Bertrand Russell: The Value Of Philosophy

Consider a public that looks to material require as the necessities of invigoration. He moves through his world in a twenty-four hour cycle of the mundane, never reaching for a less unconditi iodind existence. Bertrand Russell believes that these practical men, as society deems them, are wrongly named. A meaningful life to this practical man, certainly does not everywherewhelm the understanding of a need for noesis. Russell states, It is exclusively among the goods of the mind that the re comfort of ism is to be found and unaccompanied those who are not indifferent to these goods basin be persuaded that the study of ism is not a waste of cartridge postponementer (page 9).The value of philosophy cigaret be found when anyone chooses to step over the line between things and ideas. I am claiming, in this instance, that philosophy is important for organism a source of knowledge and understanding, among other things. Those that undertake to absorb these are in turn going to benefit from their efforts. A man does not necessarily need the ability to comprehend the entire universe, still just to be open to thought. In the past, men that worked towards this task of thinking, such(prenominal) as Newton, were adapted to take philosophy and evolve it into a separate perception.This reasons that philosophys value is largely in the possibility of a greater enlightenment that has yet to be determined. There is value in the fact that a deeper reality exists. That life does not just egest blindly through time, but streams around reason and thought. Knowledge should completely be enough of a value for philosophy to be an comprehended source of gaining exactly that end. Thomas Nagel writes, humans have the special capacitance to step back and survey themselves, and the lives to which they are committed (page 23). This realization is one of the reasons that philosophy contains value for the society at large.Everyone, through examining and doubting their c hoices, plunder gain knowledge. And knowledge is the primary aim of philosophy, according to Russell and my proclaim opinion. Socrates summarizes it dress hat in Platos, Apology Defense of Socrates, when he stated, an unexamined life is no life for a human being to live (page 40). Humans were given the efficacy to have thought movementes and go beyond the routine existence of disappoint level life forms. To let this possession go unused would be neglecting the possibilities of the mind. However, the value of philosophy for society at large is limited by self-assertion.The masses will find themselves looking for knowledge but being blocked by the trip up that the world is of less worth than themselves, or the Self. This will be the downfall of the instinctive man he is contained in his private interests. It is almost like a trap, man fills his life with family and friends and believes that he has found his place in life. A true student of philosophy will have a want of knowle dge that is free and pure. This want contains no concerns of Self, but rather of the not-Self. Knowledge arrives when man lets go of act to fit the universe into his world and instead fits his world into the universe.In regularize to be a philosopher, one must overcome the narrow merry-go-round of the Self and of private interests. Therefore the largest value of philosophy is for the philosopher, for he is able to completely be open to the acquisition of knowledge. Most of the value of philosophy is then sent indirectly to the larger society. The fact that philosophy, as a subject, is prone to uncertainty great deal arouse disbelief in its value. It buttocks be argued that no knowledge can possibly be gained by studying a field in which there are no definite answers.Russell agrees with this point when he maintains that even if answers are determined, none of them can be proven true without exception. The subjective areas of thought, those dealing with opinions and differences i n beliefs and practices, would hold no basis in practicality. Practical man will encompass to waste away in his secluded reality, convinced that being conservative is the most important quality to possess. Russell himself mentions, many men, under the influence of science or practical affairs, are inclined to doubt whether philosophy is nything break away than innocent but useless trifling, and controversies on matters concerning which knowledge is impossible (page 9).However, Russell contradicts his own statements on purpose with the idea that people have the wrong view of philosophy. The uncertainty in philosophy is what makes the subject intriguing and worth argue for or against. So what if there are no definite answers? The process of coming to the conclusion that nothing is set in stone is where the knowledge lies in wait to be learned. The questions of life make for brainual license in the search for the unfound answers.Philosophic contemplation best works when the appe tite for knowledge is unadulterated. This would then deal mainly with the area of the not-Self it must be in union with the Self to grow the righteousness environment for the intellect. Russell helps to stomach my statement that knowledge is the value of philosophy when he writes, free intellect will seewithout traditional prejudicesin the sole and exclusive relish of knowledge-knowledge as impersonal, as purely contemplative, as it is possible for man to attain (page 11).J. J. C. Smart believes that we should never assume that we have found the ultimate and closing truth about anything. But that having a condensed view will total us closer than not pondering it at all. Then, any attempt to push beyond that line between things and thought will create a positive end. Knowledge, the total range of what has been perceived and learned, is the absolute value of philosophy in my opinion. Philosophers, as well as man, can only benefit from the scrutiny placed on thought.Without the knowledge that philosophy can provide, the world would be a very simple place establish exclusively on materialistic views. The old saying that ignorance is bliss would signally be true. Man would continue in his everyday life, unaware of the discover that he is missing. Think about what a waste such a world would be, when the possibility for undiminished intelligence and open mentality is right beyond the baggage that man carries around with him. Philosophys value in knowledge is that it makes mans life worth not just surviving but truly living.