Philosophy; Why?

"The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from convictions which have grown up in his mind without the cooperation or consent of his deliberate reason. To such a man the world tends to become definite, finite, obvious; common objects rouse no questions, and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected. As soon as we begin to philosophize, on the contrary, we find...that even the most everyday things lead to problems to which only very incomplete answers can be given. Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge out thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom....it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect...

"Thus contemplation enlarges not only the objects of our thoughts, but also the objects of our actions and our affections: it makes us citizens of the universe, not only of a one walled city at war with all the rest. In this citizenship of the universe consists man's true freedom, and his liberation from the thraldom of narrow hopes and fears....Philosophy is to be studied...because, through the greatness of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind also is rendered great, and becomes capable of that union with the universe which constitutes its highest good."

--Bertrand Russell The Value of Philosophy

There's a double meaning to the title of this post, which I'm sure has not passed you by. Philosophy often times is assumed to be just that; the question "Why?". But there's also the question of "Why ask why?" Well, Russell summed up nicely a few of my main reasons for pursuing this career. But I don't think it stops there. I think there is also an extrinsic reason for pursuing philosophical questions -- one that has a more practical, worldly end. So much of what now constitutes the practical sciences was once within the realm of philosophy. In fact, in the beginning there was just philosophy and mathematics. That which fell under "natural philosophy" was to give rise to biology, chemistry, physics...much of what was political philosophy has fallen under the heading political science, and the latest departure is currently one of the most popular majors: that of psychology. But that's not to say there aren't issues left behind. That which couldn't be empirically tested was left to yet be contemplated. Perhaps we'll soon be able to put into practice the study of more esoteric political theories or the minutiae of quantum mechanics. Or, my personal goal, to find the seat of consciousness. And there is so much that goes with that: first, freewill, and second, the determination of all those entities we are required to treat ethically, including animals currently used for testing, experiments, fashion accessories, and 9 oz. sirloins at Ruby Tuesday's, not to mention issues of abortion or euthanasia. So there is some practicality left. It just takes little longer to produce results...but you can't really blame us on that.

Anyways, just came across the above quote today and it got me thinking. Surprise.

Namaste'.