Francis Gregory L.

Ku

192670

Using Philosophy to Defend Philosophy: A Deeper Dive into the Importance of Philosophy and

its Misconceptions

A common misconception of philosophy, that has been evident in the works of both

Vaughn and Jasper, is the view of the practice of philosophy as irrelevant. From this viewpoint,

philosophy is seen to be devoid of any pragmatic utility and, instead, is believed to impede

scientific progress, undermine moral conviction, and waste time. One important thing to note,

however, is that this “common myth” was not as prevalent as it was in the past compared to how

it is now in contemporary society ( Abakarere & Okeke, 2016).

Contrary to today, Philosophy in the past, was at a certain point a more widely accepted

practice and was treated in high regard by the general public .With Philosophers in the past

sharing wisdom and advice to royalty in palaces , to the government, to shopkeepers, and

businessmen - It was seen as a practice that was wedded to civic duty, morality and the pursuit

of wisdom (School of Life , 2014, 3:37) . It was also regarded as a means to correct excessive

dogmatic, irrational ideologies and praised for its ability to encourage dialogue and help tackle

real world problems facing our ancestral communities. Here, Philosophical speculation as well,

was seen by majority as a means to gather a deeper understanding of our world, and not just a
means to sow seeds of doubt, distrust, enticement of self- aggrandizement, or mere fancy system

building.

So why is the public opinion of Philosophy today, so different from how it was in the

past? Isn’t Philosophy fundamentally the same as it was years ago? And why does the common

myth of philosophy as a trivial endeavor and, as Vaughn said, a “a pretentious exercise in small

matters that has no bearing on issues in real life” still promulgated and practiced to this day

(Vaughn , 2006, p.4 ) ?

Although, I cannot pinpoint a definite answer to this shift of perspective, I can provide

one of the biggest contributors to this shift of opinion, which is simply “the Ignorance of what

philosophy is and a lack of understanding regarding its relevance in contemporary society ”.This

is due to not knowing what makes philosophy a unique discipline , what philosophers are, and

what makes philosophy essential- all topics I will be covering in this essay.

Now first, what makes philosophy unique? Although, unaware by many, philosophy is

not merely an esoteric practice that has no practical value. It is instead a discipline and a practice

with its own characteristics and benefits that is not only unique to philosophy, but also essential

to other disciplines.

The first unique trait of philosophy is its focus on the understanding of logic. As Vaughn

has said, philosophy is a practice that focuses primarily on whether “a belief is worthy of

believing” (Vaughn, 2006, p.4). Here, philosophy analyzes arguments, premises, and conclusions

and identifies whether they are rational, fallacious or valid. The very rules and pragmatics
systems that we use to analyze situations, scenarios, and problems such as the scientific method,

mathematical proofs, and statistical studies are, fundamentally, built from logic and philosophy.

Without logic we would not be able to know what has been proven or what has only been

accepted by all due to the peer pressure or dogmatic indoctrination.

Even the very “scientific minded” individuals that Jasper claims to have viewed

philosophy as a practice that “did not produce universally valid results” ironically, seemed to be

ignorant as well (Jasper, 1951/ 2003) .They too, did not have a clear understanding of what

philosophy meant - For an individual who practices empirical reasoning and , logical thinking,

with a solid understanding of philosophy would know it’s true relevance and its importance to

science. (Jasper, 1951/ 2003)

In fact, a lot of progress claimed to have been developed solely by science, was only

possible through philosophy and the study of logic that came with it. The synergy of both

practices has been used to develop wisdom, to improve systems, and to improve overall life in

our civilization. If philosophy was not used to question supernatural explanations for disease,

scientists would have never created vaccines. If philosophy and theoretical deduction was not

used to question a political official or a special interest’s agenda, scientific study would be

corrupted by self-interests over facts. If philosophy and theoretical deduction was not used to

question the geocentric churches , both scientist and philosophers would never discover or never

attempt to try to uncover true nature of the universe or the “ philosophia perennis” due to

already believing in the unproven “ absolute truth” of dogmatic churches.

pursuit and study of the truth. In the words of Jasper, “the essence of philosophy is … the search

for truth” (Jasper, 1951/ 2003). While the study of law focuses only things that may be proven

in a courtroom , the study of science on theories that are most compatible with empirical

evidence, and history on theories that best explain our historical evidence - Only philosophy

studies what is really true, and how we can know it. It, however, focuses on the search for truth,

rather than the possession of it (Jasper, 1951/ 2003).

