Philosophy seems meant not to be useful or practical, but intended to ask the right sorts of questions, think about things one abstraction deeper/more meta, and question things others don’t question.
How is asking “the right sorts of questions” not “useful or practical”? To “question things others don’t question” is what scientists do. Examples: Why do things fall down when let go? (physics) Why do children tend to look like their parents? (genetics) Why does a candle burn? (chemistry)
What are the questions “others take for granted” that philosophy asks? Wikipedia:
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Most of these are logic, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science and linguistics, and most recently AI research (esp. knowledge acquisition and reasoning). What’s left is “reality” and “existence”. Have I missed anything?
Upvoted. I do largely agree with you, and the things that I don’t quite agree with you about are things about which I don’t think I can form a persuasive argument.
How is asking “the right sorts of questions” not “useful or practical”? To “question things others don’t question” is what scientists do. Examples: Why do things fall down when let go? (physics) Why do children tend to look like their parents? (genetics) Why does a candle burn? (chemistry)
What are the questions “others take for granted” that philosophy asks? Wikipedia:
Most of these are logic, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science and linguistics, and most recently AI research (esp. knowledge acquisition and reasoning). What’s left is “reality” and “existence”. Have I missed anything?
Upvoted. I do largely agree with you, and the things that I don’t quite agree with you about are things about which I don’t think I can form a persuasive argument.