The Value of Philosophy
Reading "What Makes the Examined Life Worth Living" by Pruim I found the section regarding internal and external question very interesting. To explain the difference between these, Pruim analyzes three different areas; physics, mathematics and morality.
Let us begin with an example in mathematics. The question whether 2+2 equals 4 or 5 is an internal question in the field of mathematics, while asking ourselves if any of these numbers really exist is an external question; a question about mathematics, not a question of mathematics. Another example, of morality, would be: Is it wrong to steal? How do we know that certain actions are wrong, as a matter of objective fact? The former question is internal, while the latter is external. Certainly we find answering internal questions a lot easier than answering the external ones.
The methods applied to answer internal questions are therefore irrelevant when trying to answer the external.
Pruim also talks about two different views of how one could address these questions; the realistic and the instrumentalistic. While the realist is trying to explain how certain observations can provide us with evidence to prove the theorem in question, the instrumentalist is concentrating on the usefulness of thinking of things that does not really exist. Pruim's example of this is economic hardship.
I agree with Pruim on this up to a certain point. To totally put the faith in something that we do not know to exist, might not be very wise. One could easily be distracted from reality, and make bad decisions based on the invented idea of solution to one's problems. Though, I believe having faith in a greater future is what keeps many people continue to do good in the world. Perhaps finding a ...