Again I torture the masses
"Philosophy is the eternal search for truth, a search which inevitably fails and is yet never defeated; which continually eludes us, but which always guides us." – William James

The practical mind might reason that the study of philosophy is a fruitless endeavour because it deals with questioning subject matter of which an ambiguous answer, if an answer can even be found, is the result. But if that practical person scorns philosophy then they have shut themselves off from the ability to escape a part of themselves; something Bertrand Russell called "an 'instinctive self', the self concerned only with immediate personal needs." In order to search for the truth we must first free our mind of the prejudices that we only need sustenance on a materialistic level, and broaden our perspective to the notion that it is necessary to also feed the mind. The aforementioned quotation is relevant because it describes with some accuracy the sensation of an uncomfortable psyche. To philosophize is to question with the full awareness that these questions may not provoke an answer, but that does not mean that the question should not be asked. If mankind were to cease questioning the unknown and simply accept the confines of what we can undoubtedly prove through science, then we will have come to an impasse. It's only through the exploration of philosophical truths that we can hope to enrich our minds further; broaden our intellectual imaginations and strive to free ourselves from close-mindedness.

"We all have our philosophies, whether or not we are aware of this fact… The impact of our philosophies upon our actions and our lives is often devastating. This makes it necessary to try to improve our philosophies by criticism. This is the only apology for the continued existence of philosophy which I am able to offer." – Karl R. Popper

Man lives life on his own terms, his decisions and actions being weighed and decided upon based on his past, and what he perceives will guide him in the future. He does this through sound reasoning, scientific evidence and blind faith. But that does not mean that he is always correct. More often than not, we learn that through failure and negative outcome how better to reason when it comes time to make a similar choice. Because everyone's philosophy is unique, it's easy to find a level of comfortability in which the mind ceases to evolve. Philosophic contemplation is key in analysis, even if at times that musing is less than agreeable. In order for science to progress, one must be open to the possibility that their theories are incorrect. The same is true with personal philosophy. Evolutions of the mind can only be achieved when previous notions are critiqued.

"Spiritual growth is a journey out of the microcosm into an ever greater microcosm… To develop a broader vision we must be willing to forsake, to kill, our narrower vision. In the short run it is more comfortable not to do this – to stay where we are, to keep using the same microcosmic map, to avoid suffering the death of cherished notions. The road to spiritual growth, however lies in the opposite direction. We begin by distrusting what we already believe, by actively seeking the threatening and unfamiliar, but deliberately challenging the validity of what we have previously been taught and hold dear. The path to holiness lies through questioning everything." – M. Scott Peck

I think that what Peck was trying to say here, was that the concept of dogma, even on a personal level is a difficult thing to change. In the case of organized religion (and I use that term loosely) this couldn't be more true. Prime examples of why obstinate belief is detrimental to mankind's evolution can be shown in many points of history such as The Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition. When one becomes concrete in their ideals and concepts, the mind is closed off to the notion of change. Any thought toward the contrary is taken with bitter resentment. - In the case of the previously mentioned points of history, with violence and intolerance. It's only through the progressiveness to accept new ideas that mankind can take bold steps toward the unknown to seek answers.