Does philosophy actually ever help anyone?

Of course it helps. Reading Marcus Aurelius' Meditations has a calming effect on me.

Even if I am unable to live up to Aurelius' standards I try to lean in that direction:
[quote]Hourly and earnestly strive, as a Roman and a man, to do what falls to your hand with perfect unaffected dignity, with kindliness, freedom and justice, and free your soul from every other imagination. This you will accomplish if you perform each action as if it were your last, without wilfulness, or any passionate aversion to what reason approves; without hypocrisy or selfishness, or discontent with the decrees of Providence.[/quote]

[quote]2. Observe what grace and charm appear even in the accidents that accompany Nature’s work. Thus some parts of a loaf crack and burst in the baking; and this cracking, though in a manner contrary to the design of the baker, looks well and invites the appetite. Figs, too, gape when at their ripest, and in ripe olives the very approach to rotting adds a special beauty to the fruit. The droop of ears of corn, the bent brows of the lion, the foam at a boar’s mouth, and many other things, are far from comely in themselves, yet, since they accompany the works of Nature, they make part of her adornment, and rejoice the beholder. Thus, if a man be sensitive to such things, and have a more than common penetration into the constitution of the whole, scarce anything connected with Nature will fail to give him pleasure, as he comes to understand it. Such a man will contemplate in the real world the fierce jaws of wild beasts with no less delight than when sculptors or painters set forth for him their presentments. With like pleasure will his chaste eyes behold the maturity and grace of old age in man or woman, and the inviting charms of youth. Many such things will strike him, things not credible to the many, but which come to him alone who is truly familiar with the works of Nature and near to her own heart.[/quote]

For sure. Jesus was a philosopher. I don’t know what Christianity turned the guy into, but philosophy is great to study for perspective. Stoicism really helps me.

Why Jesus freaks always gotta insult people that look beyond the facade of religion? He’s very polite. I’d of kindly told you to piss off.

is he single? lol 😹

Philosophy comes from the Greek φιλοσοφία or philosophia, love of wisdom.

In the most fundamental sense this philosophia is the investigation of the big questions we face. What does it mean to exist? What does it mean to know? Where do values come from? What are values? How does one act in the world? Are there higher truths that are beyond our perception?

Even if one is a person of faith, one is engaging in this endeavor of philosophia. And faith traditions are full of philosophers. In the Christian tradition there's Augustine, Tertullian, Martin Luther, more recently people like Karl Barth, Paul Tillich...

Yes it is. [i] Jesus was a philosopher.[/i]
But so many others have brought comfort and even better , Understanding, of humanity.
each philosophy informs the next, refining our understanding of the human condition, compassion, not blindly but with knowledge,
do not let some lazy ill informed mediocrity, tarnish the works of genius he is ill equipped to understand.
can you look past religion?

I took a few classes on Philosophy in college and it all seemed like "better than thou" type crap.

There's also the fact that monetarily wise it's kind of a useless degree. You're better off going history.

Philosophy is at the root of democracy itself and many many great ideas that we use today are the outcome of philosophy.
Yes philosophy is important just like math or science.
Philosophy will not save your soul nor provide eternal life but to an unbeliever pitting philosophy against the Bible seems like a weak comparison

So .. it's [i] either [/i] Jesus [i]or[/i] knowledge...?

Its the illusion of good.. its ultimately mental maturation and I've studied it a lot. Its just all a head game. It can be really fun when your young but it goes nowhere and isnt ultimately very satisfying. I think stick with jesus if he gives you a kind and calm heart.

I think philosophy should be balanced with practice. If not, it is useless. I think the right philosophy has the potential to transform a person's life. Letting Jesus or any other god for that matter, into one's heart is also a kind of philosophy if you think about it...

I think it makes people question and think through their beliefs, which can be a good thing. It doesn't really provide a single answer to life's questions but gives a way to work through them.

Philosophy helps to teach us good reasons to believe in things and good ways to tell if we believe something for good reasons.

Including Jesus.

Its improved my life. Given me answers i never thought i would have.
In a practical sense,getting a job etc i dont think it helps at all.

You shouldn't try to force your religion on others. That's a good way to get people to tune you out.

Only if you listen, think and question...

It helped Ricky Gervais - he made his career from his philosophy degree.

Yeah, it helped me