What has philosophy done for the world?

[stevie21]

If the philosophy department of every teaching institution had closed a decade ago, what would be missing from the world today?
A friend of mine says philosophy teaches problem solving skills but everyone has these skills, some are fantastic at it and a tiny minority of us have been taught philosophy. Thus philosophy (teaching) isn't required for problem solving.
Aside from
1. It gives us something intellectual to chat about at parties, and
2. Creates graduates who can teach philosophy

can anyone give me some defence of the subject? I don't like it but I'm trying to convince myself that there are great reasons for studying it.

[stevie21]

I'm liking the posts so far - I'm really glad I've asked this question as the answers are getting more and more interesting.

I think, in fairness, that what I thought was a valid question is possibly a way of conceptualising philosophy that strips it of any validity. It's not a totally practical science like physics and that's what I'm measuring it against so maybe my question isn't realy valid after all. Who knows??

If I can persist, anyway, with my original line of thought...
Everyone's correct to say that if you pursue any scientific line of enquiry then you'll inevitably do or encounter something that hinges on or results in philosophical thought (in my argument, this happens as a natural by-product).
There are lots of things that we do on a day to day basis (possibly even during our daily day dreams) that could be classified as thinking philosophically (and I don't mean the wikipedia/stoic definition).
Whether it's misleading or not, is there anything that would really be hindered if philosophy wasn't *taught* though? we do it naturally and it's an inherent part of other things that are taught but what if you couldn't do a degree in philosophy? What if you couldn't go to a tutorial and debate :
"what is truth?"

Looking at the bottom of my screen here, I'm still with "Fran666" !!!

[stevie21]

Hahaha - me again.
I feel obliged to try to respond to one or two points...

1. If you study geography, physics, chemistry or any other subject at all then you need to eat, drink, sleep etc. to continue your studies but you don't need a degree in biology to continue to do so.
I suppose this is how I tend to feel about philosophy : you don't need to study it or be taught it to be able to do it "sufficiently".
I also think that what I mean is, "philosophy" is an integral part of lots of things but the things we do only become "philosophy" when you sit and analyse them and IMPOSE some kind of philosophical framework on a day to day thing which isn't inherently philosophical.
2. Gef's thought experiments are useful only as a precursor to an actual experiment or when the actual experiment isn't possible. (That's quite blunt!!! Just my opinion!). Anyway - these thought experiments might lead us to think the world is flat. Without going and actually checking, we'd all still believe in Santa.

Anyway - please keep up the good work here. I honestly didn't think that this thread would amuse or inform me so much. If someone can miraculously answer the question in the terms stated in my "17:10pm" post I'll be besides myself.
Also, if everyone can remind themselves that I have a pathological inability to be tactful and that if I phrase something cheekily or bluntly, I'm unlikely to even notice and certainly unlikely to mean offence.
Ta much.