Philosophy in the Mainstream

A friend and I were talking this morning, and I had a thought that I wanted to explore here. I'm sure this isn't a new idea to this chamber, but I haven't been around long enough to know.<br><br>The idea is that, in part because of the internet, Philosophy is becoming more mainstream. It's not quite to the point where it can stand on the same stage as science, but it's getting there.<br><br>For evidence of this, consider that: <br><br>-There are more philosophy-based podcasts than there are popular science podcasts, and they have larger audiences to boot (The Partially Examined Life, Philosophy Bites, Hardcore History, The Tim Dillon Show, Philosophy Now, etc etc). I know this isn't concrete evidence, but it is suggestive. <br><br>-There is a growing trend, at least in my generation (Millennials and Gen Z), away from science and towards philosophy as the ultimate arbiter of truth.<br><br>-There is a growing awareness of the limits of science, and an increasing recognition that it cannot and should not solely determine our worldview. <br><br>-There are more philosophers in the mainstream consciousness than I can remember there being even 20 years ago. Zizek, Peterson, Dreyfus, West, Pinker, etc etc.<br><br>-There is a recent trend in philosophers engaging with art and the public, outside of academic institutions. Consider the recent forays of philosophers into film (again, Zizek and Dreyfus). Consider that this chamber has a million subscribers, and the r/philosophy chamber has 650k. Consider that philosophy books are becoming more widely read, not just by philosophers but by writers, artists, and the general public. Consider that philosophy is becoming more central in discussions of Cognitive Science and AI (which is, incidentally, becoming more mainstream). <br><br>My thought is that philosophy is well on its way to becoming a new religion of sorts. I'm not sure if it's capable of becoming the central authority that science is, particularly in the United States where a large segment of people question it's validity. But I can imagine a future where there are philosophers serving the function that priests currently do, and where philosophy is a central component of public discourse. <br><br>But is that something that we want? And what would such a world look like?<br><br>And finally, what is the role of science in such a world?