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    Has Philosophy Lost Contact With People? - Alexia Tefel-Escudero

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    1) The document discusses W.V. Quine's view that philosophy has lost contact with people and whether this is true. 2) It argues that philosophy, both technical and moral, is important for gaining wisdom and understanding the permanent aspects of our changing world. 3) It suggests that bringing philosophy to the public through encouraging "thinking by writing" could help renew interest in philosophy and its importance for living well.

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    Has Philosophy Lost Contact With People? - Alexia Tefel-Escudero

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    Alexia Tefel
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    1) The document discusses W.V. Quine's view that philosophy has lost contact with people and whether this is true. 2) It argues that philosophy, both technical and moral, is important for gaining wisdom and understanding the permanent aspects of our changing world. 3) It suggests that bringing philosophy to the public through encouraging "thinking by writing" could help renew interest in philosophy and its importance for living well.

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    Has Philosophy Lost Contact with People? - Alexia Tefel-Escudero

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    1) The document discusses W.V. Quine's view that philosophy has lost contact with people and whether this is true. 2) It argues that philosophy, both technical and moral, is important for gaining wisdom and understanding the permanent aspects of our changing world. 3) It suggests that bringing philosophy to the public through encouraging "thinking by writing" could help renew interest in philosophy and its importance for living well.

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    52 views2 pages

    Has Philosophy Lost Contact With People? - Alexia Tefel-Escudero

    Uploaded by

    Alexia Tefel
    1) The document discusses W.V. Quine's view that philosophy has lost contact with people and whether this is true. 2) It argues that philosophy, both technical and moral, is important for gaining wisdom and understanding the permanent aspects of our changing world. 3) It suggests that bringing philosophy to the public through encouraging "thinking by writing" could help renew interest in philosophy and its importance for living well.

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    Alexia Tefel-Escudero 19 April, 2021

    W.V. Quine: Has Philosophy Lost Contact with People?

    When I first read the title of this essay, I imagined that in it I would encounter a
    vigorous defense for how philosophy should have more contact with people. Little did I know
    it would be the opposite.

    The sentence that certainly struck me the most appears at the end of the essay, so that
    is where we will begin: “sophia yes, philosophia not necessarily.” Though I assume that
    Quine’s message with this is something similar to “wisdom, not the mere love of it,” I cannot
    help but ask myself: how can one get wisdom without being a philosopher? How can one
    obtain knowledge without knowing what you do not know?

    Wisdom is desirable for its attributes, but how can we reach such a thing without
    philosophy, the love of wisdom? Philosophy is important for everyone because through it we
    can learn to think and live, and philosphers are the only ones who are brave enough can ask
    the questions that are most important. Moreover, in my opinion, much of what is wrong in the
    public sphere nowdays, whether we are referring to politics or any other aspect of public life,
    resides in the fact that our societies have stridden away from philosophy. So it is ironic that
    Quien writes how he believes that philosophers cannot help “get societies on an even keel.”

    Technical philosophy is no less important than the other branches of this discipline.
    We could say that it mainly came about as a way to approach philosophical questions from a
    more objective perspective. But its being technical does not mean that it is any less profound
    or deep in meaning than the discipline’s more qualitative studies; those of moral and aesthetic
    values.

    While the more scientific disciplines study changes, philosophy —be it technical or
    moral— is the only discipline that focuses on what is permanent in our ever-changing world.
    It is only with philosophy that we can know the essence of any matter, for, through it and its
    methods, we can untangle the web of confusion around any subject and reach its core,
    attaining a greater understanding of it in the process.

    Quine views this dichotomy as an “either one or the other” kind of situation; you
    either choose the sciences, or philosophy, but you cannot play for both teams. However,
    throughout history we can find that the people who have had the most impact on the world
    were not just one thing. They have not just been either biologists or philosophers, artists or
    engineers, or any combination we can think of. This is because what is truly needed to regard
    life and arrive at the truth is a multidisciplinary perspective.

    Maybe a more technical philosophy, like any technical science, has lost some contact
    with people. After all, we cannot expect everyone to be an expert at anything, and Quine is
    right in saying that things of this sort will be irrelevant for any layperson. However, I refuse
    to believe that any form of philosophical thought is lost on people or the public life in
    general. Even if most people do not have a formal philosophical background or education,
    could they not lead a life in a philosophical style?

    In my opinion, this is possible because philosophy is not just a discipline; it is an


    attitude. What is essential in philosophy is humbleness and curiosity. It is being in constant
    wonder and amazement of everything that surrounds us. Having a philosophical attitude is
    knowing that we do not know anything, but at the same time having the desire and courage to
    learn by asking the questions that others may be afraid to ask.

    If technical philosophy has given the general public an aloof impression of this
    discipline, then it must be because they never really knew its ultimate intents. Therefore, the
    question that remains is: how can we bring philosophy back to the public? How can we make
    them see how indispensible it is for our lives? I believe that professor Jaime Nubiola might
    have an answer for this dilemma.

    In his lectures and in the conversations that I have been lucky enough to have with
    him, he has never missed the opportunity to stress how important it is for everyone to “think
    and write,” and more specifically to “think by writing.” At the risk of giving off the wrong
    impression, I can confidently say that Professor Nubiola is the best philosopher I know. This
    is not only because of the classes that he has taught me (which I have greatly enjoyed) or his
    impressive academic experience. Rather, I mostly refer to his philosophical approach to life
    and his desire for his students and friends to grow and become the best version of themselves
    by adopting his philosophical attitude which whoever encounters it will grow so fond of.

    In my personal experience, professor Nubiola’s “thinking by writing” ‘strategy’ has


    helped me not just to untangle many webs that my mind has spun, but it has also brought me
    closer to philosophy than I ever thought I could be. And I think it could do the same for many
    more people, resulting in a resurgence of the philosophical mindset in the public sphere.

    Quine says that philosophers have no “peculiar fitness” for “inspirational and edifying
    writing,” or for “helping to get society on an even keel.” I could not disagree more. Professor
    Nubiola has not only proven that philosophers can have a strong fitness for “inspirational and
    edifying writing” (it should actually be a pillar of all philosophical thought), but also that they
    do have the power to help societies progress.

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