The useless questions in philosophy

Generally my approach is pragmatic. I study philosophy because I think there is such a thing as wisdom. I also really like the history of ideas. It is challenging to read what great thinkers of the past have written and to try and understand how they saw things. Sometimes, I like to 'play with ideas' - there are things I like to consider just for the sake of it. But bottom line is philosophical thinking helps you to be clear, detached, and objective. This is all a part of wisdom.

Was it Popper who wrote that a metaphysical topic was only meaningful, in its relationship to a specific problem situation? When I read some very abstract philosophical discussions and ideas, I try to figure out, "What problem does this address?"

rebecca

Good point, Rebecca, though one can conjecture that the 'problem' is that we wrack our brains over these things. The question "what was the cause of everything" is important only because something about us viscerally needs to know.

I also agree, Rebecca, I often apply the 'so what' test. So what if this is true? But this can still apply in metaphysics. There are genuine metaphysical problems, but not everyone is genuinely interested in them, and also, when they become subject to academic standardisation and rote learning they certainly can seem to loose all meaning.

Day-to-day cares are actually just a distraction from life's big questions. Many of us ask these questions and ponder them because we don't know how not to. There's nothing else quite as worthwhile.

Couldn't you just as easily argue the opposite?

You could, but you'd be wrong. Because day-to-day cares come and go with the individual, with the culture, with the zeitgeist. The big questions have been the same since day one and they will never change, they only manifest themselves in the new forms (ie, changing 'daily reality').

Pondering dualism isn't going to stop the lion from eating you.

We are animals -- we can only exist if we accomplish the day-to-day things

Yet we are humans -- we ponder big questions to make the day-to-day things seem less mundane and absurd

We manipulate energy via biological methods but we're not solely biological in our nature.

Yes, we til the land and carry the water. But the drama we introduce into our lives beyond that has taken precedence over the physical sustenance, spiritual and mental-well being of our selves is simply a ridiculous distraction. These most basic matters of day-to-day living that I refer to, are themselves intertwined with the big questions.