Indeed even some professional philosophers think philosophy is useless! Instrumentally valuable for sure though — has helped me tremendously in a non-academic career.
I think the opposite is true: philosophy is probably just about the most practical field. Without it, there would be no cognitive science or computer science or AI, for starters. It takes a long time for philosophy's practical benefits to come about, but that's all.
Human good is always useful. Philosophy should promote that, or at least promote human understanding. I've used the philosophy I have learned to change how people thinking, how they approach both problems and solutions. I am proud of that.
There are three kinds of philosophy bc philosophy has three distinctive aims;
a) Truth Wisdom is the most universal answers to the most universal important questions. An answer is a framework of understanding.
b) Practical Wisdom is about custom solutions to individual problems. A solution is an action plan.
c) Academic Philosophy is about social acceptance, proven by credentials, earned through compliance. It is all trees, no forest; increasingly about less and less relevant minutae, and neither meaningful answers or solutions are required.
Indeed even some professional philosophers think philosophy is useless! Instrumentally valuable for sure though — has helped me tremendously in a non-academic career.
I think the opposite is true: philosophy is probably just about the most practical field. Without it, there would be no cognitive science or computer science or AI, for starters. It takes a long time for philosophy's practical benefits to come about, but that's all.
Human good is always useful. Philosophy should promote that, or at least promote human understanding. I've used the philosophy I have learned to change how people thinking, how they approach both problems and solutions. I am proud of that.
Stephen Hawking said that physics had nothing to learn from philosophy.
Einstein was wiser: "It finally turns out that one can, after all, not get along without metaphysics."
I’m no philosopher, but I tend to think of philosophy as humanity’s best attempt at seeking a second opinion from itself.
There are three kinds of philosophy bc philosophy has three distinctive aims;
a) Truth Wisdom is the most universal answers to the most universal important questions. An answer is a framework of understanding.
b) Practical Wisdom is about custom solutions to individual problems. A solution is an action plan.
c) Academic Philosophy is about social acceptance, proven by credentials, earned through compliance. It is all trees, no forest; increasingly about less and less relevant minutae, and neither meaningful answers or solutions are required.