What is Philosophy/ What makes a Philosopher? (en)

When bugged with that question, some folks begin their elaboration by explaining that at the beginning of philosophy stands what we call wonder or amazement. Pondering about that I tend to agree with them. Because when you think about it, it is this amazement, this vague sentiment that gives the ground from which a question may arise. But didn't philosophy start then with language? Not quite, as you can imagine the use of language and even the whole act of living without ever having to wonder about anything to be just fine. Just do whatever you feel, no second guessing. This is what we imagine animals to live like.

What is new with us now is this pause in the effortless, instantaneous, and spontaneous way of living that seems to be so normal for all other species. We experience these moments of awe in which the normal flow of life comes to a hold and a notion of doubt, a taste of a question mark forms inside our consciousness. And this is where all the struggle of the human experience begins. By doubting everything that was formerly taken for granted.

Now, it is important to say that philosophy is not equal to that doubt. Philosophy is a consequence of it. I would put it this way, philosophy can be seen as the uncompromising answer to the unpleasant situation we humans find ourselves in. It is the process of accepting this situation and having the courage to follow that doubt through in its entirety. It is like we were thrown into a dark cave only with a dim candle in our hands but instead of trying to ignore the situation and thereby retreating from reality internally, the philosopher accepts the challenge of life (and of this dark cave) and attempts to follow the tunnels in the hope to someday find a way out and see the light again, i.e. to transcend doubt and become spontaneous, natural, and light again, like the swan on a lake or the leaf falling from a tree.

That is why the philosopher has such a love-hate relationship to doubt. He knows he neither can ignore nor run away from it but must let it become his way of life, yet he never stops longing for the light at the end of the tunnel, which will free him upon reaching it.

As we can see from this, philosophy has nothing to do with defining concepts and building up huge monuments of theories (this is rather the domain of science or doctrines). Instead, it is quite the opposite. It is the process of pulling over everything we take for certain. It is pure uncertainty. A sincere unseriousness towards every kind of concept and idea that one could cook up and which will stand in our way out of the cave. A philosopher, even though it does not seem so at first sight (he might seem like a notorious skeptic), therefore is a fellow of immense dedication and faith. Only his immovable faith that the end of the tunnel can be reached eventually gives him the strength to face the darkest, most terrifying abyss of meaninglessness which he walks right into.

Is he therefore useful for anything practical in life? No, he is not, not at all. But, what is he good for then? Well, his value to society lies in his sacrifice. He sacrifices his sanity and comfort to face the unknown, to attempt the escape from our human misery. He is thereby similar to the sailor, riding off into an unknown horizon in the hope of a better land to live in, return uncertain. In the same way as the captain who takes a big and expensive ship with a large crew to probably be never seen again, in the same way, the philosopher seems to be a high cost with no payback for society. That is unless he does return. Then his gift to society is something that cannot be weighed in gold, which would not exist without his risky journey. He brings back hope to mankind. In the same way, the sailor brings testimony of the 'promised land behind the sea', the philosopher attests that there is light at the end of the tunnel of human suffering. And maybe, just maybe he can point in the right direction for others to follow his example.