“What Is Philosophy For?”

“Know Yourself,” says Socrates. Why is it so important that we examine our own minds and beliefs?

Why is common sense insufficient? What are some deeply important issues or questions that common sense cannot help us with?

Why, according to de Botton, are philosophers less susceptible to the influence of advertising?

Why do philosophers find it important to ask whether an idea is logical before believing it? What should guide what we believe?

What do you think Alain de Botton would say is wrong with how we are educated at school? What would make school/learning more engaging for students?

Journal #1: According to de Botton, it is often deemed unpopular, pretentious, or silly to ask certain questions (e.g. big life questions). You may have even noticed that some questions don’t seem very practical or may be considered taboo or inappropriate in society. De Botton claims that philosophers are people who aren’t afraid to ask these sorts of big questions. In your journals, come up with two examples of questions that most people don’t ask or are afraid to ask. For each example, explain why common people would likely be afraid to ask that question, and then argue for why it is actually important to investigate such a question.

Why does Watts use the example of peopling? In other words, in the same way a tree “apples,” the world “peoples.” What is Alan Watts really trying to say about life and our place in the world?

According to Watts, what is wrong with our system of education?

What is the hoax that people experience along the road of life?

When people make it to the top in life, why do they often feel let down or unfulfilled?

What, then, can we do about the whole thing? Is it possible to live a more satisfying, meaningful life?

At the beginning of the video, Watts says, “In music and art, one doesn’t make the end of the composition the point of the composition.” What does he mean by that?

Earthrise has been called “the most influential nature photograph ever taken,” and is often cited as the photograph which sparked and ignited the modern environmental movement. Why did this image have such an immense impact on people? And what philosophical message might it convey? Use your own words to explain what you believe to be its philosophical (or even spiritual) significance.

●Given what you now know about the discipline of philosophy (the questions it seeks to answer, the issues it investigates, and the tools/skills it relies on to solve problems), answer the following questions: Why are more industries/companies now showing a greater interest in hiring philosophers? Why might hiring a philosopher be a good idea for a company or institution? Use evidence from at least two (2) of the texts. ●Now be a typical philosopher and play the devil’s advocate: Why might hiring a philosopher be a bad or risky decision?

●Greek mythology, and indeed all other ancient world mythologies, provide accounts of the nature of the world and its natural processes, morality, and the meaning of human life. In what sense are the Homeric and other mythological worldviews philosophical and in what sense are they not?

“The basic theme of mythology is that the visible world is supported and sustained by an invisible world.” --Joseph Campell