Importance of philosophy?

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What’s the importance of philosophy? Apart from developing critical thinking
 
We all employ philosophy in how we think about the world and our place within it. So we can either do it unintentionally and do it poorly. Or we can do it deliberately and…well…still possibly do it poorly. But we might also do it well. 😉
 
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Frankly, while I am a staunch devotee of philosophy, I am appalled at the general level of philosophical argument, and I include CAF in that censure. More often than not, the threads in Philosophy here put me in mind of a first-year philosophy student who has been dazzled by some hackneyed argument in class, and rushes here first thing to use it in a thread, thinking others will be just as dazzled as he. Unfortunately, said threads usually devolve into myopic nit-picking, and, what’s far worse, brazen sophistry. I think I will stick to my silent study of the greats.
 
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Philosophy is used to come to truth using gifts of God–especially logic.

It can be attributed to Pagans–the Greeks were pagans and known for philosophy.

However, we can use scripture and philosophy to better understand the truths which have been revealed. So, without philosophy, scripture would not have as much meaning.
 
It’s interesting - Paul went to Mars Hill -
to chat philosophy -
But ultimately - he stayed away from “ ole wives tales “
And decided only to know Christ - Christ Crucified.

Me. No way.
It’s all watered down human worldly pagan ideas.
The last thing I dabbled with was “The Power of Now “ -
I didn’t care for it, of course.
I read “ Abandonment to Divine Providence “ -
Same thing - lol - except 400 years before !
And these were notes taken by the nuns - listening to this one particular Priest - weekly talks.
 
I can understand your frustration. Recently I was in a WhatsApp group with my co-religionists (Muslims). The group had ‘Philosophy’ in its name, but the admins there were actually very antagonistic towards Philosophy and reason. They were very oversimplistic in their views and quite materialistic as well. I ended up leaving the group because I laid out a fairly simply argument to prove the existence of the soul. However, it turned out to be too difficult for them to grasp, and they merely asserted that Philosophy has confused me into coming to conclusions based on “unverifiable” premises. Apparently only empirical data could constitute premises of certitude for them.
 
Since God is a mystery. Philosophy is very important to he who want to obtain a better understanding of God.

Though Pagans have traditionally been credited for leaps and bounds in philosophy, it is natural to all men (Jews, Pagans, and later Muslims).

Today, a good characterization of philosophy can be portrayed by the main characters of Scooby Doo. Where mysteries are a common theme of each episode, and Scooby, etal… unravel the mysteries using philosophy.
 
I can understand your frustration. Recently I was in a WhatsApp group with my co-religionists (Muslims). The group had ‘Philosophy’ in its name, but the admins there were actually very antagonistic towards Philosophy and reason. They were very oversimplistic in their views and quite materialistic as well. I ended up leaving the group because I laid out a fairly simply argument to prove the existence of the soul. However, it turned out to be too difficult for them to grasp, and they merely asserted that Philosophy has confused me into coming to conclusions based on “unverifiable” premises. Apparently only empirical data could constitute premises of certitude for them.
This would have driven me nuts. Empiricism in general, and logical positivism in particular, have in my view done more damage to the evolution of philosophical thought in the last hundred years than anything else. The universities of Europe and the United States are riddled with positivists, unable to see past the ends of their noses and embrace the huge world of wonder that is out there just waiting for them. And this pernicious influence is like a cancer, infecting every other discipline in the Humanities. No wonder young people seem to lack the ability to perceive and respect transcendence. Hopefully this dreadful pendulum will swing the other way eventually, but I see no sign of that happening any time soon.
 
It’ll probably get worse. With the advance of database information…
 
It’ll probably get worse. With the advance of database information…
Oh, undoubtedly. The rise of the Internet has elevated positivism to practically the status of a secular religion. No, I’ll stick to my private, solitary studies. My blood pressure can’t take any more fallacious arguments and flagrant misuse of the term ‘begging the question’. 😡
 
In your opinion, will the AntChrist use this new religion (let’s call it Enlightenment) to his advantage?
 
In your opinion, will the AntChrist use this new religion (let’s call it Enlightenment) to his advantage?
I don’t see how he can avoid it. The strong urging on the populace of a system of thought that completely discounts theology and all forms of mystical experience would seem to me to be essential to a proposed diabolical usurpation of world power. He has to make us think visions, apparitions and the voice of God are the laughable signs of senility in the aged and feeble-mindedness in the youthful, in order to ideally prepare the populace for his worship of power and strength, the better to lead us all to Hell.
 
Agreed, for the most part.

The populace will be misguided by this “tool” of the evil one into thinking that power comes from “within” the human nature.

The deception is the same that was used to deceive Pagans.

The “wise” will continue to recognize true power as that obtained via Baptism and other sacraments.
 
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But power qua power must never be worshipped for its own sake, nor should strength. The only Person worthy of worship is the one God in three Persons, and we worship Him for far more than these attributes. The AntiChrist will be recognisable, in my view, for his complete lack of a sense of transcendence or, if you like, of ‘otherness’. In fact, in all likelihood, he will be a folksy, ‘down-home’, friendly fellow, the sort of man of whom gullible people always say ‘He’s a good soul’ without knowing the first thing about the dark horrors that abound within him.
 
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We will worship God for his power. He will share his power with us. This is in the New Covenant. His power is part of his life.

Power is the ability to do something.

Mainly, the power to love and to be endowed with Truth.

The truth is that God is a loving God; very compassionate.
 
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