How many moments do we miss that we should merely have enjoyed

Exactly. Looking at things through a camera lens, even though it may help you see the thing you are photographing better, at the same time shuts you out of so many other wonderful things happening around you. And it's also a matter of perspective. If you're looking at the bigger picture, with or without the camera, you may miss details and vice versa. And when photographing, the memory of the event is very much different. It's the memory of you photographing the event than the actual event. The shadow of the event! If that ain't philosophical then I don't know what is.