Personal and Philosophical Questions

            In the previous lesson, we have learned the meaning and the distinguishing
characteristics of a true philosopher. From that lesson, we realized that we do not have to be
weird-looking in order to think philosophically. Anyone can be as wise as Socrates for as
long as we admit and embrace our own ignorance. If anyone can be as wise as Socrates, it
means that anyone can think philosophically. 

Read the following questions below:

 What should I buy?

 What am I going to wear today?
 Does this pants suit me?

            The questions above are only some of those that we ask ourselves daily.
Philosophizing often start with simple questions like the daily questions we ask to ourselves.
As we continue to ponder about these queries, we notice that they sometimes give birth to
more questions. Complex questions often stem from the simple ones. Once we encounter
difficult questions, it gives us a feeling of unease. Corpuz et al. (2016) defines unease as a
feeling of inner discomfort that comes from the experience of not being able to find
immediate answers to our questions. 

            The simple questions previously are not yet examples of philosophical questions.
Questions that can be answered immediately and have definite answers are examples of
personal questions. However, they can still cause unease when we find them hard to answer.
For example, a simple question about what you will prepare for the dinner may give you an
inner discomfort when you find yourself unable to decide on what to cook. Remember, a
person's situation is one of the contributing factors that will affect him/her in finding
solutions to questions. 

           When the questions that we ask ourselves go beyond the daily issues of life, beyond
the simple matters that we encounter, they bring about a feeling of unease called
metaphysical unease. According to the French philosopher Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973), this
form of unease is described as metaphysical because the scope of the questions we ask cover
something broader and deeper than what is immediately before us, beyond what we
physically see.

            Aside from simple questions, we also encounter complex ones. Have you ever been
overwhelmed by a lot of questions lately? We sometimes find ourselves helpless when we
could not find the answers to our questions. Many people, as a result of the questions that
seem impossible to answer, drop them off and get on with their lives. In this generation, we
become used to finding instant answers to our problems; consequently, some no longer
engage in meditation and intentional reflections. Pondering about the questions of life may
seem like a "waste of time" for other, but having the courage to face them no matter how hard
they are to answer will give us a sense of openness.  This is one of the marks of a true
philosopher.  The activity of philosophizing is a journey and should therefore require
commitment-commitment to pursue finding answers regarding it no matter how hard or
painful the process will be. 

Problems of Philosophy
Corpuz et al. (2016) encourages us to reflect on the following words of Bertrand Russell:

            The value of philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its very uncertainty. The
man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived
from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from convictions
which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his deliberate
reason. To such a man the world tends to become definite, finite, obvious; common objects
rouse no questions, and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected. As soon as we
begin to philosophize, on the contrary, we find, ... that even the most everyday things lead to
problems to which only very incomplete answers can be given. Philosophy, though unable to
tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest
many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom.
Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our
knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those
who have never traveled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of
wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect.

            We are informed through the words of Bertrand Russell that philosophy will not give
us a guarantee to the answers to our questions. Philosophy will not give us certainty to the
results of our reflection which is why some believe that one's engagement in philosophy is
futile. However, it is importance of philosophy is not in the assurance or certainty that it
could give to us in our questions, but the lessons that we could get along the journey of
finding answers to our questions. 

            One of the goals of philosophy is to remove the "arrogant dogmatism" as described by

Russell. Dogmatism as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is "positiveness in assertion
or opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant" A dogmatic person is someone who
supports and fights for a belief that he/she does not know full well. There are a lot of people
who have become blind followers of some movements or groups. These people have never
doubted and criticized what they believed in. Philosophy, on the other hand, invites us to
break the arrogant dogmatism that imprisons us. It paves the way for us to explore, discover,
and question the beliefs we are holding on to. The process of philosophizing can be painful as
it will let you challenge your beliefs, but the result will liberate us from the bondage of blind
obedience.