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Ku - Imagine A World Without Philosophy-1
Ku - Imagine A World Without Philosophy-1
Ku
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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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
itself.
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,
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-
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
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
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