StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Why Is Philosophy Valuable - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Philosophy is the discipline studied by all students during all historical periods. Still, the question of value and importance of philosophy is open. Philosophy is valuable because it represents a form of thinking. Philosophy represents rhetoric, a practice devoted to argumentation and persuasion…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.8% of users find it useful
Why Is Philosophy Valuable
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Why Is Philosophy Valuable"

Download file to see previous pages

It characteristically aspires to something quite a bit more ambitious than the rhetorical and political, and presumes to be based on something considerably more substantial than mere assertion. Philosophical investigation is driven by a passion for things like insight, understanding, and truth. Philosophy is thus founded in the human need to make sense of the world and our place in it. What distinguishes it from mere personal opinion and credulity is its rejection of passionate convictions as sufficient grounds for belief and action, and its commitment to careful analysis and systematic reasoning (Granitto n.d.).

Philosophy is the discipline which allows a person to be able to think rationally and irrationally. Philosophers are inveterate askers of questions, people who find intractable problems and issues in what to others seems obvious and utterly uncontroversial. It is not for no reason that the philosopher has been considered (to put it politely) a gadfly. So to approach the study of philosophy with the expectation of finding a coolly dispassionate endeavor governed by strict laws of logic and marked by widespread agreement on fundamental issues is to seriously misunderstand its nature and underestimate its difficulty.

Philosophy is no mere marshaling of views, no purveyor of irrefutable, absolute truths. It is, rather, a messy and disquieting process in which cherished beliefs and comfortable assumptions are subjected to critical scrutiny. Both philosophy and criticism seek to educate sensibilities and enhance critical awareness, endeavors that, it should be noted, ultimately reduce esteem for the pedestrian and the commonplace. Criticism usually draws liberally on philosophical convictions, while philosophy can and frequently does seek to examine specific practices.

Any academic discipline that teaches how to think rationally is valuable and worth studying. Yet it is hardly possible to engage in criticism without employing, beliefs as to what constitutes good or proper thinking: beliefs whose formulation and examination are explicitly philosophical undertakings. Philosophy's historical perspectives are no more lodged in some remote and distant past than acclaimed practices critics continue to enjoy centuries after they were created. Philosophy's voices continue to speak to us, and they have a great deal to say if only we try to understand their assumptions (Minton and Shipka 1990).

Philosophy is valuable as the decisions and actions that shape philosophical practices are undertaken without such scrutiny. Such practices are likely to be haphazard and considerably less effective than we might hope. Even more to the point, they may inadvertently serve ends quite different from those we envisage. One's choice, in other words, is not so much between doing and reflecting as it is between practice that unthinkingly replicates an unexamined status quo and practice guided by critical awareness of carefully considered ends.

Anyone interested in thinking who commits to systematic reflection on that interest engages in activity that is to some degree philosophical. Accordingly, the question is not whether to engage in it, but how to do it well. And we would do well to remember that there is more than one way to do it well. It is sometimes claimed that among philosophy's benefits is its capacity to inspire, to instill in people a

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Why Is Philosophy Valuable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Why Is Philosophy Valuable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1515935-why-is-philosophy-valuable
(Why Is Philosophy Valuable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
Why Is Philosophy Valuable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1515935-why-is-philosophy-valuable.
“Why Is Philosophy Valuable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1515935-why-is-philosophy-valuable.
  • Cited: 1 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Why Is Philosophy Valuable

Personal Philosophy of Higher Education

The paper analyzes and discusses some of the significant aspects of the author's personal philosophy of higher education.... In addition, it included identification and scrutiny of different theories and philosophies related to the educational philosophy.... In specific, this effort is part of such endeavors that focus primarily on the personal philosophy of higher education.... Besides, in the past, the higher education system had no requirement of a global perspective; however, it is an understanding that after huge advancements in the field of science and information technology, it has now become essential to include a global perspective in the philosophy of higher education....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Defense of Abortion Philosophy & Public Affairs

Human life is invaluable and abortion destroys this valuable life.... The present essay under the title "Defense of Abortion philosophy & Public Affairs" deals with the ethics of abortion.... As the text has it, abortion, intentionally induced premature termination of pregnancy, is usually a traumatic experience for a woman....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Hedonism in Terms of Philosophy

In this paper "Hedonism in Terms of philosophy", the writer conducts an in-depth analysis of the branch of philosophy called hedonism.... Furthermore, the writer intends to critically evaluate the contributions of hedonism to the philosophy development.... hellip; Hedonism is the life philosophy that argues pleasure is the only thing worth anything in life.... Along with this line, people who believe in this philosophy seek out pleasure in the lifestyle they lead, often to the exclusion of other considerations....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

August Comte

His ideas are very valuable for modern academic psychology practiced by the philosopher Emily Durkheim.... Auguste Comte is one of the greatest philosophers in the world and his theories are so commonly applicable and valuable that they are widely applied in modern science.... Comte is also called “the first philosopher of… The main idea of Comte was to restore the society, which was damaged by French Revolution, with the help of science and his positive philosophy....
1 Pages (250 words) Admission/Application Essay

Philosophical Argument of Socrates

The given paper will prove that the Socrates argument about the necessity of education and intelligence is very valuable (May, 2000).... The given paper will prove that the Socrates argument about the necessity of education and Philosophical argument of Socrates Speaking about ancient philosophy, it is impossible not to mention the philosophy of Socrates, which was really breakthrough....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Philosophy is Practicing for Death According to Socrates

The paper "philosophy is Practicing for Death According to Socrates" highlights that death in itself is not different from life; it is the mind of common men which makes the difference.... The philosophy teaches a person the art of death and way to welcome it.... According to Socrates philosophy is practising for death as common man fail to understand philosophy being materialistic.... o, in this essay, I will focus on explaining the distinction between common men's perspective on life and Socrates philosophy of life....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Problems from Philosophy

The author of this paper "Problems from philosophy" discusses and explains how studying philosophy has changed his life.... The paper focuses on the qualities philosophy upbrings in a person, what thinking processes it provokes, the importance of studying philosophy for the author.... hellip; I studied philosophy only because its allure drew me in, but not because I had planned to study it as a career.... James argues that most people enjoy reading philosophy because it has characterized by a wide range of topics and content (100)....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Key Aspects of Philosophy

The author outlines the history of development, the role of philosophy in modern society, the most valuable philosophers, various branches of this science, the main ethical issues.... These features make such people valuable and command huge respect from the community members.... Consequently, philosophy is a unique and valuable discipline that addresses issues neglected by various disciplines in society.... This work called "The Key Aspects of philosophy" describes one of the most complex humanities in the world of studies....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us