Philosophy
and human life
Barlas F.
Esin - Unsystematic
Ideas
In
our highly advanced society, where efficiency
and results have more cash-value than reflection
and contemplation, many people have come
to consider philosophy - the love of wisdom
or knowledge - as a useless endeavor. Since
scientific enterprise began forming determinate
axioms and formulas about the nature of
reality, philosophy’s search for meanings,
rather than results, has declined in popularity.
“Do we still need philosophy?” is a question
in people’s minds.
As humans, we have no extraordinary physiological
qualities that place us high on the food
chain. So, why are there so many of us:
Lions, bears and other powerful predators
should have eaten all of us a long time
ago. We are still around because we, unlike
animals, have the mind power that allows
us to think critically and creatively. Philosophy,
therefore, is solely reserved for our usage.
“Everything human is human,” Hegel rightly
held, “because it is brought about through
thinking, and for that reason alone.”
It’s true that philosophy is not like various
branches of sciences, such as physics, biology
or mathematics. Philosophy, for example,
cannot warrant such clear conclusions as:
Four plus four is eight. The world, however,
is full of countless entities. Without the
ability to generalize and conceptualize,
we would waste all of our time trying to
grasp the basics. Life, as we know it, would
be impossible. We need philosophy to form
plausible notions of the world - and beyond.
“Philosophy,” Ludwig Wittgenstein once said,
“leaves everything as it is.” His claim,
however, was not necessarily true. We have
always been eager for - and are often moved
by - new theories about existence: Why and
how we came to be and where we are going.
Throughout the ages, in fact, philosophers
from Plato through Descartes to Kant and
Nietzsche never left things as they were.
Earlier philosophers shaped our world -
some even revolutionizing it - through their
social and political writings.
Socrates pointed out the consequence of
avoiding philosophy when he remarked, “The
unexamined life is not worth living.” We
have no choice about the fact that we need
philosophy. Our only choice is whether we
define our philosophy by a conscious, rational
and rigorous process of thought or let our
subliminal mind generate false assumptions,
groundless beliefs and superfluous conclusions.
The only tool necessary for philosophizing
- other than curiosity - is reason, whose
fundamental objective is clarity. The use
of vague notions, fuzzy feelings or instincts
is not reason. Reason specifically requires
clear and identifiable building blocks,
meaning that it rejects any conclusion that
doesn’t follow from logical premises. In
this sense, reason is organized, systematic
and purposeful.
The truth is simple: Every person has an
understanding of the world, therefore -
either implicitly or explicitly - every
person must have a philosophy. Philosophy
is not some mysterious inquiry important
only to ancient men in white robes. It supplies
the means by which we can gain knowledge
and use it to support our lives. It allows
us to correct errors and contradictions,
so that we can start thinking in concepts
rather than in concretes.
I, for my part, try to approach analysis
of events and situations from a more philosophical
standpoint, rather than a political one.
My motive behind utilizing philosophy as
a means of communication is not to confuse,
but to simply offer a fresh method to writing
while encouraging a different way of looking
at things. What is most challenging, after
all, is not to have an opinion about anything,
but to be able to support that opinion with
sound reasoning.
College life signifies higher learning,
which - unlike what the status quo believes
- should be more than merely learning for
survival and success. In my opinion, higher
learning should involve learning through
a “conscious” process of thinking, where
one integrates an explicit philosophy into
his or her own life.
Therefore, instead of taking things for
granted, as our society encourages these
days, isn’t it more worthwhile to think
of meanings and values behind things? When
we collectively do this in a conscious way,
we will realize once again the importance
of philosophy in human life.
Barlas F. Esin is a senior journalism major
with a minor in philosophy he can be contacted
by e-mail at besin@csulb.edu.
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