Bertrand Russell (1912) The Value of Philosophy and Brie Gertler Essay

Bertrand Russell (1912) The Value of Philosophy and Brie Gertler (2008) In Defense of Mind-Body Dualism - Essay ExampleDeliberating implicit in(p) questions on the meaning of life, human nature, the cosmos, etc do not have any commercial value. But a life lived without such philosophical speculation is quite limited and enslaved.Philosophy helps us to broaden our clever and emotional horizons by subjugating our self-interest. It cultivates in us to focus on the non-Self, which liberates us from individual petty concerns and veers our instinct toward bigger questions on the human condition. In other words, if specialized disciplines in science are abstracted with the how question, philosophy is concerned with the why question. As Russell aptly terms it, philosophy helps us to move beyond the here and now. In doing so, it makes us separate from the particular circumstances of history and culture, thereby experiencing a universal mode of existence.Uncertainty is a basic feature of ph ilosophy, where various answers are proposed for any condition question. It is this element of uncertainty that distinguishes philosophy from other scientific disciplines. But instead of causing ambiguity, the open-ended speculations truly enhance our imagination and identify novel solutions. As the magisterium of our mind is expanded we become calmer and more secure. irrelevant the defensive and anxious behaviour of the unenlightened person, the one well-versed with philosophy is able to negotiate all sorts of contingencies in life with relative ease.I totally agree with Russells assessment of the value of philosophy. I powerfully believe that philosophy should be moved into mainstream academia, away from its perception as an esoteric pursuit. Today, almost both major problem in society is caused as a result of an unenlightened citizenry. With education more and more becoming skill-oriented or vocational, generations of adults graduate from college without social consciousness. Studying philosophy mitigates this phenomenon by prompting us with sensible questions. And in