The third unique trait of philosophy would be that, it sparks discourse between other

disciplines. It is what allows the other disciplines to interact and intertwine with each other. As

Vaughn has mentioned in the sphere of interest of philosophy is literally “everything there is”

(Vaughn, 2006, p. 6). This means philosophy does not limit itself to the study of one discipline

or one type of topic- but encompasses and examines all . Although religion and science often

clash with each other in their attempts to search for the truth and economics and political science

often have different views on how a government should act -philosophy, which studies what is

right and just, aids in establishing systems and theories where in these disciplines co-exist or

bridge their gaps . Other examples of philosophical studies undergirding and influencing other

disciplines have been mentioned by Vaugh as well. Epistemology being the study of knowledge

influences science; Metaphysics being the study of reality concerns and influences, Physics; and

Axiology, being the study of value, helps shape economic and government policies, statutes, and

systems (Vaughn, 2006, p.6 ). Philosophy is what undergirds all disciplines and it is also the

glue that sticks the rest of the academia together.

reflection. As Vaughn has shown, no other discipline tries to examine what is right or wrong.

Although the sciences can tell us how to do things, it does not tell us what we should do.

Although the study of Theology may be able to identify or argue whether a particular religion’s

form of thinking is good or bad, it does not teach us what is universally good or bad, and

although the study of Business and Economics can show us how to create wealth, and value,

they do not teach us whether doing so, in certain ways, is morally justifiable.

This study of morality and reflection influences not only major disciplines and systems

but also minor things in our lives as well. Every day we are faced with countless ethical

decisions and because of this - we are in constant need to know how to live an ethical life.

Philosophy helps us reflect and appreciate even the most minor things in life. As Antonette

Palma Angeles has shown, the method of dissolving the unity of an experience of an event or

thing, and putting it back together to locate its place using primary and secondary reflection

allows one to understand more about the world and about their selves (Arete Ateneo, 2020).

Philosophy not only shows us what is morally just, but also how to reflect, how to appreciate

even the most minor of events, and how to understand ourselves further.

Now that we have learned about Philosophy’s far reaching, multi-faceted, and unique role

– It is time we clear the misconceptions of who practices these very roles. What does it mean to

be a philosopher, and what are the differences between a philosopher and a regular person?

Although , according to Simon Critchley, there are as many definitions of philosophers as there

are to philosophy and no answer is “definite” – One can still develop answers based on their

own beliefs , as long as their beliefs are valid, based on logic, accurate arguments, and derived
from theoretical deduction ( Critchley, 2010) Based on my analysis of Simon Critchley’s “

“What Is a Philosopher” and “Plato’s Apology of Socrates”, these were the traits of a

Philosopher I was able to infer, in order to understand more about what a philosopher is:

Firstly, A philosopher, unlike the common man, has an unusually strong dedication to

contemplation. They are individuals that contemplate without the fear that contemplation is a

waste of time. Unlike the lawyer that is compelled to present a case in court due to the essence of

time, an accountant who rushes an audit, or a businessman who rushes a report, a philosopher is

not bound by this fear to rush results. They are free to move from topic-topic, spending years on

a topic simply out of perplexity, fascination, and curiosity. 

Their dedication to the pursuit of wisdom not only supersedes the fear of time but also

other fears as well. This brings me to the second trait of a philosopher- the trait of unwavering

courage. Philosophers are unafraid of being, believing, and doing things differently. Unlike the

common man who fears being different, and fears social ostracization, philosophers showcase

quite the contrary. Despite the risk of backlash, they risk when they subvert the majority’s norms,

beliefs, and practices, they will do so if they feel it is needed.  A prime example of this is seen in

how Socrates, who was facing the threat of being put to death and the accusations, responded

that he simply lived to fulfill the philosopher's mission of searching into himself and other men,

and even when his pursuit of this mission threatened his life, he still did not waver and did not

fear death  (Plato, n.d., p.11).

 
 Thirdly, A philosopher is introspective and aware of their own ignorance.  A philosopher,

despite their hours dedicated to contemplating, to studying, and to amassing the knowledge –

does not let this knowledge get into their head and they are still aware that there is still a lot they

do not know.  Unlike the various politicians, poets, and craftsmen Socrates questioned who

claimed they had some kind of wisdom or absolute knowledge, Socrates saw himself as ignorant

and lacking knowledge.  This coupled with an innate, insatiable curiosity is what aids

philosophers in their never-ending search for understanding. 

It is their very ability to look into oneself and analyze one’s belief that helps philosophers

“think independently”. This is what is responsible for the fourth trait of what a philosopher is –

being analytic and an independent. Philosophers question and analyze information, regardless of

the information giver’s authority, reputation, or power.  Unlike, the men that believed that

Socrates was a doer of evil and a corrupter of youth simply because it came from Meletus, a

reputable source, Socrates chose to think independently and question even information from

renowned and reliable authorities. Despite being called the wisest man of all the Athens by the

oracle of Delphi, he still chose to see whether this was true by coming to a number of different

people, to understand more about what being “wise meant” ( Plato, n.d., p.4).

