Outer-inner Space.
An analogy I will use in this piece is that astronomers study outer space much in the same way philosophers & theologians study and practice inner space. The former is external (material) and the latter is internal (spiritual). Scientists benefit from philosophers and vice-versa.
For example, Albert Einstein owed his debt to a long list of people like the philosopher David Hume who played a key role in discovering his revolutionary theories. Nikola Tesla owed his debt to a host of writers like Mark Twain for revitalizing him when he was severely ill and then later in life being inspired by Hinduism in the belief of enabling and utilizing free energy for the entire world by harnessing cosmic force or cosmic energy…meaning the universal energy that is all around us. Imagine harnessing the energy source of the earth rotating at a tremendous speed despite people not “feeling it.” Our senses, feelings, or experience of this phenomena can be defined or understood by our sense of time and the same sense could be said of the cosmic expansion. These two masters of their craft, cut from different cloths, paid their debt forward.
This means that teachers, writers, poets, artists, philosophers, prophets, mystics, sages, etc. play a role in the world just like any other occupation and deserve much more credit for what they do. I say this because there’s no Nobel Prize for philosophy, although a close equivalent is the Nobel Prize in Literature. Now, prizes are not important to philosophical writers, however, it is not so much the recognition that matters in this reflection but it is about building a support system for them to continue their work.
The church institutionalized its profession with the use of charity and tax-free privileges. The State and people donate to the arts and individuals collectively will usually support their favorite artists. Still, it feels as though philosophers, as well as many artists, are not recognized, supported, and appreciated. Could it be that technology in some ways made them almost obsolete with its deflationary effects by making their work value(d)-less rather than valuable? Nevertheless, you never know when a piece of writing or a wise philosophical orator can positively impact someone to see the world differently and change the world. Or better yet, change themselves.
Social Scholarly 