I found myself nodding along with your defense of philosophy, but also pausing over how much work the word philosophy is doing here. As I read it, a lot of what’s at stake is ethical — how we decide what matters, what counts as responsibility or meaning — which, for me, can feel closer to ethics and mores than to philosophy.
But I think the stronger claim you’re making is that those moral frameworks don’t float freely; they’re stacked on deeper philosophical commitments about what exists, what a “self” is, and what it means to know something at all. In that sense, philosophy isn’t competing with practicality — it’s the load-bearing structure underneath it.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! Although I’d argue that moral frameworks are within the ambit of philosophy, it’d be a pedantic point to make at best and splitting hairs at worst.
Perhaps I’ll write a blog on the connection between “abstract” concepts like the self, existence, meaning, etc., and the more tangible reality of how they inform a culture.
Really enjoyed reading this! The existence talk was a hard concept to grasp but I really liked your take on Philosophy is what makes us human. That part came to me naturally and I do wholeheartedly agree with the statement!
I found myself nodding along with your defense of philosophy, but also pausing over how much work the word philosophy is doing here. As I read it, a lot of what’s at stake is ethical — how we decide what matters, what counts as responsibility or meaning — which, for me, can feel closer to ethics and mores than to philosophy.
But I think the stronger claim you’re making is that those moral frameworks don’t float freely; they’re stacked on deeper philosophical commitments about what exists, what a “self” is, and what it means to know something at all. In that sense, philosophy isn’t competing with practicality — it’s the load-bearing structure underneath it.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! Although I’d argue that moral frameworks are within the ambit of philosophy, it’d be a pedantic point to make at best and splitting hairs at worst.
Perhaps I’ll write a blog on the connection between “abstract” concepts like the self, existence, meaning, etc., and the more tangible reality of how they inform a culture.
Thanks for reading/commenting, Uncle Chris!
Really enjoyed reading this! The existence talk was a hard concept to grasp but I really liked your take on Philosophy is what makes us human. That part came to me naturally and I do wholeheartedly agree with the statement!
Thanks Kaito! I appreciate you reading the article.