In the face of increasingly effective and comprehensive scientific theories, the field of metaphysics and epistemology has gradually lost importance in contemporary philosophy. The emphasis in late twentieth-century philosophy has shifted to moral philosophy and ethical issues, and especially political philosophy, so that nowadays the relevance of philosophical inquiry is widely acknowledged both among academics and outside academia. Yet another change that has taken place recently is the idea that philosophy should play a part in public discourse – in societies around the world, people consider philosophical questions regarding the nature of reality, human knowledge, morality, and politics.
Practical applications of philosophical ideas have come into play in politics and the legal system, in the fields of business, economics, science, and medicine, especially in ethics. Philosophers today can be found in universities and government offices, and they are often hired by big businesses and corporations. They work on issues such as how to make good decisions, what constitutes justice, what values matter, and so forth.
