Everyone Should be a Philosopher
There is no substitute for philosophical thought. In a time when people are being smothered with excess information, one’s personal method of thinking becomes much more integral to their life. This is why I wish to make the case that, no matter who you are, philosophy can help you better your life. The study of philosophy is, indeed, the study of life itself.
I advocate for philosophy because it slows down the hectic pace of life. When we are doing things, there is usually no time for philosophical contemplation. We waste our free time on non-contemplative activities too, such as watching television or browsing social media — in the midst of all these doings, we are not using our mind to a conscious extent. The value of contemplation is, of course, that we abstract from ourselves for a short period of time, and can actually make sense of what the hell we’re dealing with. For it seems that constantly doing things, without regard for our thoughts, is a poor philosophy if we are trying to improve our overall health.
Furthermore, the quality of “being a philosopher” is one that makes a person capable of better understanding the truth, since they take more time to assess problems, especially in terms of their parts. Rather than absentmindedly absorbing everything, a rational, contemplative person has the ability to explain reality to themselves — this meta-dialogue is in fact the real skill of philosophy, wherein we understand our limitations and can focus more on why we make certain mistakes. The humility of skepticism leads one to question their base assumptions, which gives way to a new self.
If a person begins seeing themselves philosophically, they are able to grow more mature in their assessments of things. It is often the case, for example, that we lose control of our emotions to some unwanted stress — and yet, if we are philosophers, we see this “loss of self” as a lesson, a teachable moment rather than some meaningless suffering. A rational thinker can’t let themselves be swayed back and forth, like a helpless marionette, when they have the ability to structure their thoughts. If we let ourselves “go with the flow”, so to speak, the flow will inevitably take us away from ourselves.
It is often said in Zen that there is no need for conceptual thought — rather than escaping from reality and imagining something else, we must be able to participate in the present moment, and philosophical inquiry efficiently leads us down this path. The future is uncertain, while the past is long gone, and so, nothing is more important than the present moment. Even if we feel attached to our way of seeing the world, it is likely that non-attachment would lead us to a better way of doing so: only then can we comprehend why we’re living the way we’re living, and to what end. Perhaps the best we can do is cling less, since any clinging leads us down irrational paths of thought.
As far as I know, there are two primary forms of logic, inductive and deductive. Inductive logic refers to the testing of something multiple times, referring to data to make sure it’s true, while deductive logic refers to the use of a priori principles (prior to experience) to prove something true. It seems that we are almost always using inductive logic, which is why our ideas of the world are never completely true or false. Knowing this limitation, we may at least entertain the notion that principles could help us organize our thoughts. Philosophy shows us the possibility of clearer, more rational thinking, but also more algorithmic, systematic thinking.
In conclusion, I wish to say that philosophy is one of the most essential foundations of the human intellect — without it, there wouldn’t be science, mathematics, politics, ethics, history, or even culture. If we are not intellectually able to interpret reality, reality becomes unknowable and mysterious, rather than something that we can slowly uncover. I will continue to live my life with an interest in philosophy, and I do believe it has the capacity to improve a person. Perhaps every person, at some point in their lives, may sit down to contemplate the series of events they’ve experienced. And then, only then, will they come to know the truth.
Thank you.
