Philosophers in the Real World

By Dr. Romulo Bautista


No theory of social ethics can operate in a vacuum in the real world. Every abstract theory has to be always verified and/or practiced in concrete situations in the real world. Likewise, we could not pursue a philosophical vision, mission, and goal in a vacuum beyond the classroom, but always in given situations in the real world. What some teachers do inside the pedagogically do not matter if untested in the real world. The problem, in fact, is thr egocentric attitude of some who use their students to experiment on teaching methodologies that have nothing to do with true learning.

I would like to use an analogy. An economics graduate who works as bus driver is not an economist in the true sense of the word; a political science graduate who works as artist in an advertising firm is not a political scientist in the true sense of the word. Likewise, a social ethicist or a member of Social Ethics Society who works as a community organizer is not a philosopher in the true sense of the word. A community organizer as such has a different objective from that of a philosopher.

The mission of philosophy graduates and philosophy teachers is to get themselves involved as philosopher, repeat as philosopher, with the ethical and moral dimensions of the social problems and issues in the real world. Whatever persons intend to do in the real world, should be treated as vehicles of measuring the rightness of the moral conducts of people in a particular field of work. What we must seek is to create an ethical environment of honesty for everyone in the community. 


Popular posts from this blog

The Paradigm Shift in Filipino Philosophical Theorizing

What Filipino Philosophy Really Meant to Me

Nature and Purpose of Education