In this reflection, I look back on my book Philosophy as Conversation, published more than thirty years ago. At the time, I felt both proud and uncertain — proud that Het Spectrum published it, and uncertain because the moment it was finished, I thought it wasn’t good enough. Now, with distance, I see its flaws, but also its value.The book begins with Nietzsche’s call to move beyond mere scholarship and to stand differently in the world. I describe the thinkers who shaped me: Plato and Hegel through Rüdiger Bubner, the dialogical philosophy of Martin Buber, and the idea that philosophy itself is a conversation — something that shapes our culture, our history, and our very existence.I also draw on Kant, who says that human reason is plagued by questions it cannot ignore and cannot answer. Philosophy, in that sense, arises from a deep need for understanding, not from practical usefulness. The story of Thales illustrates this beautifully: his search for truth makes him clumsy in everyday life, and the laughter of the Thracian maid still echoes in how people view philosophy today.But I argue that philosophy is not elitist or artificial. Every human being encounters moments of reflection, moments when the ordinary becomes questionable and deeper questions emerge. Philosophy tries to respond to those moments — not with easy answers, but with careful thinking about the fundamental truths and values of life.Philosophy is both constructive and critical. It seeks understanding, but it also questions the answers that culture, religion, and science take for granted. And it must even question itself: its own status, its own relevance. Some thinkers, like Erik Bolle, speak of the “end of philosophy,” claiming that the grand ambitions of the past are no longer possible. But I resist that conclusion. Philosophy still has a role — not only in clarifying scientific or linguistic problems, but in helping us think about the origins and purposes of human existence.That is the heart of the introduction to my book. The rest outlines what the later chapters explore, but that is a story for another time.


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"Dare to use your own reason" - Immanuel Kant