Philosophy can be effective

Philosophy can be effective. It can help you in life by showing you new things to think about, introducing you to great ideas, and helping you to develop your own thoughts. However, there is a difference between philosophy and 'academic philosophy', which is about career, and shouldn't be confused with philosophy.<br><br>Also, if you sign up to a philosophy course, or purchase a philosophy book, don't be too quick to jump into a subject. All philosophers have the ability to persuade you to anything. That's the challenge.<br><br>\---<br><br>This subject has been discussed many times online. However, it is still a topic of debate, and the general public still has mixed opinions about 'what is philosophy' and 'is philosophy useful'. Philosophy has a bad image in many countries, and this is often due to philosophers not being able to communicate their ideas to the public.<br><br>Philosophy can be effective. It can help you in life by showing you new things to think about, introducing you to great ideas, and helping you to develop your own thoughts. However, there is a difference between philosophy and 'academic philosophy', which is about career, and shouldn't be confused with philosophy.<br><br>For example, many people who think 'philosophy is useless' ask a philosophy professor to name a specific philosopher and their main ideas. The professor will explain the philosopher and their ideas, but the critics will argue 'that's not effective, philosophy is a subject that is about useless arguments about trivial things.'<br><br>That's incorrect. Philosophy can be effective. All philosophers have the ability to persuade you to anything. That's the challenge. Philosophy teaches us how to think, but it also teaches us how to think critically. So if a philosopher tries to persuade you to a certain point of view, you should take the main points, and not necessarily take it as a whole.<br><br>Also, if you sign up to a philosophy course, or purchase a philosophy book, don't be too quick to jump into a subject. All philosophers have the ability to persuade you to anything. That's the challenge. Philosophy teaches us how to think, but it also teaches us how to think critically. So if a philosopher tries to persuade you to a certain point of view, you should take the main points, and not necessarily take it as a whole.<br><br>Nothing in life should be believed. Philosophy teaches us to be critical, so if you sign up to a philosophy course, or purchase a philosophy book, don't be too quick to believe what the author has to say. Philosophy teaches us to be critical. That's the challenge.<br><br>Philosophy can be effective. It can help you in life by showing you new things to think about, introducing you to great ideas, and helping you to develop your own thoughts. However, there is a difference between philosophy and 'academic philosophy', which is about career, and shouldn't be confused with philosophy.<br><br>Note; I am a philosophy student, and although I am in academia, I am not 'in academia' to get a job. I am there because I enjoy the subject. It can be challenging, but it also allows me to sign up to 'electives' that aren't part of my degree, and it also gives me the opportunity to attend lectures and 'guest lectures' that aren't part of my degree. And also, philosophers are the best people to talk to. They're open-minded, they're interesting, and they speak about a wide range of subjects.<br><br>I also said it in my first post on this website, don't be too quick to believe what philosophers have to say. Philosophy teaches us to be critical, so if you sign up to a philosophy course, or purchase a philosophy book, don't be too quick to believe what the author has to say. That's the challenge.