Some help with the usefulness of philosophy?

Question

Bertrand Russel said, "Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, since no definite answers can, as a rule, be known to be true, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves."

Discuss the usefulness (or lack of it) of studying philosophy with reference to the statement above. Draw appropriate examples from your engagement with the subject so far as well as from your own personal experience.

Answer 1

Some points for your paper:

1. When thinking about something, having the question framed in the right way is very useful. Asking questions that lead to dead ends can be useful in finding the right question.

This is a reformulation of what I think Russell was arguing for.

2.In the history of philosophy once some areas of inquiry are shown susceptible to definite answers, they became scientific questions. Thus  by elimination the questions that are left over became the providence of philosophy.

This somewhat refutes Russell's point because it shows that some 'philosophical' questions can be answered--but once they do they are no longer philosophical.

3. There is a school of philosophy--pragmatism--that holds that the questions worth working on in philosophy are the ones with practical consequences.

This position might be seen as the opposite of Russell position.

Hope this helps.    

Answer 2

Philosophy can be the quest for meanings, understandings.

Answer 3

Let go of your philosophy and all other things find yourself in the middle of yourself and free your mind from limitations. De-conditioning.

Answer 4

I think that studying philosophy is useless if you want answers to the actual questions that you are asking.  The questions are simply tools to help you examine yourself, to see where you stand on either a particular issue or a universe of ideas.