Slavoj Zizek explains the purpose of the philosophy. Unbelievable! It took me a few minutes to stop laughing. (OK–I haven’t stopped yet).
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp8aTYUrPi0]
Here is the article that attempst to explain what is going on in this video.
I think Zizek is right though I don't think what he is describing is humble. We don't have any idea what we are asking when we ask if someone is free. Philosophy helps to clarify what we are asking about when we ask about things like freedom, consciousness, thought etc. This is important and is related to his notion of the sublime object of ideology. Our thought is structured about certain problematic/paradoxical objects of desire. Philosophy is traditionally conceived as the inquiry into the true of what freedom really is. But if what we desire when we desire to be free cannot coherently be stated, then it is philosophy's job to explain why. That's how Zizek applies philosophy to life.