Abstract

ALVARGONZALEZ, David. Philosophy: What For?. Tópicos (México) [online]. 2020, n.59, pp.429-442.  Epub Nov 20, 2020. ISSN 0188-6649.  https://doi.org/10.21555/top.v0i59.1146.

In this paper, I shall present a reasoned answer to the question about the usefulness of philosophy. I start by analyzing the meaning and intentionality of the question “philosophy: what for?” Next, I study the different meanings of the word “philosophy” in the context of that question (section two). In the third section, I present some examples of certain answers given to the question “philosophy: what for?” as they can be studied from a historical and anthropological perspective. Next, I take into ac- count certain outstanding philosophical systems to see how they have answered the question about the usefulness of philosophy (section four). Finally, I argue a reasoned answer to the question from the perspective of a Stoic, materialistic philosophy of the present (section five).

Keywords : philosophy; function; utility; academic philosophy.