What is philosophy? What is it good for? Why are people still studying it? Dr. Ross Inman is a metaphysician and philosophical theologian whose done some of the deepest, most analytically rigorous philosophy on the nature of fundamental reality— but he's also just come out with a popular level book on the philosophy of philosophy (I don't call it metaphilosophy because Timothy Williamson convinced me studying the nature of ‘philosophy’ is well within the regular scope of philosophy).
In his book, Christian Philosophy as a Way of Life, Dr. Inman argues that philosophy begins with wonder, is sustained by wonder, and ultimately terminates in wonder. As such, philosophy is an essential part of human flourishing. It is wonder which drives us to philosophical reflection. It is wonder which sustains our philosophical reflection, especially in the face of thorny paradoxes and apparent unanalyzables, and it is wonder which waits for us on the mountain top even ones we've reached cognitive rest.
Inman argues that the Christian, more than anyone, ought to embrace philosophy's call to wonder. Check out his book and our conversation for more of the details. I've always enjoyed his academic work but I've been very impressed at how he's able to thread the needle on well-reaearched scholarship, rich philosophy, and readability. This is an enjoyable read and I hope it'll be seen as one of the early stepping stones on our way back to recapturing the best of the ancient philosophers and their conception of philosophy as a way of life, while still utilizing hard won modern philosophical tools.
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Watch my podcast clip to get a taste of the contents:
And watch the full podcast episode with Ross Inman here: