Why We Need Philosophy

Philosophy is valuable because it helps us overcome our natural tendency to accept childhood beliefs without question. It encourages critical thinking about non-empirical concepts like morality and truth, which is important but often discouraged in certain environments.

I realise this is 9 years old but… … thinking is NOT the same as PHILOSOPHY. Everyone thinks but not everyone pretends this natural human function endows then with special insight – as philosophers do. Nor does the average Joe pretend THINKING is a job. So the idea that philosophy is what everyone does naturally is kind of lame. Not convincing.

I have a question – what has philosophy EVER proved? Answers on the back of a postage stamp please.

I am a gay man and have an advanced degree in philosophy. When you label someone as "homophobic" because they have a different opinion than our modern one regarding homosexual acts, are you not accepting something without question, the very thing you criticize in the video? Are you not unquestionably accepting a certain ideology without critical reflection? There have been many philosophers in the history of philosophy that had a different opinion than the modern one on homosexuality. How is shutting down discussion on their views not accepting something without question? What justifies your view that opinions in our modern era are superior to those in the past? Is not it an uncritical assumption that as time progresses, cultures have superior opinions?

I will study physics, mathematics and philosophy— I will reserve studying philosophy in Stanford university after I finished my physics and mathematics study to secure higher job prospects, then study in University of Stanford; 1st in Philosophy education in all the other universities.

Go boy…..

As far as homophilia goes, it is not socially harmful because we have plenty of people living and procreating as is, it could even be natural, a byproduct to outweigh the climbing numbers of population.

Though this is litteraly 8 years old, genuinely like the way you explained this. Dropped a follow🙏🏾💯

Wow, how did I find this, this was so long ago

"tornados carry people to heaven"

… in a way she's right, tho.

Thank you so much for your videos Abigail. Even older ones like this, they really highlight why critical thinking is SO important.

Pretty old video but I read the allegory of the cave in my English class and it changed my view. I am scared of how little I know.

Philosophy can be dangerous to one's mental health and spirituality, too. It can cause real depression, break important world views, make a person fatally self-doubting, and cause total confusion. Philosophy is a tool, and if you don't know how to use it, it can be dangerous. You need the guidance of good teachers who understand it and know what they're doing and have the experience to help you through all the pitfalls. Some people don't have the aptitude for it. Hell, some of us are just plain dummies. blushes Sometimes, after trying for a long time to wrap your mind unsuccessfully around all the weird ideas out there, you come to wish you'd never embarked on the enterprise in the first place. You might find you were happier before you started questioning things. If you manage to avoid or work through those pitfalls, what do you do with what you've learned? If you don't have any genuine power to affect meaningful change (and what's the practical purpose of philosophy if not to reevaluate the world in which one lives and improve it), then you're only more keenly aware of how shitty things are and that you can't do anything about it. Worse still, you know understand something more profound that most people that is hard to explain, thus rendering you isolated and alienated from other people. There's a big gap between yourself and others, including perhaps people you love.

Like all things in life, philosophy too is bittersweet.

Philosophy is more relevant than ever, for challenging capitalism and consumer society. Many people in the western world are kept ignorant and docile through oppressive norms and harsh living conditions.

Philosophy it is called the no man's land between science and religion exposed to attack from both sides . it's what allows me to think for myself. I have one for you it's a philosophy I heard as a Young Man and I'm trying to find the origins of it. It goes as follows. If a person could be born and exist in a void they would never have a thought they would not know they existed. If they were born and existed with one other each would think the other was their reflection. It's not until there is a third party, a basis of comparison that we become aware of our existence. It's a non theological View of the trinity. For the life of me I cannot find where this came from. If anyone has some thoughts I would be extremely grateful.

Askdhsh thanks for making me feel like rethinking my A level options a LITERAL WEEK before I have to choose for certain.
We only get 3 damned options this year. Ugh.

Philosophy is valuable because reasoning is a life skill. They should treat the basic critical principles of reasoning in high school. I suppose they would if school was designed to help the student become an academic rather then a worker.

Faulty reasoning, and fallacies are what a large chunk of people in power use to stay in power. So what you are doing, teaching this to the entire world, is changing it for the better. Well, those people in it who are interested in learning anyway. Thank you for that.

Ironically enough I see people who are brainwashed by certain points made in this video.

Hi Olly,

First and foremost – I love your videos. They keep me relatively sane in a world that does not value philosophy.

Second I want to ask you a question that hopefully you'll be able to answer. I've asked a few people, lecturers, friends, fellow graduates and I am trying to gain some perspective.

after graduating with a 2:1 in Philosophy I fell into one of worst sorts of ruts but eventually emerged out of the other side. However, as I was putting my life back together I got back in contact with an old class mate from high school. He had gone off to do Programming and has now found himself in an intensive research project for Imperial College London – prestigeous world wide for AI and medicine.

When he came back he was mocking my degree choice, constantly asking whether I was proud of taking such a useless path in life and whether I could demonstrate to him what I had gained from the degree. I did not answer, primarily because I felt his questions were only putting me in a terrible place when I was on the verge of leaving something very serious and heart breaking behind me.

I am still in contact with him but he still insists on lamenting that my degree was useless, as a 27 year old man this shouldn't bother me but I feel like I should have been able to rebut him. I wasn't, especially when confronted with an inability to get a job in any meaningful employment (at the time).

In all earnest, how would you summarise the purpose of philosophy in the face of vehement empiricist badgering? More specifically, what does philosophy offer that is different from the more vocational degrees that ultimately demand the same thing – critical thinking, elegance of argument, geneological awareness etc… I suppose it falls on me to find the purpose or the 'why' but to me it was self evident in some cases. Nonetheless it would be great to get your input.

Simple it Answers The Question ""Why""

Philosophy is important because of freedom. The founders were right when they said that only a virtuous society can be a free society, and philosophy and theology are very helpful in that regard.

Lol, well as an Iowan, I can confirm that tornados do take people to heaven in a sense