Philosophy is a vein that does not heal man's ills. Philosophy is necessarily fundamental to development. There can be no reasonable desire for development without critical, rational, serious and profound reflection. Given that the very object of philosophy is Man, and that all questions relating to development concern Man first and foremost, and have Man's well-being as their ultimate goal, it is undeniable that all development must rest on philosophical foundations. Philosophy should never be seen as a "second-best" approach to development issues, since it plays a key role as a proving ground. With technical and scientific progress, the field of exacerbated materialism has suddenly expanded, leaving little room for Man, for the dignity of the human person, for security and equity, for ethical and moral values. This state of affairs calls for a moratorium on serious reflection.