Have you ever thought of something and suddenly started making theories on that certain topic? Whether it be a video game, movie, or just about food in general, many things make us think. So, when you do this – you think – what you just did was something called philosophy. 

But, what is philosophy exactly? 

Philosophy means love of wisdom. It’s the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. Someone who studies philosophy is called a philosopher. Some of the most famous philosophers people know are Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Anyone can be a philosopher as long as they can think about something deeply. Philosophy is actually a college major at many schools, and it can land you jobs with a good salary. Although it must be noted that it’s a pretty difficult major as well. 

According to the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, and Religion at Central Michigan University, studying philosophy is “very effective in developing the student’s ability to reason clearly, to distinguish good from bad arguments, to navigate through a complicated maze of questions, and to use intelligence and logic in situations often ruled by emotions.” What this means is that philosophy helps you think with logic in a situation usually controlled by emotions. For example, if you’re in trouble, philosophy can help you follow the logic and possibly not panic as much as you would when following through on strong emotions. 

Philosophy has always played a crucial role in society and it still does. In the article on Philosophy Break, “Why Is Philosophy Important Today, and How Can It Improve Your Life?”

Jack Maden writes, “For example, physicists are at the forefront of investigating the fundamental nature of reality. Likewise, neuroscientists are leading the way in unlocking the secrets of the brain.” Maden’s point here is how people who work in science use philosophy in their path to new discoveries. So many new discoveries were studied with the help of philosophy by questioning the nature of a theory, which led to more questions and other possible discoveries. But it’s not just science; philosophy is used in law, teaching, politics, business, and more. 

According to Brandon University’s “Careers in Philosophy” page, philosophy is helpful in teaching students to “write well, to analyze facts critically and to do research.” The university, located in Manitoba, Canada, also notes on their web page that their courses are applicable to a wide array of majors including Law, Architecture, Teaching, and Journalism. For Journalism, for example, they note that philosophy courses “in ethics, political philosophy and the history of ideas will expand your conceptual repertoire and give you the essential background knowledge that the best journalists depend on.” 

The main purpose of philosophy is to enhance a person’s problem-solving capacities and express their beliefs and ideas. Philosophy is something that people should embrace and better understand because, without it, we wouldn’t have the world we live in today. Philosophy helps us understand the world around us. So, embrace your thoughts; don’t be afraid to think freely, and try not to act on impulse–because acting impulsively tends to end drastically.