Yet, however slight may be the hope of discovering an answer, it is part of the business of philosophy to continue the consideration of such questions, to make us aware of their importance, to examine all the approaches to them, and to keep alive that speculative interest in the universe which is apt to be killed by confining ourselves to definitely ascertainable knowledge.

Thus, to a great extent, the uncertainty of philosophy is more apparent than real: those questions which are already capable of definite answers are placed in the sciences, while those only to which, at present, no definite answer can be given, remain to form the residue which is called philosophy.

It is exclusively among the goods of the mind that the value of philosophy is to be found; and only those who are not indifferent to these goods can be persuaded that the study of philosophy is not a waste of time.

The “practical” man, as this word is often used, is one who recognises only material needs, who realises that men must have food for the body, but is oblivious of the necessity of providing food for the mind.

This view of philosophy appears to result, partly from a wrong conception of the ends of life, partly from a wrong conception of the kind of goods which philosophy strives to achieve. Physical science, through the medium of inventions, is useful to innumerable people who are wholly ignorant of it; thus the study of physical science is to be recommended, not only, or primarily, because of the effect on the student, but rather because of the effect on mankind in general. This utility does not belong to philosophy. If the study of philosophy has any value at all for others than students of philosophy, it must be only indirectly, through its effects upon the lives of those who study it. It is in these effects, therefore, if anywhere, that the value of philosophy must be primarily sought.

in view of the fact that many men, under the influence of science or of practical affairs, are inclined to doubt whether philosophy is anything better than innocent but useless trifling, hair-splitting distinctions, and controversies on matters concerning which knowledge is impossible.

…[It] will be well to consider…what is the value of philosophy and why it ought to be studied.

we'd been together as close to 24/7 as two people couldbe. We shared the same pillow and the same air and the same food and the same dope .and the same syringes. In all the months and years we were together I probably neversaid as many words out loud as I poured into a single one of them ten page letters. Andas long as I kept writing them I could pretend he was still there

sitting onthe hood of a car in the parking lot at Marg 's bar in my cutoffs with my legs crossedand dangling over the hood of the car and catching dates with that tablet on my lap.

And I really didn't have an answer because although I wrote Darryl all them letters Inever mailed a single one.

I was Darryl Masters' old lady

it is estimated 70 percent of adults in the U.S. will experience some type of traumatic event in their lifetime, with 20 percent going on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder after the fact.

Other supporting evidence comes from a recent study by British psychologists Rory O'Connor, PhD, of the University of Strathclyde, and Daryl B. O'Connor, PhD, of the University of Leeds.

the effect of perfectionism on depression in female students was moderated by "hassles"--minor interpersonal and achievement-related problems.

Support for Hewitt and Flett's "specific vulnerability hypothesis" is not yet conclusive, but some evidence for it has been found. In a recent issue of the Journal of Counseling Psychology (Vol. 50, No. 3),

Self-oriented perfectionists do fine in situations of low stress, they argue, but are more likely to become depressed, anxious or suicidal when things go wrong.

Studies by Hewitt and Flett and their colleagues, as well as other research groups, have found links to mental health problems, particularly eating disorders. In a recent paper in Cognitive Therapy and Research (Vol. 26, No. 6), Hewitt, Flett and their colleagues reported a correlation between anorexia nervosa and self-oriented perfectionism.

There are also clear problems with other-oriented perfectionism, the tendency to demand perfection from friends, family, co-workers and others. It can be particularly damaging for intimate relationships, says Hewitt. "If you require your spouse to be perfect, and you're critical of that spouse, you can tell right away that there's going to be relationship problems," says Hewitt. For self-oriented perfectionism--an internally motivated desire to be perfect--the picture is less clear.

an element of pressure combined with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness

Socially prescribed perfectionism--believing that others will value you only if you are perfect--has been associated with depression and other problems, including suicide.

"I think it's unfortunate that we have evolved into a language in which we talk about perfectionism as 'adaptive,'" says psychologist Randy Frost, PhD. "That might not be a productive way of thinking about it."

While the debate over the adaptiveness of perfectionism continues, researchers have made significant progress in understanding how perfectionism can contribute to psychopathology.

Not everyone agrees that such a distinction is the best solution.

That's the path taken by psychologist Kenneth Rice, PhD, and his colleagues in a recent study in the Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy (Vol. 17, No. 1).

That's an oversimplification, says Hewitt, one that conflates two very different things: the desire to excel and the desire to be perfect. To illustrate the difference, Hewitt tells a story about one of his patients, a depressed university student who was convinced he needed to get an A+ in a particular course.

Other researchers, however, have suggested that some forms of perfectionism--particularly those that involve high personal standards--can be adaptive. World-class athletes, they argue, have extraordinarily high standards; they shouldn't be labeled pathological just because they aim high.

perfectionism correlates with depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental health problems. This summer, several new studies were published that help explain how perfectionism can contribute to psychopathology. "In the literature right now--this astounds me--people have said that self-oriented perfectionism is adaptive," says Hewitt, a practicing psychologist and professor at the University of British Columbia. "People will make that claim, and they'll just ignore the fairly large literature that says that it's a vulnerability factor for unipolar depression, anorexia and suicide."

