The question; “Are good and evil of importance to the universe or only to man?”, was posed by Bertrand Russell, a well known philosopher of the twentieth-century, in his book The Problems of Philosophy in an attempt to demonstrate a philosophical question that testified to the true value of philosophy. Russell begins his explanation of the value of philosophy by claiming due to its very nature philosophy cannot have any definite answers, because “...as soon as definite knowledge concerning any subject becomes possible, this subject ceases to be called philosophy, and becomes a separate science...”(19). But, what does Russell think constitutes a definite answer and if there are no definite answers what is the real value of philosophy?
Put, simply,
…show more content…
If these questions have definite answers they are not valuable as examples of philosophy; but if they remain unanswerable their value is limitless. By contemplating topics where many answers are possible, we are able to take on several different perspectives and expand our knowledge base. To demonstrate the importance of expanding our knowledge of the universe through philosophical contemplation, Russell uses the metaphor, that a life without philosophy is a “...garrison in a beleaguered fortress, knowing that the enemy prevents escape and that ultimate surrender is inevitable…”(20). To reinforce this idea Russell says “...contemplation enlarges not only the objects of our thoughts, but also the objects of our actions and our affections; it makes us citizens of the …show more content…
Some opponents to Russell would challenge that answering mathematical or scientific questions can also help expand knowledge and create great minds. Were not some of the greatest minds of the past mathematical and scientific thinkers? Russell points out that even the famous physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton’s “...great work was called ‘The mathematical principles of natural philosophy.’”(19). Math and science both originated as different forms of philosophy. Once definite answers were found these studies were given new names to signify their