How can philosophy enhance life?

Question:Philosophy, I believe is all about life. Life that you and me have, normal day to day life. The main concerns in philosophical thought are the concerns of this life. Once upon a time, philosophy used to be popular as the way to truth, happiness and wisdom, but now a days, it is compartmentalized from the rest of the disciplines of knowledge as a bring, deep and laborious academic stuff that we can find through hider university education.

But I think every person who tries to improve the state of their being through better thinking, through understanding and learning is a philosopher.

I am I correct so far? If I am then why not accept this is what we can be accomplished in doing.

What are you view?

Your most valuable thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Philosophy, I believe is all about life. Life that you and me have, normal day to day life. The main concerns in philosophical thought are the concerns of this life. Once upon a time, philosophy used to be popular as the way to truth, happiness and wisdom, but now a days, it is compartmentalized from the rest of the disciplines of knowledge as a bring, deep and laborious academic stuff that we can find through hider university education.

But I think every person who tries to improve the state of their being through better thinking, through understanding and learning is a philosopher.

I am I correct so far? If I am then why not accept this is what we can be accomplished in doing.

What are you view?

Your most valuable thoughts are greatly appreciated!

You are right when you say that anyone who tries to improve themselves through better thinking and understanding is a philosopher and also that philosophy has become a lot more exclusive and specialised since the time of the Greeks but in a certain, quite obvious sense we are all philosophers even if we don't know it.

To answer your question simply and succinctly philosophy enhances our life by forcing us to examine it.More needs to be said for a comprehensive answer and I recommend that you have a look at the resolved question "What is the purpose of philosophy?" which includes my own answer (Maxim) and which address the same issues and includes some funny and some more serious responses.Funny won the day that time but that's cool too, something that academia should note.

Everyday life is the way.
-Zen saying

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A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."

it enhances life by giving you a rounded understanding of life itself.

I'm guessing that you know the etymology of philosophy is Greek - philosophia or 'love of knowlege' for its own sake. 'Once upon a time' philosophy included just about any speculative thought about logic, emotion, physics and metaphysics.

Over time, we've teased out the physical science into its own set of fields - chemistry, physics, medical biology.
Math and logic also came into their own as distinct areas. Emotion and behavior is now tackled by sociologists and psychologists.

What we mostly refer to as philosophy today is the remainder, metaphysics and ethics.

But yes, the value and the original intent of philosophy is the critical examination of ideas. Whether the idea is the existence of God, a mathematical theorem or a cancer treatment, what centuries of philosophers have emphasized is that there is value to carefully thinking about - and finding sound answers to - important questions.

It enhances life by seeing different aspects of life.

A better resolution picture looks better (clearer) because more of what is there can be seen.

So, the more we uncover about life itself, the basis of all that is, the clearer our picture will be and the more able to feel fulfilled we will be.

However, not all philosophies are good, but tehy still help to improve understanding.
So i think it can enhance life, through self-understanding of what may be going on.

Philosophy can turn "I live this Life", into " The Life is Living everything!

Philosophy refines a mans thinking, gives him wisdom and an understanding of worldly matters. Romanticises life in a way.

Wow what beautiful answers, I think they pretty much summed it up,,,I think for one it helps give someone the will to live sometimes when you can give them advice in such a way that you can turn things around with just words, words can mean so much,,,,,When proverbs in the bible says your tongue is a double edged sword: that is so true,,,,words can hurt and heal,,,,I think a good philosopher has the sense to know when to speak and when not to,,,and I will even take it a step farther they can even know what to do and what not to do,,,I think if we had great philosophers as world leaders maybe all of our countries wouldn't be in such trouble,,,,,,,

philo means life,sophia means beautiful or sophisticated..with that more or less it makes our life beautiful. it serves as a guiding principle to live life positively.