Although, these traits do give us a glimpse on what a philosopher is- I believe that when

interpreted wrongly, they also fuel the third misconception of philosophy- which is the

misconception that being a philosopher and practicing philosophy is exclusive. Although , these

traits may seem esoteric and exclusive , and that in “What is a Philosopher” a philosopher was

explained through differentiating it from bankers, lawyers, and any “ common man” , a

philosopher is - contrary to this misconception- actually something any common man can be (
Critchley , 2010) . As Jasper has shown even the unconscious, insane, and young all practice

philosophy (Jasper, 1951/ 2003). They all search for the truth and look at their own beliefs. The

only main difference between a philosopher and a non-philosopher is their dedication to the

pursuit of philosophy, or in other words, their dedication to the way of wisdom. It is not an

abnormality , genetic condition, or exclusive trait that provides philosophers with an innate

insatiable curiosity, a willingness to subvert the beliefs of majority , the fortitude to pursue years

and years of studies with no guarantee of results, their ability to resist worldly temptations and

their ability for strong reflection . It is merely their genuine dedication to what philosophy truly

means which is a “love for wisdom” ( Mark , 2020) .

Now that the idea of what a philosopher is has been made evident, and the two

misconceptions cleared, it is finally time to delve into the third and final, integral point of

philosophy- The indispensableness of Philosophy in our lives.

Although many people might not realize it, philosophy has been integral to our very

evolution, survival and progress. It is what has allowed us to fix moral dilemmas, to spark

discourse between disciplines, to understand ourselves better, and to evaluate our beliefs and

reflect. Despite these, a great number still believe that philosophy is trivial , superfluous, and

that contemporary and ancient society could have done just fine without it. Are these claims

true? Can we really live in a world without philosophy?

unescapable” (Jasper, 1951/ 2003). To even entertain the question of what the world would be

like without philosophy is axiomatically impossible as even the act of questioning, imagining

and reflecting on a world without philosophy is already an unconscious practice of philosophy

itself.

Furthermore, empirically and historically, philosophy has been necessary to Mankind’s

progress. It has been the catalyst for our Cognitive and Scientific Revolution, and the creation of

all almost every system we have in society (Harari, 2018, p. 22). In a world without philosophy ,

man would not have been driven to establish or find new systems to communicate, to explore,

and to innovate (Harari, 2018, p.22).

Philosophy has proven itself to be integral in the progress of technology as well.

Benjamin Franklin would not have been able to invent the lightning rod if he accepted societies

beliefs that lightning was the hammer of an angry god (Harari, 2018, p. 265). The connecting of

our cultures , exploration of the world, and globalization would not have happened if Europeans

stuck with the beliefs that there was nothing else in the world to find, and continued to draw

world maps with the assumption that their country was already the “world” ( Harari, 2018, p.

286). Arguably even all technological advancements would not have been possible if man

continued to believe that it was impossible for human knowledge to overcome the world’s

fundamental problems and everything was up to the will of the gods, . This very “willingness to

admit ignorance, questioning of own beliefs, and resistance of societal “dogma” has been proven

countless times as the catalyst for our scientific prosperity. In a world without Philosophy-

technology and science would not exist.

philosophy. To us humans, social order is imagined. Unlike the animals that have their roles and

complex social structures programmed into their DNA , Man’s social order is reliant on

philosophy to function (Harari, 2018, p.20). A conscious effort and use of philosophy are a need

to sustain laws, procedures, customs, and manners. Our ideas of corporation, money, nationality,

and multiple other systems and affiliations only exist because we, as a society, are able to all

simultaneously share our beliefs it this imagined order. Furthermore, it is our ability to dissolve

the unity of an experience of an event or thing and to put together what has been broken apart,

that are able to visualize it in the context of the imaginary. It is then the putting together of what

has been broken apart that has allowed us to, in the words of Dra Palma, “bring us into a whole

that is bigger ourselves” (Arete Ateneo, 2020). It is not human biology that would allow a man

to go to war and risk his life for a person they have never met, never thought about, and

personally don’t care for. It is the shared belief of the imagined social affiliation which is our

“nationality” that pushes a soldier to risk his life. Without Philosophy man would not be able to

function as a large society, as a globalized race, and as an international species.

In a smaller scale, man also needs Philosophy to provide a value system. Philosophy’s

study of ethics and morality provide humanity with a guide to living an ethical life. It is what

helps drive us away from simply being consumed by desire for money, status, reputation and

power.
 In conclusion, although we might not realize it, philosophy has been integral in our

success as a species and will continue to be. It’s process of studying universal and fundamental

problems that concern matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, and the mind has

actually helped us not only survive but also progress. Aside from the bigger things, philosophy

provides individuals with the means of reflection and creation of a value system which is

important in decisions made every day. With all of these aspects considered, to “imagine a world

without philosophy” would simply be to imagine a current world without humanity and without

progress. Philosophy is not only a practice that continuously strives to search for wisdom, it is

also a practice that has continuously provided wisdom. It is this bestowed knowledge that has

helped build everything we enjoy today. There is a need for society to know philosophy is

essential and not just an unusual, esoteric, optional extra.

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