By Usraat Fahmidah
These days, someone saying they’re studying philosophy might make you wonder – is that even a practical major? Does it lead to real jobs? But rewind to Ancient Greece. There, uttering “philosophy” as your field of study would be a guaranteed conversation starter – and likely one filled with admiration.
In Ancient Greece, the birthplace of philosophy, the subject was highly sought out. It fostered a culture of questioning and debate beyond academia. It encouraged people to analyze ideas rationally, challenge assumptions, and defend their positions with logic and evidence. This emphasis on critical thinking spilled over into other aspects of life, like politics and law.
While not exactly modern science, early Greek philosophers also laid the groundwork for scientific thought. They sought natural explanations for phenomena rather than relying solely on myths and religion, which is why most scientists of that era were first considered natural philosophers.
Art Institute of Chicago
Today, universities are scaling back on what they deem non-essential parts of higher education: most of the humanities, including philosophy. While the likes of Plato and Socrates might be impressed to find philosophy a recognized field within universities now, they’d likely be aghast by the shift in its purpose. Now, higher education is all about specializations that get specific, measurable outcomes which bring funding to continue the research work.
As someone who deeply values the subject and once foolishly proclaimed, “I will have my own school of thought someday,” I find these issues daunting. It worries me that philosophy is often considered a non-essential subject and that the role of a philosopher in our society seems restricted to being part of a declining academic field.
But what if …
Our lives in this society are intricately woven into the fabric of capitalism, often reducing us to mere cogs in its machinery. Knowledge production, particularly within the education system, prioritizes immediate job market applicability, churning out a workforce categorized as either highly skilled or minimally skilled labor.
My own experience as a student navigating a national curriculum in flux at the backdrop of a major political shift in the early 2010s was some experience. Think of it this way: a major political party assuming power and utilizing historical revisionism to bolster their legitimacy. All social science textbooks were transformed into instruments of propaganda, which I would realize later on as I learnt to question everything.
The essence of philosophy lies in our instinct to question. Today, most of us have collectively forgotten to question that – our roles in society. The on-going genocide in Palestine, and the silence of most academia except for a few groups is depressing. Why is it that we aren’t questioning the complicity of our institutions in the ongoing genocide?
Some have questioned it. Groups like “No Tech for Apartheid,” a collective of engineers and tech workers, are challenging the role their corporate ties play in empowering Israeli military tech used for indiscriminate bombings on Palestinian civilians. Similarly, the “Right to Warn AI” coalition, comprised of current and former engineers at leading AI companies, are raising the alarm on the potential dangers of AI, from exacerbating existing inequalities to fueling manipulation and misinformation.
And looming large is the most pressing existential threat of our time: climate change. The colossal data servers consume enough energy in a year to power a small country, all just to generate a single image of comic Donald Trump in a Simpsons episode. (I am sure you could come up with better prompts …)
Beyond our institutional affiliations, who are we? Have we paused to question what our work is contributing to? How is our 9-5 tech job tied to children killed in Palestine?
It has become critical as the world we inhabit becomes conflated with the digital world, and our perception of reality is altered. In 2024, reality extends beyond mere visual perception. Looking ahead, with advancements in AI and generative imagery, the complexities of reality will only deepen in the next decade.
As democracy falters, the future appears increasingly uncertain. Issues such as AI, deepfakes, and climate change loom large as pressing existential challenges of our era. As our perception of reality evolves, we must go back to our roots: questioning it. When Plato and Aristotle were questioning the nature of our reality, their reality was much different than ours. Philosophically, our contemporary reality demands a collective inquiry into its nature.
Otherwise, if we don’t question it, we risk falling into delusion, believing that the security of a 9-5 tech job defines a safe and fulfilling life. We become the cavemen in Plato’s Allegory.
In Plato’s Republic, he writes that the ideal society he envisioned can never be materialized until “… philosophers become rulers in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers.”
Of course, even if we were all philosophers, a world of philosophers wouldn’t be a utopia even though Plato and I imagined it to be. However, in navigating our collective humanity, one thing remains clear: the imperative to question. As we peer into the future where AI, and climate crisis loom large, our path forward hinges on introspection and inquiry. Just as Plato and Aristotle probed the essence of reality in their time, so too must we engage deeply with the implications of our time, and that too, beyond academia.
The pursuit of knowledge and self-understanding, fueled by constant questioning, is the essence of philosophy, and a necessity for a fulfilling life. Whether formally trained or not, embracing this essence of philosophy – engaging in questioning and reflection – can collectively empower our journey toward justice, and meaning.
Usraat Fahmidah is a freelance journalist. She was a participant in the 30th International Philosophy Olympiad held in Lisbon, Portugal.