At the heart of the debate lies a disagreement over definitions--what exactly is meant by the words "adaptive" and "perfectionism."

In more than 20 years of research, he and his colleagues--particularly psychologist Gordon Flett, PhD--

Paul Hewitt, PhD, does not have much patience with researchers who argue that perfectionism--the need to be or appear perfect--can sometimes serve as a healthy motivation for reaching ambitious goals. "I don't think needing to be perfect is in any way adaptive," he says.

In my mind the perfect woman is successful, happy and not stressed. Someone with a good social life and lots of friends. I suppose someone who has everything really, but then the older I get the more I realise that this ideal probably doesn’t exist. Maybe it’s time we stopped striving for something else and started celebrating what we have now.

I hate not being the best at everything and I worry I will be the dumb one there as other people will be so clever and multi-talented. I am worried I won’t be able to keep up.

In fact, it was the wake-up call I needed and I went for treatment.

the most valuable lessons and letting things fall apart isn’t the end of the world – it’s a chance to rebuild it.

I wish I could be more relaxed about how I look: I am getting better gradually but I still always try to look good, and always put on makeup. While nowadays there is definitely a much more diverse idea of what beauty is, there are still stupid stereotypes which people are stuck in, myself included. There is still a long way to go for women to accept themselves for who they are.

From the outside my life looked great, but inside I was struggling. I felt a lot of pressure to be a perfect mum, and this got worse when my boys started school. I couldn’t help but compare myself to other mothers, and to think their children were really polite and wellbehaved. I felt lost and had no confidence in my ability to raise my boys in a way that was right for me.Depression and anxiety came on thick and fast. I was prescribed antidepressants, but I soon realised they were not for me. I remember sitting out in the garden, feeling so detached from my boys. It was like I was looking at them through a screen. I stopped medication and sought other means of help, eventually finding homeopathy and yoga.This is modern Britain – no wonder young women have PTSDRhiannon Lucy CosslettRead moreMy life took a different course after this, and I separated from my husband. Part of my recovery was letting things go, and starting to take charge of my life and think about what was right for me. For so long, I had fitted into everyone else’s idea of who I should be, and I was so afraid of breaking that image, but it was making me miserable.

Another source of pressure for me, personally, comes from the fact that the media has become obsessed with a particular aesthetic for mixed-race and black women. We are only deemed attractive if we have tiny waists and large hips and lips.

Social media also brings the pressure of getting lots of likes;

I got Instagram when I was 14 and growing up with it has really affected me. I spend ages scrolling through the site and seeing images of women with perfect hair and makeup, thinking I should look like them – even though a lot of the time the pictures have been altered.

I definitely have impostor syndrome; that’s defined as self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that overrides any feelings of success. I didn’t have this so much before, when I was working in call centres, but I feel it now in a predominantly upper-middle-class environment. It’s weird being the only person of colour or the only one with a certain accent – it makes you feel as though you shouldn’t be there. I sometimes suffer so much anxiety about sending an email, worrying about whether I will phrase it correctly. It’s silly because I’ve done well and proven myself, I have my own flat and a good job, yet that doesn’t feel good enough.The pressure to be perfect feels heightened to me as a black woman because my mum always told me I would have to work harder than a white person to get ahead. It is true but it’s a self-defeating aspiration.

Perfection, or what society deems perfect, is not attainable for everyone,

It is true but it’s a self-defeating aspiration.

Kate Goodrum, 18, a student at Cambridge University, from London

Lotta Sampson-Stone, 22, a student and single mother from Plymouth

Anna Robertshaw, 37, a yoga teacher from Tunbridge Wells

Salma Al-Hassan, 18, student at Warwick University, from Oxford

Chardine Taylor-Stone, 31, who works in the arts in London

We approached five women to find out more. Here are their stories:

Miranda, 18, from Cambridge summed this up: “I certainly feel the pressure to be perfect and it has got to the point where it’s damaging my health. Social media is the main culprit. I had to delete my Instagram account because it would actually make me cry. I am a mature person with a firm grip on reality, but I have so many peers whose lives seem so perfect and sociable that it left me feeling worthless and lonely.”

it’s been linked to anxiety and depression,

A US survey in 2009 found that women are also more likely than men to experience feelings of inadequacy at home and at work, and a larger proportion felt they failed to meet their own high standards.

clinical psychologist Linda Blair described a perfectionist as a person: “who strives for flawlessness, for a perfect creation, outcome or performance ... They find it difficult to delegate, even if that means neglecting their health, relationships and wellbeing in pursuit of a ‘perfect’ outcome.”

Do you look at other people’s lives and compare them to your own? Does this make you question whether you are smart, fit or happy enough? If so, then you may be a perfectionist.