What Is Philosophy for?

Why should anybody do philosophy? Is it just one more detailed study, like metallurgy or German? Or is it perhaps something more like History and Literature and even - traditionally - Religion, something meant to do them some personal good - a study that could influence their own lives?

Renowned moral philosopher Mary Midgley takes on these provocative questions in her most up-to-date statement on the specific forms of many of our current intellectual anxieties and confusions, and how to deal with them, providing a robust defense of philosophy and philosophizing in the process.

This defense is expertly placed in the context of contemporary debates about science, religion, and philosophy and asks, in the light of scientific and technological developments, do we still need philosophy and religion to help us think about big questions about meaning, knowledge, and value?