What is your goal of philosophy? What is your philosophy of life? Why must philosophy be important? Why do we need philosophy? How can philosophy help you realize your goals?
First, what is your goal of philosophy, and why is it important? Is it because you want to achieve a higher level of personal truth, or are you simply trying to feel good about yourself by being a part of a larger, more general truth? Do you want personal freedom from religious persecution, or do you just want the opportunity to participate and enjoy in an open, democratic political system that protects and respects its people? Do you want your children to have access to world-class education, do you want your spouse to have full and complete health insurance, and do you want your nation and its people to have peace and security? Why must knowledge of the truth about the good, true, and beautiful will benefit my entire life and the lives of my children?
Second, why must philosophy be important for me? If it is not for me, then what is it for me? Is philosophy important to enhance my intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth as a human being? How can knowledge of philosophical truths benefit me and allow me to grow as a human being? Can philosophy help make me a better person, and a better partner, husband, father, friend, and citizen and finally as a human?
Third, how does knowledge of philosophical truths affect the other parts of my life? Does knowledge of social philosophy enlighten me in ways that only knowledge of natural philosophy can? Can knowledge of social philosophy help improve one’s relationships with other individuals? Can philosophy help create greater meaningfulness in my life and help me achieve happiness and fulfillment?
The first part of the fourth question refers to whether knowledge of philosophical truths makes personal reality true. The answer is, “it depends.” It depends on what you mean by “personal reality.” What do you mean by “personal reality?” Are you referring to your own personal reality, your own body of beliefs and values, and your own sense of motivation and happiness?
The second part of the question addresses whether knowledge of philosophical truths helps us to improve our personal lives. The answer is, “it helps us to improve our human lives.” Philosophy contributes to human knowledge and to the improvement of human beings. It helps us to avoid evil and helps us realize the goodness in others. It also helps us understand and appreciate the beauty in everything.
The third part addresses whether knowledge of philosophical methods helps us to understand ourselves and others. The answer is, “it helps us understand ourselves and others.” For example, it is impossible to know anything about another person or group of people to what they tell us, and in particular, how they tell us it. By means of philosophical methods, we can learn about other people and about their lives; we can see their perspectives and evaluate their motivations and choices.
The fourth part addresses whether knowledge of philosophical reflection contributes to knowledge and wisdom. The answer is, “it contributes to knowledge and wisdom.” In fact, only by philosophizing could we hope to understand and appreciate the full truth of life and of the universe. Only through philosophy can we hope to comprehend the wisdom of God, as revealed in the holy books of Hindu Christian Muslim and other religions.
Philosophy aims to answer three basic questions: what is reality? How do we know that it exists? And how do we come to know what is the meaning of life? By means of our reflections on nature, we come to understand the nature of reality, and the significance of our existence in relation to it.
The second part of this cycle describes the relationship between knowledge of philosophy and the wisdom to make positive choices. It says that knowledge of philosophy helps to create and develop a sense of personal wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to see the truth in all of life. In fact, knowledge of philosophy helps to develop an awareness of the interrelationship among all things, the universe, and human beings in general. In this way, we develop an awareness of the meaning of life that makes our actions and reactions meaningful.
Philosophy, therefore, is important because it helps us to develop the awareness that will enable us to live in a way that best serves ourselves, our family, and society. A good life makes a lot of difference, both to ourselves and to others. The more goals that we have and the more goals that we achieve, the happier and healthier we generally feel. This is one aspect of the goal of philosophy. Knowing the meaning of life as it manifests itself in our lives makes it easier to make decisions about the things that matter most to us, the things that give us pleasure, and the things that motivate us. Pursuing these goals brings us happiness both personally and to our communities.