International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Relevance of Philosophy to Any Discipline

Charles C. Nweke¹, Vera A. Uyanwune²

^1,2Department of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka-Nigeria

Abstract: The quest for the utility or futility of Philosophy is a fundamental concern on the general relevance of Philosophy especially in a world that currently progresses on the provisions of post-modernity. The advancements of science and technology, the progress and achievements of some disciplines within the fields of humanities all tend to engender relative indifference to Philosophy which is sometimes considered abstract, speculative and as a career, non-professional and less lucrative.This paper attempts to establish the efficacy of Philosophy by drawing its significance to any discipline using the tools of Phenomenology and Critical analysis. The paper argues that the value of philosophy to any field is partly factored on its receptiveness and appreciation in the benefitting discipline. The paper finds that Philosophy mostly provides the fundamental principles that underpin various disciplines and continues to play often indispensable roles in various academic and practical fields of human endeavor.In the field of Law, Jurisprudence is essential for formulation of legal theories. In the field of Education, Philosophy is crucial in the areas of pedagogy, educational foundations, management and policies. Ethics is relevant to all facets of life. Within its own academic field, there is philosophy of virtually all disciplines which questions fundamental assumptions of such disciplines. Thus,
Philosophy’s relevance remains ineluctable.

Keywords: Philosophy, Relevance, Discipline

I. INTRODUCTION

Philosophy as an academic discipline is one that is filled with a lot of misconceptions which has mislead many into thinking that it does not have any relevance to other fields of study or in the contemporary world. Most people are of the opinion that Philosophy is abstract and has no practical value and that philosophers are dreamers who speculate about things that are beyond human comprehension. They maintain that majoring in philosophy is a waste of time or that one cannot make a good living from it. Philosophers were seen as those who have nothing to offer practically. They were seen as those who isolate themselves from the rest of the world. Often times they were regarded as people with mystical and extraordinary powers and do not believe in God. There have been cases where students of other disciplines make fun of students of philosophy for having chosen philosophy as their course of study. Philosophy students continuously wonder about the relevance of their choice of study, how philosophy would help them solve day to day problems, as well as the value of a philosophy degree. All these questions arise because people are ignorant of the importance of philosophy. The importance of philosophy is self-evident and could be seen in all other disciplines by tracing their origins.