Philosophy – What It Means, and Why It Matters

"The educated differ from the uneducated as much as the living from the dead." - Aristotle

When I declared Philosophy as my major in college, the decision was met with much skepticism (to say the least). The question, “What can you do with that?” is one all-too-familiar to anyone who’s had the courage to make this choice. I say courage because there isn’t a career path waiting for you when you complete this area of study.

In fact, you never actually complete the task at all. It’s a commitment to knowledge on the grandest scale, but because there is no preconceived blueprint defining how you might make a living from it, most people deem it useless. This perspective always seemed strange to me, for surely nothing could offer greater intellectual leverage and personal power than seeking the truth underlying all things...

When considering the study of philosophy, it seems that a more appropriate question would be, “What can’t you do with that?”

I enjoyed discovering the fictional literary classics, and was awestruck by astronomy, but when I witnessed the type of discussions being held in my introductory philosophy course, everything in me caught on fire! Finally, people were speaking openly about the questions that I had banging around my head for years.

Until then, I had never heard people talk this way, asking grand questions and exploring obscure conceptual territory. What is the nature of reality? Does the physical world actually have its own inherent existence, or is it a construct of our own thought? What should be the basis for our ethics and morality? How do we claim knowledge, and are the ideas we take for granted really true?

I admit, at first glance, philosophy does not have obvious practical applications. Many would argue that whether or not the desk has its own inherent existence isn’t all that important in everyday life - “When I bang my toe on it, it hurts; and that’s real enough for me!” Fair enough. I don’t expect everyone to start taking philosophy courses in their spare time. But I do believe we can learn much from the subject that can mean the difference between success and failure, whatever our individual goals may be.

The word “philosophy” comes from the Greek words philo (love) and sophia (wisdom). Wisdom refers to profound understanding, and the sound judgement thus derived. Though we may not typically think of ourselves as lovers of wisdom, we generally appreciate it as having the potential to help guide our actions more effectively. We acknowledge that wisdom is something decidedly positive.

More than any other area of study, philosophy touches every area of our lives, from the mundane to the sublime. Our fundamental understanding dictates our thought process, and this determines how we interpret and respond to our world. You do have a complex and far-reaching world view - whether you developed it on purpose or not - and it serves as the springboard for your every thought, word and action.

We are part of this world, and we can’t know how to proceed effectively if we don’t have some conceptual framework for what the world is, and how we fit into it. For this reason, there’s a deep desire for wisdom inherent in all of us – we want to understand things accurately and take appropriate action.

We want answers to the big questions; and we will get our answers one way or another. If we don’t take time to sort it out for ourselves, we will accept the conclusions of others who claim to know best. Otherwise, we will haphazardly slap something together from our knee-jerk reactions to our own life experience and the perceived life experiences of others. But if we do decide to examine these questions more purposefully, the quest to understand the nature of the universe will reveal much about the nature of ourselves in the process.

Philosophy grants us the ability to better shape who we are on the inside, which will be expressed by who we are on the outside. It has the power to give us the one thing we all desperately seek with every fiber of our being – the ability to create our own life experience in accordance with our own values and desires.

I believe we all have a philosopher inside us, and can make great strides by acknowledging this aspect of ourselves, and allowing it to thrive. I’m not suggesting adopting the stereotypes of dropping out of life and sitting barefoot under a tree all day, deep in thought; or locking yourself in a closet for weeks, contemplating the nature of reality. But how about becoming an earnest seeker of wisdom -- true understanding -- instead of just factual knowledge?

Why not use our critical minds - the innate blessing that makes us unique as humans - to gather information and come to our own conclusions, instead of relying on some perceived “authority” to tell us what’s true and what’s not? When things aren’t working, couldn’t we benefit from opening our minds and taking a look outside the box, instead of just arguing with everyone else who’s stuck inside?

Many people don’t place much value on questioning the widely-held beliefs of our world because they assume these things have already been figured out by others. But if you look closely, you’ll notice that the greatest people throughout history have challenged the orthodoxy and brought humanity to new heights with the effort.

Whether you have grandiose plans to change the world, or just want to be more effective in your own life, your point of power lies within; and embracing philosophical thought will reveal the causal factors that birth the effects we see all around us. Relationships, finance, health, politics, religion, even hobbies and other casual endeavors are enhanced by our ability to discern clearly and employ sound judgement. Philosophy isn’t just for the ivory towers; it’s for every person who seeks to unleash their full potential and become the truest expression of themselves.

Thanks for checking in!
Brian Blackwell

If you’d like to explore further, you can check out some of the following articles. They will flesh out an approach to gaining wisdom in the most practical way:

Seeking Personal Value

Opening the Gate to Wisdom: The Ancient Trivium

The Personal Development “Beta Flash”