(Don’t) Philosophise!
Cultural Resistance to Reflection…
A well-known politician in Turkey — whose identity I will refrain from disclosing — once hinted at the notion that “If we do not acknowledge problems, they cease to exist!” However, this notion stands in stark contrast to the very essence of philosophy.
Philosophy, after all, thrives on delving into the seemingly inconspicuous, unraveling layers of depth concealed within seemingly mundane facets of existence. It’s about exploring the hidden depth behind everyday things that seem ordinary at first.
In essence, philosophy is not a magic book with all the answers about life and the universe. It is more like something you actively do, not just learn. You can learn about its history or how to think philosophically.
Philosophers aren’t perfect — they faced problems, grappled with dilemmas, exhibited moral ambiguity, and asked big questions that taught us a lot while posing pivotal questions, yielding profound insights, masters of our intellect and logic.
While we are learning the history of philosophy, our goal isn’t just memorizing answers; it’s about making our minds better. We learn from it to improve how we think. If we don’t do this, we can’t question or think about the truths we’re told.
When you start doing philosophy, you begin to doubt, ask why and how, and this leads you to establish relationships between thoughts and ground them on a solid foundation. So, when you start doing philosophy, you start asking questions and figuring out why things are the way they are. Of course, if you don’t do this, you’ll still exist — shallow thinking won’t make you disappear! :)
In German philosophy, there are two ways of being: das man and das sein.
The former, being like everyone else, living without questioning everydayness, living without probing the ordinary. However, authentic existence demands questioning — it’s what makes us truly human. To genuinely exist is to inquire; it’s this introspective quest that defines our humanity. This conviction stems from the unique human capability to ponder our own existence. Opting not to engage in this inquiry is itself a conscious decision, reflecting the significance we place upon our individuality.
So, philosophy helps our minds see things in different ways and gives us new ways to exist. But why do we still need philosophy today, when we’ve explored space and learned so much from neuroscience?
In his essay on human understanding, John Locke drew a striking analogy, mentioning that what he did was not akin to science but rather akin to a passionate worker cleaning up the path to knowledge. While certain minds construct theories, there exists an equally vital endeavor — ensuring these theories align with the realities. This field of inquiry is called epistemology: What do you think you know and how do you think you know it?
The culmination of our philosophical journey is not in sight. An impending revolution, embodied by the transformative force of Artificial Intelligence, looms over our future’s horizon. It promises a paradigm shift, challenging our perceptions of reality and expanding the horizons of our knowledge. Great potential to change how we see the world and what we know…
Even though some might wonder if philosophy is important now, it still is. In fact, it’s more important than ever.
