The Essence of Philosophy: Meaning, Purpose, and Human Existence
The Origin of Philosophical Inquiry
The initial spark for philosophical inquiry arose from a sense of wonder. To truly grasp philosophical inspiration, one must experience a sense of strangeness towards the things that exist. This wonder is a direct response to the unknown.
The term ‘philosophy’ evokes a sense of mystery, a mythical knowledge, something poetic with roots deep in time.
Philosophy as an End, Not a Means
Philosophy is not a tool but an end in itself. It is not a good that serves a purpose, but rather something that serves all, especially the intellect, the most noble aspect of humanity.
The Question of Philosophy’s Usefulness
Since its inception, philosophy has been viewed with suspicion as a useless discipline. However, its greatness lies precisely in its apparent lack of practical application. All knowledge is a long journey.
We might also question the practical value of history, Latin, Greek, or literature. While these fields may not build skyscrapers or cure diseases, they serve a different purpose. Philosophy reveals the usefulness of the seemingly useless. It teaches us to distinguish between what is useful for a specific purpose and what is useful for man as a thinking being. Philosophy is useful in the latter sense.
The Human Quest for Understanding
The fundamental difference between humans and animals is that while an animal may react with confusion to the unknown, it is primarily concerned with whether something will benefit or harm it. Once this is resolved, the animal feels no further concern. However, humans are unique in that they also ask what something is, what it does, where it comes from, and why.
Breaking the Cycle of Mere Existence
Many people live lives that are similar to those of animals, focused on producing the means to meet their basic needs. Their existence is a cycle of repetition. Philosophy breaks this cycle, giving meaning and value to life by prompting us to wonder about things beyond mere existence.
Philosophy and the Human Experience
Philosophy is the love of wisdom, a total knowledge that involves all of our faculties. When we say that every person has an underlying philosophy, we mean that they have a conception of existence and a certain attitude towards life. This fusion of philosophy and human life means that the history of philosophy coincides with the history of human life. Philosophy and life are so intertwined that sometimes philosophy shapes human evolution, and other times human evolution demands a certain philosophy.
The deepest aspects of human history are often written in the history of philosophy.
Those who only value philosophy for its personal and material benefits will never understand its true usefulness.