Topics Philosophy

Question This sounds like the kind of a question a first-year philosophy student would ask, but here goes... Why should anyone be interested in philosophy in the first place (i.e., why should I care about Cartesian knowledge, or Locke's primary and secondary qualities, or bother with questions about the meaning of life if I'm already happy)? It would be nice to get a rational response to some of these very introductory questions...

Accepted:
March 25, 2010

Comments

I don't know whether many people are interested in those philosophical topics before they start studying philosophy, and I don't have a strong sense that people ought to show that sort of interest -- I think it takes some effort and time to come to appreciate the philosophical point of celebrated doctrines from the history of philosophy, and I wouldn't expect the sorts of doctrines you mention to be of immediate interest to many.

That said, I do think that more people ought to be interested in studying philosophy academically, which of course could cause them to become interested in those doctrines. The reason why I believe this is that studying philosophy is a superb way to gain knowledge, insight, and skills. With respect to knowledge, I think it is useful to understand some of the leading philosophical ideas and doctrines that have played important roles in the development of the cultures in which they were developed. I also believe that reflecting on philosophical topics and texts can help one to understand one's self, the world, and one's place in the world in new and useful ways and so think that studying philosophy can help you to secure useful insights. Finally (and perhaps most obviously), the intellectual challenge of engaging philosophical ideas and arguments is a superb ways to develop a large basket of analytical tools (for example, critical thinking, critical reading, critical writing) that are valuable in may professional and personal contexts.

I also think that certain basic philosophical questions are intrinsically interesting to many folk -- to be sure, not the elaborate doctrines that you name but some of the questions that lie behind and motivated philosophical work on those doctrines. My sense is that many who reflect seriously on those questions find the experienced intrinsically meaningful and sometimes even enjoyable, independent of the other benefits I mentioned.

I like your question, and am interested in hearing other panelists' perspectives.

I certainly don't agree with Socrates' famous assertion that the unexamined life is not worth living. So the reason why you should be interested in philosophy is not because otherwise your life will not be worth living! I would say that you should (morally should) be interested in ethical questions because otherwise you may act wrongly. Certain other questions in philosophy (is there a god? do I have free will?) deal with the basic nature of human existence. Here there's no moral obligation to be interested, but it might be a tad shallow to have no interest whatever. Many questions in philosophy are neither ethical nor about the fundamental nature of human existence (what is reference? what is causation?). I don't see why anyone should be interested in them. They are fun and fascinating (to some people). I can say nothing stronger than: try it, you may like it.