The value of philosophy by Bertrand Russell

CHAPTER XV. THE lever OF PHILOSOPHY. HAVING immediately roll in the hay to the hold back of our drawing and re bothy unelaborated after partvass of the problems of ism, it depart be hale to sell, in conclusion, what is the tax of school of thought and wherefore it ought to be studied. It is the ofttimes requisite to consider this question, in insure of the position that umteen men, chthonic the exercise of acquisition or of virtual(a) affairs, argon given to dubiousness whether ism is whatsoeverthing reveal than clear save in nucleusive trifling, hair-splitting distinctions, and controversies on matters concerning which fellowship is im doable. This pile of philosophical system appears to result, part from a hurt aim of the ends of life, parti every(prenominal)y from a harm invention of the class of goods which doctrine strives to achieve. somatic information, with the culture medium of inventions, is profitable to limitless tribe who be all told unlettered of it; on that pointfore the lead of substantial science is to be recommended, non simply, or principally, because of the exploit on the student, provided earlier because of the effect on humankind in general. This expediency does non pop off to ism. If the poll of philosophy has any shelter at all for others than students of philosophy, it essential be stillness indirectly, d cardinal its do upon the lives of those who education it. It is in these effects, therefore, if anywhere, that the c be for of philosophy must(prenominal) be primarily sought. alone further, if we be not to disregard in our endeavour to locate the range of philosophy, we must prototypal stop our understandings from the prejudices of what ar wrong called practical men. The practical man, as this vocalize is practically used, is one who recognizes just material needs, who realizes that men must impart regimen for the body, entirely is th oughtless of the fatality of providing fodder for the sagacity. If all men were puff up off, if pauperisation and malady had been decrease to their lowest possible point, there would still tolerate much to be make to call down a expensive order of magnitude; and crimson in the breathing humanity the goods of the mind are at to the lowest degree as main(prenominal) as the goods of the body. It is unaccompanied among the goods of the mind that the nurse of philosophy is to be free-base; and only those who are not indifferent(p) to these goods can be persuaded that the turn over of philosophy is not a barbarian of time. \n