I pretty much despise philosophy.
It's the art of attempting to supplant authentic intelligence with only a cheap and flimsy facsimile of it. It satisfies two essential conditions for the would-be brainiac. 1) It utilises the most impenetrable terminology, in order to appear erudite, and 2) every opinion is equally valid. It's a double whammy that assures one's fragile ego will never be unsafe. It's absolutely impossible to be wrong. Philosophy is the final refuge of the intellectual weakling.
I could argue 'philosophically' that not only are murder and rape not wrong, but that anyone who refuses to commit such acts is a scumbag who deserves to die. I could argue that, and no one in the world could 'prove' me wrong. Because there is no 'proof'. Only 'opinion'. If courts of law enacted judicial restraint on the basis of philosophy, no crime could exist, and no criminal could be accountable. The capable philosopher knows well how to avoid consensus, and how to supplant the objective with relativism and opinion, in order that conclusion not be achieved.
What was once a necessary undertaking, has now become a pale weakling in the face of the empiricism that thankfully surpassed it. Questions had to be asked, and so philosophy was the sole recourse in a time before science. The Renaissance was that period where philosophy was finally ditched in favour of measurement and conclusion. Empiricism and universality. A collective pursuit of subjectivity could no longer suffice, and so it became untenable to proceed on the basis of comprehensive and ubiquitous relativism. People wanted answers, and all philosophy had was questions and opinions. The emerging science required baselines and reference points that philosophy cannot deliver.
To add insult to injury, philosophy is set on a pedestal as being the highest form of thinking, when the reverse is true. It's the most basic form of exploration. A child with learning difficulties can ask a question, and wonder about it. That doesn't make it supreme, or somehow impressive. Philosophy's a joke. And the awe it seemingly inspires, is belied by it's complete and utter inability to achieve anything at all. Ever. If I make any concession here, it's that any undertaking or research must be preceded by a question to begin with. After that, philosophy is useless. Interesting, and even fascinating. But useless. No more impressive than any other leisurely pursuit. No more impressive, or worthy of celebrity than swimming, gardening, knitting or watching a movie. It's a hobby, not a study.
Which is why it had to evolve into science. Philosophy is more accurately perceived as an obsolescent forerunner to something finer, and far more impressive/worthy.
