Meaning of Interest

A Necessary Interest in Philosophy

Peter Kreeft’s argument in his article, “Why Study Philosophy and Theology,” that “anyone who is simply not interested in these questions is less than fully human…” at first appears to be a logically absurd claim. Kreeft seems to believe that anyone who does not enjoy or become absorbed in studying philosophy is not a human being. However, the Reflection demonstrates that the word “interested” can have multiple meanings, and that Kreeft actually argues that philosophy affects all human beings. In this argument, Kreeft is correct, as all human beings live by a philosophy and are affected by philosophical questions.

In Kreeft’s seemingly wrong and egotistical claim that philosophy must be “interesting” in order for one to be “fully human,” readers may immediately understand “interesting” to mean an emotional response to philosophical subject material. They may think that “interesting” describes something that one enjoys or about which one is curious. However, the Reflection interprets Kreeft’s word choice of “interesting” as anything that “affects” one. Once the Reflection clarifies this meaning, it states that Kreeft must be correct because “there are certain philosophical questions that affect all human beings.” It then produces a string of arguments to prove this claim and Kreeft’s accuracy. First, it states two premises: all human beings die, and the person in question is a human being. The conclusion to this argument follows: therefore, he will die. The Reflection then takes this conclusion and uses it as a premise in the next argument, using one idea and letting it flow into other ideas: If one will die, he questions what happens next. The second premise of the second argument follows: this question is a philosophical question, and it affects his current lifestyle. Therefore, the argument concludes that a philosophical question affects him. Understanding “interested” as meaning anything that “affects,” philosophy...