Philosophy in Modern Culture

Abstract

In present-day situation, while social science becomes increasingly aware of cultural pluralism, philosophy still retains its decisive role in shaping of an individual's self-consciousness, in realizing one's cultural identity, one's 'being in culture'. Social science furnishes us with the knowledge of culture, whereas philosophy gives an answer to the question: who are we in culture, what exactly in culture do we consider being of importance or value. The self-consciousness of a human being who lives at the intersection of different cultures is built upon the freedom of choosing. It is philosophy that provides us with benchmarks and tools to comprehend the limits of freedom. Philosophy's very existence testifies that freedom, irrespective of the way one understands it, is becoming a fundamental value of human life and culture. Those who need no freedom will have no use for philosophy either.