an improvement but hopefully he or she will learn something new in the process such as whether he or she should accept his own ideals and aspirations.

As well as being useful and enlightening philosophy gives an opportunity to study and ponder in one subject area such basic and important ideas as truth, reality, beauty, freedom, meaning, thought and imagination.It also impacts on key disciplines in its primary branches ie politics, religion, science, language, logic, ethics, knowledge and metaphysics.

So philosophy is not just useful, it's important.Cats and dogs get along fine without it because you don't miss what you never had and also because intelligence is a prerequisite.If they could experience, for one minute, what it is to wonder about life, the universe and everything do you think they would go back to being animals without this awareness?A person's answer to this question is itself a philosophical position but, hopefully, I've given you something to think about.

Answer 4

Philosophy tries to find answers to questions science and religion could not solve, respectively to find a different answer for questions that science and religion already solve, in most cases by reinterpreting and stretching the base question.

We, philosophers wish to have greater understanding and knowledge in the so known 'things' of the world. Some of us see this as an opportunity to ascend, others believe that this will help humanity on a constant and acceptable level ... in time of course.

Answer 5

You are the purpose of philosophy..

as a human being, u seek an answer of your understanding regarding life, truth and universe.

Cats and dogs look better because as a pet, they have nothing to worry about, but if they are in wildlife, they will struggle a thousand times worse than human.. so thre's no comparism regarding to pets or animals..

Life is born with struggle... and to survive..

Learning is non-stopping utility we have to complete in our lives....

Everyday is a struggle, we have to feed ourselves to survive, we have to sleep to survive the next day.. we have to take shower to survive to feel the freshness, we have to use bath room to survive the digestive system... it goes same to any other living animals..

then, man is evolved to think better, assume better and decide better.. this is where we are now, and without seeking philosophy and meaning of better life.. we will not be who we are today..

science and philosophy come together to create history....

So, in terms of easier life, there's no definite easy life out there.. if we examine our every little seconds, there's some thoughts, jobs and struggles along the way and we all are doing it....

So, you are actually thinking and thinking pilosophically.. that will probably take you to another level in knowledge..

Answer 6

To explore questions that do not have an obvious or matter of fact answer. Not to be confused with cretins repeating cliche broad *** questions like "How do we know God is real?" 416 times and expecting to get some astonishing truth they haven't heard before each time. Pick a particular theory on a subject and address it or make up your own. Prove a damn point. That's how you discuss philosophy. Otherwise, it's all Sunday school lessons, nihilism and two point brushoffs.

Answer 7

In philosophy,
there is no right or wrong answer. We are all equally right as we are wrong.
Philosophy allows you to be heard and every opinion is welcome.
You should question everything. One of the best ways of learning is by asking questions!
Why wouldn't people want to discover more about life? Try and understand others opinions?
Look where we are, look around us. Look at every single detail - how did it happen? Question it! Question everything. Whatever put us here was something incredible and overwhelming, worth debating over.
Philosophy is amazing....

Answer 8

Reason, can't we try to figure out why things are as they are so we can understand? Understanding something leads to improvement-something dogs and cats can never do.
I would never trust my offspring to something that had the intellect of a dog or cat, my reasoning is that I can better provide for their survival, my philosopy is that what I create is good and should be given the best chances of survival.

Answer 9

Interesting. My answer is: The purpose of philosophy is to gain another perspective. To ponder something from a different angle. I'm not sure how much intellect that takes, just the courage to do it. The benefits from doing this, also, is a matter of perspective, and mine is, that it enhances our growth. It influences our abilities to see beauty and poetry that is in life. It provides additional tools for co-existing and understanding, and even accepting fellow human beings, and situations. It is one persons well-thought-out gift to the rest of us, should we choose to accept it. And finally, it reminds us that we are multi-dimensional, capable of possessing more than one line of thought, as that is insufficient, as we are not just dealing with life at the "daily grind" level. We are experiencing the universe, nature, love, pain, and, immortality of our being.

Answer 10

The main purpose of philosophy is to make insecure but smart people make themselves feel better by throwing philosophical references into their conversation! If anyone who doesn't know much about philosophy would like a crash course in easy to cope with soundbites, "Sophies World" by Jostein Gaardner breaks it all down and explains the basics!

Answer 11

Maybe cats and do are better off. But I've noticed both species hang around humans a lot. Turns out humans know how to get them fed. Hmmmm...they are philosophers too.