In the process of tinkering with things, they may stumble upon something that may have a practical application. That is true with philosophy. I made the distinction in a recent commentary between two types of causes, an event cause versus agent causation. The value of knowing the difference between agent and event causation is that it allows you to answer some questions about the nature of prayer and why some prayer gets answered and some doesn't. The distinction is at the heart of cosmological arguments, arguments from cause to effect.
Cosmological arguments hinge on the distinction between agent and event causation.
That seemed like the most pointless conversation because it's kind of like talking about angels dancing on the head of a pin. But it wasn't mindless at all. It was very engaging. Plus it cashes out in a very important way in theology. The question of whether donut holes exist or whether shadows actually exist figures into the problem of evil.