I've seen different opinions from members here, so I just wanted to get a broader scope on this.

Some people said that philosophy is just crock or like "mental masturbation" ... other people seem to like it ... while others are somewhere in between ...

I, personally, like philosophy because I find it very useful in allowing me to build a coherent worldview for myself.

What about you?

I like philosophy because it challenges me to try to form logically sound beliefs. I'm especially into moral philosophy.

It can be fun and interesting and there are people who place far too much stock in it.

I like it THIS much: *holds foward only one hand"

(February 4, 2014 at 5:52 pm)bennyboy Wrote: I like it THIS much: *holds foward only one hand"

I'm going to assume that means 5, but what units are you using?

What Ryan said

If I'm going to be honest, though, when I do make it to my college philosophy club, it's because of the pizza and the beautiful professor who's super involved with the club. He's married and has a kid. I'm gay. I care about neither of those things.

I'm a scientist and I'd say that while you don't need philosophy of science for your day to day business, it is crucial in order to get an idea about what it really is you are actually doing, and what the consequences of findings for my worldview should be. I find that very fascinating, but the only parts that really get me excited are those that are tightly informed by the science, be it quantum theory or neurology. Other branches of philosophy like ethics are also important for more immediate reasons.

I find philosophy to be far more interesting than athlete's foot, but not nearly as interesting as gangrene.

Boru

I'm not very philosophically well versed but I find it interesting in certain contexts. I think it's interesting to have philosophical conversations with people (for me it usually goes well only if I'm talking to another layman), otherwise sitting around and thinking about philosophy abstractly or when it doesn't have a real-world application like moral philosophy or the like it feels a lot like a waste of time. It's interesting to wonder whether we live in the Matrix, but does ruminating on whether we are or not change how I would live my life? No, probably not, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time thinking about it. (Then again, that's probably because I don't think we live in the Matrix so nothing about my life is likely to change...)

If you make a habit of engaging presuppers or are being harassed by a philosophically proficient theist peppering you with questions or ideas, though, study that shit up good.

I'm finding my online argumentation class interesting, which is sort of philosophical but also has a real-world application so I'm enjoying it and finding it useful.