Philosophy used to be a powerhouse, a dynasty of writing. Now it’s almost gone and forgotten. But let's take a look at how this forgotten treasure can be revived. Philosophy can help people better understand themselves. It helps people use critical thinking. With everything going on now science is not always the answer, and with all the current issues surrounding philosophy. Philosophy is coming back. And now it's time to learn what philosophy really is.

Throughout the beginning of intellectual discovery, there have been many questions, it’s where these questions originate from and how we can answer them is the birth of philosophy. “By definition philosophy is a way of thinking about certain subjects such as ethics, thought, existence, time meaning and value.” (What is philosophy?) The reason why philosophy must be kept alive and studied is because it can help with one's critical thinking. “The study of philosophy helps us enhance our ability to problem solve, our communication skills, and our persuasive powers within one's writing skills.”(Why study philosophy-JMU) Without philosophy you wouldn't be able to connect within yourself.Which allows you to better understand yourself on new levels. The reason one might want to study philosophy is because in this world you can't rely on anything. The great Socrates once said “ the only thing I know is that I know nothing.” Philosophy takes on many roles and has been looked over for many years. And by definition that truly is what philosophy is and offers. 

One of the big aspects that philosophy offers is its ability to teach critical thinking. “Many regularly assigned philosophical texts are also excellent as literary essays. Philosophy teaches interpretive writing through its examination of challenging texts, comparative writing through emphasis on fairness to alternative positions, argumentative writing through developing students' ability to establish their own views, and descriptive writing through detailed portrayal of concrete examples.” (“Why Study Philosophy? - JMU”) The reason why philosophy and critical thinking go hand and hand is because when you have a mind that is good at critical thinking you tend to be more creative, your self reflection becomes more important,It is also crucial for the economy. Critical thinking also allows you to be better at decision making, come up with well informed opinions and can improve relationships. “Critical thinking is key to creating independence, and encouraging students to make their own decisions and form their own opinions.”(Chagas) the ability that philosophers and philosophy have on society is big and can help in so many ways. Critical thinking has a major impact in helping a person become better in many ways. 

In other sciences there can often be difficulty in finding answers and solving issues, this is where philosophy is able to assist in helping other sciences. This is supported by, The uniqueness of philosophy is that it doesn’t force a way of thinking. Yet how to think for oneself with reason. In doing so it gives us the ability to use these in practice we can further ourselves elsewhere, and detect poor reasoning(Gray). Paraphrased this means that the teachings of philosophy are able to further question and mature many different beliefs in the scientific community. Although it may be difficult to see the application as many discoveries are set in a state of certainty, yet through time many previously thought “truths” are overturned and can change the advancement of humanity. Which is where philosophy can become involved in instigating questioning and probing for betterment in current knowledge. “This applies in particular to those fields that influence the wider life of society, such as ethics, and social, economic, or political philosophy. If these fields can potentially contribute to the betterment of the human condition”(Jeuk). The specific fields that can be seen clearer, are mentioned here as dealing with mostly the current sociological state of many in the world. As where philosophy had originated from would point to a strong connection in relevance in these topics, so naturally it would be better applied to suit issues it originally was involved in. However, with its dwindling popularity, there has been a lacking usage of application in remedying many issues with intellectual prowess of this skill set. Which could bring betterment if a transition to philosophical working is introduced. In which many other sciences as well could be supported by the use of philosophy.

When looking at the ability philosophy has when providing thought, then there is a wonder of how it could still be used currently and on an individual scale. One thought is,“Philosophy forces us to let others question our beliefs and for us to question our own beliefs. This is likely to cause us to change our mind when we find out a belief we have is unjustified. Nothing is off limits. Our religion, political beliefs, and ethical beliefs could all be questioned. We need to be able to sort through such beliefs and figure out what (if any) beliefs we have deserve our confidence1”(Gray). This is very important especially at this time where many people have secluded themselves to echo chambers for whatever the reason, which has inhibited the lack of opposition to ideas and principles, important in the progression of society. The lack of opposing views has made it so much of the change must come from the self, and to question what we strongly believe in, and in doing so in the self there will be a greater desire to seek truth, and be willing to change. “Advances in technology and science have also had a significant impact on philosophy, raising new ethical and fundamental questions about the nature of knowledge and existence”(Tuduri). Another extreme difference in our current state is the mass evolution of our technological state. This has brought a new culture to all around the world in one way or another. However with this there has been great polarization of ideas surrounding this, as well as misinformation, causing confusion and a lack certainty of what is being developed and its effects. From this philosophy is able to create its own atmosphere to assist many people in finding comfort and surety in our current climate. In the modern state of the world there is a lot of wonder that can be remedied through the use of philosophical thought. 

