What use of studying Philosophy?

When we heard the word "philosophy" immediately we will hold our breath and gasped. Many people think that philosophy is a pure descriptive task. Perhaps, the word of Plato's detractors best expresess our current adjacent preception on philosophy, "Philosophy is useless". Little wonder Wittgenstein has always been pondered  "what is the use of philosophy if it does not improve your thinking about important questions of everyday living?" He asked this question throughout  in his entire career as philosopher, and also in his latter to his student Martin. From Wittgenstein reflection, we had seen on how he raised two vibrant things, first philosophy as a way of improving our thinking. Second, philosophy must be relevant and down to earth. These two aspects are actually embodied tight in the legacy of the ancient philosophy. People like Plato and Aristotle argues that philosophy deals with contemplation of truth, and also to help one to live a better pratical and politcal life. 

Apparently, philosophy is not about giving more answer so that the case can be closed. Philosophy is about giving more questions so that the conversation keep on going, in aim of raising the bar of mind and to help oneself to be virtuos in pratical and political realm. Yet, does this pratical tradition and the legacy of usefullness of philosophy still animated strong in the mind of our society? Yes, maybe. But at the same time also decreased. Few people intrest in philosophy. People who studied philosophy often been judged as nerd, wierd, idealist and also ascetic. This label is actually untrue for everyone who think deep enough is already a philosopher. Also, the usefulness of studying philosophy is not for gaining money. Therefore, it is wrong to judge the usefulness of philosophy through the way of economic measurement. Philosophy is not about gaining profit. Philosophy is about the inward and outward contribution it gives that move beyond the material possessions and acumulations. 

In his book, On the Use of Philosophy: Three essays, Jacques Maritain has made a good take on regarding the usefulness of philosophy particularly in public realm. In first essay, the philosopher and society Jacques argues that two aspects of philosopher in society is to do with Truth and Freedom.There are many propaganda played by the elite. The society are also easily follow the stream of environment whetever it goes, rather than following the stream of truth or in this case, fact. Philosophy bring truth by posting a right question and the speculative task of philosophizing does not pay the intrest of man or any social group. As to freedom, is done by doing critical thinking without any hesitation. We can see how Socrates become the fuctional critics of his society as he againts the wave of the ideology and thinking in his time impetuously. As Jacques further in saying as the result of this freedom function, "it is not without reason that Napoleon loathed ideologues, and that dictators, as a rule, hate philosophers."

The usefulness of philosophy in society and public realm also expanded more by Paul Redding who also wrote a very thought-proviking work regarding the role of philosophy in "post-truth" time. Redding mentioned the "Trump-phenomena" whereby nowadays, people are more influenced by 14 words of tweet rather than carefully constructed and footnoted scholarly article. There is a decline in quality newspaper and the raise of social media as the information deliverer. Therefore, in this age, the role of philosophy as the custodian of truth and freedom is really crucial as it shown by Karl Poper in his political philosophy works. Popper propose the idea of "open society" in contarary to "closed society". Open society means that the citizen are free to speak up and give the fair critique or altenative information or ideology. Open society as the result of philosophical reflection is a very helpful mechanicsm on which help people to think, and distingusihed which truth is guided by robust "power-play." In extention, Popper political philosophy also can give an alternative imagination toward the narrative of Totalitarianism, which is the source of tyranny as Hannar Arendt a German-Jewish philosopher, the student of Martin Heidegger says how the totalitarianism seek to mobilize all citizen to support state ideology. Totalitarinsim really shut the pontential, the mind of people to think deep in any given issue that will firmly affect their life. As the result, people just undiscerning believe what they are told and then act accordingly, from the top of hieracry to the lowest. 

Admitedly, the usefulness of philosophy does not always mean philosophy is always right morally speaking. There are another form of political philosophy that can be useful and effective but appear to be cold-blooded by common sense. Take for instance the philosophy of Machiavelli. He againts the stream of virtues and propose the idea of vice in his political philosophy. He says that leader need to "learn how not to be good". To use evil and dirty our hands sometimes is permisible as long as it can help to foster the best result. The seed of pragmatism has already appeard far before the time, as it seen in Machiaveli's mind. No matter how we judge his philosophy as morally depraved, we cannot denny that his philosophy is useful and bring a real result. But the thought like Machiaveli is only a minority. So we cannot conclude philosophy is useless because it use some element of evil for most of the true philosophers are a thoughtful moral philsophers especially of the modern, will thoroughly disagree with what some idea that Machiaveli propose.

There are many more the usefulness of philosophy we can think of which we cannot expound one by one. Raymond Angelo Belliotti brilliantly given us five things that philosophy can do. First, building character. Second, Forging personal relationship. Three, Promoting sound political strategies. Four, Living meaningfully. Five, Dying gracefully. The wide philophical vision of Raymond can summarize best on how philosophy can bring a significant impact toward life in general. Beebee Rush & Micheal Rush made a shorter lists on how philosophy can help people to understand themselves, understand public debate, understand the world, understand behavior. It is all boiled down to an "understanding."

Thus far we have seen that philosophy is not only about memorizing an answer or history of thought. Nor only a pure descriptive task but philosophy in nature, inherently reflective and prescriptive. Everyone has a philosophy but not everyone is a philosopher in a real sense of the term. The true philosopher is the one who embark not just in theoritical realm but also reflective and pratical.Philosophy help us mature in thinking in relation to the daily issues. And let me say this, the journey of the maturity is best to be done throught questioning as one philosopher once congrously says, "questioning is the answer to the question of the foundation of reason, the starting point from which philosophy can begin".We start from questioning and ended again in questioning. If we cannot see the usefulness of questioning and how significant the impact it might bring to our life and society at large well, it worth a try before we are being ignorant and give a false acussation about the method and also philosophy. Through questioning we are actually studying philosophy and are already enjoying one of it usefuleness!