It acts as a reservoir of diverse insights, illuminating the myriad thoughts that fill our lives. By engaging with philosophical principles, we uncover essential truths that address various issues.
Historically, philosophers have asserted that each idea, when examined through a philosophical lens, reveals foundational principles that can lead to answers for any inquiry.
A scholar inquired about the relationship between philosophy and the discovery of phenomena in the universe. In response, another scholar asserted that philosophy does not create anything; rather, its role is to illuminate and provide a conceptual framework for understanding various aspects of the world.
The philosophy of science serves as a crucial link in the preparation for discoveries, as highlighted by an astronomer who questioned whether philosophy is a science and what essence it reveals about the universe.
"The astronomer concluded that philosophy is an essential tool that guides us in understanding the direction and ultimate outcomes of phenomena through experimentation and mental imagery.
Philosophy serves as a guiding principle when my vision becomes clouded, illuminating my understanding of the world around me.
It is an invaluable tool that connects me with the right individuals and generates a powerful light, embodying the essence of true knowledge.
This discipline reveals genuine insights and keeps my perception aligned with clarity and awareness."
How philosophy operate in our lives
philosophy is about questioning (our) presuppositions; about trying to really understand what we usually take to be self-evident, that is, to explicate what is usually implicit; about scrutinizing (our) world-views and values; about checking (our) claims for consistency and justification. Just think of Socrates, really.
Most works that we consider to be philosophical classics do one or several of these things. Traditionally, these activities revolve around grand old notions like “truth”, “being”, “nature”, “god” or “mind”. Our research activities have since developed into distinct disciplines, so we can now also engage in specific philosophies, reflecting on fundamental concepts and assumptions in mathematics, physics, psychology, etc. Such reflection might not be directly useful to concrete research; then again, questioning your basic assumptions and clarifying fundamental notions might help prevent confusion later on. Personally, most scientists I know consider such reflections part and parcel of their scientific work; while not trained philosophers, they are still philosophical about their topics.
Even more interestingly, philosophy can play a huge role in everyday life. A lot of fights we get into are based on a lack of explication, too much certainty, or false presumptions. We simply assume that everyone is talking about the same thing. We simply assume that we are right and they are wrong – no matter what. We simply assume our perspective is the only valid one. We simply assume that we already know what the other person “really meant to say”.
Now imagine what would happen if we were to be philosophical about such seemingly simple assumptions. We would have to make sure that our dispute is really about what we think it is about. We would have to admit not only to the possibility of being wrong, but also – dare I say it – to the possibility of them being right! We would have to see our own perspective as one amongst many, and therefore in need of justification. We would have to carefully listen to what was being said.
Moreover, imagine what the world would look like if everyone did all that. What kind of politician or celebrity would thrive within a country of philosophers? Suppose every voter checked every candidates’ claims for consistency and justification: Who would be in charge? Which world-views could prevail in a context which discounted dogmatic gestures? If mindless pragmatism – as well as racism, sexism, nationalism, etc. – were countered every step of the way through logical reasoning, could authoritarian tendencies even get a foot in the door? If philosophy is all this, then the proliferation of philosophy throughout public life could in itself be a ground-breaking innovation