Bertrand Russell's analysis of philosophy's value and importance

¶ … Value of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell is a discussion and analysis of the importance of philosophy to people's lives, vis-a-vis existing sciences and other fields of knowledge. In this essay, Russell contemplates and tries to identify the real meaning and definition of philosophy. In doing so, he compares philosophy to the sciences, where he defines the latter as "definite body of truths," while the former, as a discipline with no definite answer(s). This is because primarily, philosophy "aims primarily at knowledge," and with the acquisition of knowledge, one sets out to look for the truth constantly and throughout his/her life. People who have been acquainted with the sciences, since this field of thought is definitive, tend to think of the realities that we experience as definite also, subject to various answers that are certain.

Indeed, because the sciences are definitive, we tend to think that this is preferable over philosophy, which is constantly in search of knowledge and truth. However, Russell argues that philosophy has great importance to human thought, since it allows the individual to think and explore further about things and realities that s/he experience in life. Russell rightly says that, "the value of philosophy is... In its very uncertainty," since philosophy makes it imperative for people to continue seeking for truth and knowledge, thereby increasing one's thought processes and developing his/her worth as an individual.