Why It Is Important for You to Develop the Philosophical Mindset - Essay Example

On the traditional understanding of philosophy, a philosophical mindset is best defined in terms of a rational criticism that evaluates and analyzes all claims with a certain degree of warranted skepticism. This same kind of critical mindset is used in all areas of human practice and knowledge. For instance, in psychology, rational criticism is important for analyzing the merits of research results; in business, this skepticism is useful for developing new ways of thinking and innovating. To be philosophical is to be able to decipher true claims from the claims that merely appear to be true.

This is because those with the philosophical mindset not only evaluate claims but arguments given to support claims.In this sense, philosophy has practical value for our everyday life. Many perceive philosophy as only having direct application within the university, where students contemplate the thoughts of long-dead intellectuals. But given the necessity of critical thinking and rational skepticism in all areas of life, including business, science, and politics, it seems philosophy is directly applicable to almost any kind of situation.

Developing a philosophical mindset, however, is not limited to simply studying and doing well in philosophy courses. Rather, it is a matter of cultivating a general approach to life. Necessary to this general approach to life is having reasons (or empirical evidence) to support one’s knowledge and beliefs.