While the majority of people believe that philosophy is a waste of time and science is better, that is simply not true. While it has been claimed that many in the philosophical field have left the practice, and many who do practice philosophy don’t keep with the definition of philosophy. Although this can be seen as an issue, it can also be seen as a natural shift or evolution in the study. As with many other sciences there have been many changes throughout the years, so it would be unfair to hold such changes against philosophy. As well as hold people to confines when it comes to philosophy, as a base principle of philosophy is to question what is deemed as the standard. Many claims against philosophy would be an unfair attack due to the state of other studies, as well as the very nature of philosophy can’t be seen through the same lens as other sciences.

(AI Paragraph) In conclusion, philosophy stands as a testament to the human spirit's insatiable quest for understanding, transcending the mere accumulation of facts to probe the very essence of existence. It reminds us that, while science offers invaluable insights into the natural world, it does not monopolize truth; there are realms of human experience and understanding that lie beyond the empirical. Philosophy nurtures critical thinking, equipping individuals with the tools to analyze, question, and reflect, thereby fostering a deeper level of intellectual rigor. Moreover, it serves as a bridge that connects individuals not only with the world around them but also with the inner landscapes of their own beliefs, values, and aspirations. In sum, philosophy is both a journey and a destination, offering paths to explore the complexities of life and the universe, while also guiding us toward a more introspective and connected existence.

Works Cited

Chagas, Marcelo. “The Importance Of Critical Thinking, and how to improve it.” University of the People, 7 December 2023, uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-critical-thinking-important/. Accessed 4 March 2024.

Fraser, Will. "The Tightrope of Real Genesis: On philosophy’s Generative Thirdness and the Creative Self-Grounding of Thought." Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, 2023, pp. 608. ProQuest, proquest.com/scholarly-journals/tightrope-real-genesis-on-philosophy-s-generative/docview/2867661139/se-2, doi:doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02092-0.

Garfield, Jay L. “Taking Back Philosophy.” Columbia University Press, Columbia University Press, December 2017, cup.columbia.edu/book/taking-back-philosophy/9780231184373. Accessed 19 February 2024.

Glander, T.R. "Regenerating the philosophy of education: what happened to the soul?" CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, vol. 49, no. 11, July 2012, p. 2118. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A295057800/SUIC?u=elkhornnhs&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=d9032ca5. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

“How Philosophy Changed My Life | Ethical Realism.” Ethical Realism, 15 July 2011, ethicalrealism.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/how-philosophy-changed-my-life/.Accessed 20 February 2024.

Petcu, Peter S. “The Importance of Philosophy in our Days.” The Importance of Philosophy in our Days, Fundatia Academica Axis, 2020, proquest.com/docview/2472669347/786188B8542641C6PQ/2?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals. Accessed 20 February 2024.

"What Happened to Philosophy?" Philosophy Now, Oct. 2023, p. 20. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781211281/GPS?u=elkhornnhs&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=fa224f31. Accessed 14 Feb. 2024.

“What is Philosophy?” The Philosophy Foundation, philosophy-foundation.org/what-is-philosophy. Accessed 27 February 2024.

“Where are we headed? - Philosophy in the 21st century | Blogs La Salle | Campus Barcelona.” Blogs, 7 February 2023, blogs.salleurl.edu/en/where-are-we-headed-philosophy-21st-century.Accessed 20 February 2024.

“Why Study Philosophy? - JMU.” James Madison University, JMU, jmu.edu/philrel/why-study-philosophy/why-study-philosophy.shtml. Accessed 20 February 2024.