2. Philosophers have often wondered and
argued about the role of philosophy in
man’s life. One view is that each one of
us is a philosopher, whether or not we
have studied philosophy.
3. We all have the potential to
philosophize since we have the tendency
to wonder and doubt. We possess the
capacity to reflect on our experiences,
and we have a never-ending need to
learn and discover.
4. The Greek philosopher Plato traced
man’s need to philosophize to his “sense
of wonder”. Whenever we are
confronted with an experience, we
always wonder how it came about. Man’s
over bounding curiosity drives him to
ask questions, some of which have no
definite answers.
5. Where did we come from? Why do we
exist? For what purpose were we created?
Consider a small child’s curiosity about all
the things around him, most of which he
encounters for the first time. The
perspective drives the need of a
philosopher to question, examine, and
learn more.
6. The 15th- century French philosopher
Rene Descartes traced the need to
philosophize to doubt. Descartes was
famous for rejecting or questioning
established ideas, and perspectives
became the basis of critical thinking and
analysis in the sciences.
7. For example, a scientific hypothesis must
first be tested and verified before it is
accepted as truth. In life, we will be faced
with several ideas and arguments which
present themselves as truths. A critical
and questioning perspective is necessary
to determine if indeed these ideas or
views are correct.
8. The 20th- century Swiss-German
philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the
need to philosophize because of
experience. Jasphers believed that
man is often confronted by
experiences which challenge his
ideas and frameworks.
9. Jasphers called these experiences limit
situations, and these are often
accompanied by feelings of helplessness,
anxiety, or dread. For Jasphers, philosophy
provides us a means to understand adverse
or challenging conditions, and to rise above
them and gain new knowledge and
perspectives.
10. have an insatiable for truth. A philosopher
does not seek knowledge to claim Finally,
the need to philosophize is driven by the
love for wisdom. To love wisdom is to
ownership of it; and one who engages in
philosophy is not satisfied with figuring
out the answer to question.
11. He seeks to continue to question, to
probe, and to discuss in order to get to
the bottom of things. The philosopher
who exemplified this perspective was
Socrates. He gained fame for his
curiosity and his constant debates with
many of the intellectual elite in Greece.
12. Socrates is famous for having said “I
know that I do not know…” and it is in
accepting this state of ignorance that
one can begin to learn and understand.
By expanding our knowledge through
philosophy, we begin to realize that
learning is unceasing –
13. there is a lot more to learn and
experience in life. Socrates is also
recognized for his motto: “The
unexamined life is not worth living.”
And nowhere is it more appropriate to
embark on philosophy than in an
examination of our own life.
14. Activity 3:
For you, why do you need to philosophize?
Activity 4:
Write a reflection of your life’s struggles that
compelled you to philosophize.
