Can philosophy help the planet?
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Flip to reveal answersWhat does philosophy add that science can't?
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All 8 Flashcards — Can philosophy help the planet?
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Question
What does philosophy add that science can't?
Answer
Science gives the facts; philosophy asks why they matter and what we owe — the values underneath.
Question
How does philosophy 'reframe' the crisis?
Answer
It turns 'a technical problem to fix' into a question about what matters, who counts, and what we're trying to save.
Question
Why isn't 'just act on the science' enough?
Answer
Acting always hides a choice about what to save and who counts — skipping philosophy hides the values, it doesn't remove them.
Question
The three limits of philosophy here?
Answer
Urgency (no time to settle deep questions), motivation (knowing right ≠ doing it), power (decisions follow power, not arguments).
Question
Philosophy's role in one phrase?
Answer
Necessary but not sufficient — it aims the action and sets the destination, but can't do the acting itself.
Question
How does 9.2.4 tie the topic together?
Answer
Every earlier question (owe nature? · value in itself? · harmony?) was philosophy reframing the crisis into a question about what matters.
Question
What is a Paper-3 'Evaluate' essay?
Answer
An HL extension [25] task: judge a claim explicitly, weighing views for and against, and tie each step back to the claim.
Question
The top-band move on 'can philosophy help?'
Answer
Hold BOTH halves at once — value AND urgency — instead of picking 'philosophy saves us' or 'philosophy is useless'.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Can philosophy help the planet?
Topic 9.2 hub
Philosophy and the environment
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Philosophy exam skills
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