Why philosophy for thinking

In the name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

What better way to learn about the possible effects philosophy can give to the mind than to engage in conversations with those who have experienced doing philosophy for the most part of their lives.  Conversation does not only mean face to face communication but also, and most importantly, it involves the reading and interpretation of written texts to find out their possible meanings.  One of the prominent philosophers is Russell.  He (1959) wrote one chapter on the value of philosophy in his book ‘The problems of philosophy’.  Russell asserted that philosophy is able to train our mind to think critically and liberate it from dogmatic thinking.  Moreover, he maintained that contemplation and speculation in attempts to explain possibilities in philosophy enhance our creative thinking which enable us to view things from various perspectives which lead to enrichment in our imagination.  Russell asserted that

It is exclusively among the goods of the mind that the value of philosophy is to be found; and only those who are not indifferent to these goods can be persuaded that the study of philosophy is not a waste of time.  Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from tyranny of custom. It greatly increases our knowledge of what things may be. Philosophy is to be studied for the sake of the questions because these questions enlarge our conceptions of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagination and diminish the dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation; but above all because through the greatness of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind is also rendered great, and become capable of that union with the universe which constitute the highest good (Russell, 1959).

Al-Ghazali’s (1978) critical evaluation of philosophy concludes that the method of philosophy can be a measure of knowledge.  He wrote in qistas al-mustaqim (Just Balance) that a person cannot rely on religious leaders to solve his problems all the time.  There will be times when he has to use his own reasoning to evaluate knowledge.  He suggests that philosophical method of reasoning is a just scale to measure knowledge so that one can get away from blind imitation.  Ibn Khaldun (1967) agrees that philosophy “sharpens the mind through orderly presentation of proofs and arguments, so that the habit of excellent and correct arguing is obtained”.  Likewise, Hamka (1995) concurs that philosophy is a tool to exercise the intellect.  He further states that so long as man continues to think and ask questions and to wonder about the secrets of life and existence, philosophy will not stop.  Ibn Rushd (1976) posits that intellectual reasoning is a religious obligation.  Since intellectual reasoning is a method of philosophy, he concludes that the study of philosophy is also a religious obligation. 

Kaloti (1974) reports that Afghani urged Muslims to include philosophy in their education for it could enhance the intellect to perceive intellectually and to deliver the Muslims from weaknesses of the mind.  Afghani’s disciple, Abduh claimed that intellectual bewilderment that plagues the Muslim community is a consequence of the lack of rational thinking (2004).  He asserted that philosophy, which enhances rational thinking, was taught and learned at the Ash’ari’s school. However, Muslims at that time never shunned the Ash’ari’s school.  Through philosophy ideas were generated “from pure reason and the philosopher’s only concerned is to gain knowledge, to satisfy their intellectual curiosity in elucidating the unknown” and to comprehend the intelligible (p: 37).  He further claimed that the expulsion of philosophy in the Sunni Muslim world had stopped the progress of knowledge.  Seyed Zafer ul Hasan (1931), a professor at the Muslim University Aligarh, argues that a person who studies philosophy

develops the habit of thinking for himself– thinking impartially, systematically and comprehensively to get clear on the profoundest problems of man. The study, therefore, develops his rational faculties more than any other branch of study. He sees things better than others; his reasoning becomes sounder and his judgment more profound. These qualities certainly help in the conduct of life and in all its concerns (p. 5).

Similarly, Manzoor (1989) blames the poverty of Islamic thoughts to the banishment of philosophy in the realm of Islamic thoughts and education.  This is because the decline of Islamic intellectual rigor occurred soon after the decline of philosophy for he claims that philosophy is responsible to train the mind to be able to think well and to produce ideas.  The critical and analytical tools provided by philosophy are essential to the activities of the mind.  Moreover, philosophy helps in intellectual training which could lead to the productions of possible ideas and solutions of the Muslim’s problems.  Even though Manzoor (1989) does not say it explicitly, however, it can be deduced from his writings that he believes that philosophy also trains the mind to be creative for he said that without philosophy, intellectual products of Islamic thought also stagnated.  The production of intellectual products, ideas and solutions to the present problems of the Muslim requires imagination and creativity. 

Philosophy, according to Nasr (2006), with its logical and rational tools hones the intellectual prowess of past Muslims which enabled them to absorb learning from many cultures but not without critical analysis and evaluation.  With great intellectual accomplishment, past Muslims were able to build great civilization with many of the arts and sciences.  Therefore, he suggests that “Islamic philosophy should be called back to provide the necessary intellectual instruments” to enable Muslims to face problems of the present world (p: 47).  Nasr’s view is shared by Musa Asy’arie (1999).  He asserts that thinking is a tradition originated from the practice of Prophet Muhammad.  However, the existence of thinking is doubted by Muslims, the consequence of which Muslims became consumer of civilization, not producer of civilization.  Therefore, he suggests Islamic philosophy as a methodology of thinking which is essentially needed as means to face the complexity and plurality of the present time.