Topics Philosophy

Question I have never studied or even read much about philosophy but am very interested in it. The thing that I have always wondered is this: Has the study of philosophy over the centuries actually made the world a better place, in terms of practical everyday living for average people, or is it just a luxury subject that some people enjoy thinking about? If it has improved the world, in what tangible ways? Or does anyone think philosophy has any negatives or that we'd be happier and less worried if we didn't think about it? I used to be a Christian and at that stage of my life I confused philopsophy with religion. But now I am an atheist and, taken overall, I think religion has made the world a worse place to live. Its contribution to art and other positives such as its acts of charity are outweighed by the wars it has caused and acts of inhumanity done in its name and by its need to control peoples' minds and actions. Now I understand the difference between philosophy and religion, but I am not sure what impact philosophy has on us in the here and now.

Accepted:
January 19, 2006

Comments

Philosophy takes a long time to have any influence, but eventually it may. For example, Hobbes and those English philosophers, like Hume and Mill, who were greatly influenced by him, affected the English language in a way that allowed morality to be distinguished from religion. This is very important as it allows religion to be criticized on moral grounds. Thus, almost every college and university in America now prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual preferences. Although these schools are not yet ready to criticize those religions that condemn homosexuality, many people are prepared to do so.

Although religions have been responsible for much harmful conduct, it is not clear that the absence of religion would improve matters very much. Stalinism and Nazism, as well as various other isms such as nationalism have caused as much or more harmful conduct. Any movement in which people are taught to accept some authority rather than thinking about the matter themselves and making their own judgments, is prone to causing serious harm.

Philosophy, properly understood, always encourages people to think for themselves and to make their own judgments. Thus, it is impossible for philosophy to become a mass movement, and this limits its direct influence.

However, simply by encouraging people to think for themselves, philosophy may have a positive influence by providing some check on the dogmatic beliefs of religion and other movements.

I do not think, however, that most contemporary philosophers, even those who are concerned with morality, as I am, have as their primary purpose in doing philosophy, improving the world. They do it, as I do, because they enjoy it, or as my daughter, also a philosopher, said, "because everything else is boring."