Philosophy is an ancient and valuable subdistrict within the vast marketplace of ideas.
Rather, it is a special sort of rational inquiry into any discipline. Philosophers seek answers to the basic, fundamental questions which underpin any field of study. Obviously, philosophy is not for everyone. It is not for those who want easy answers, nor is it for those who do not care about the deeper meanings of life or the purpose of their own lives. It is for those who should wish to gain a more thorough understanding of themselves as rational, reflective beings inhabiting and working in a world that sometimes allows us to glimpse its deeper meanings.