| I read a quote in one of those celebrity columns | | | | philosophy on the ideas of others. He believed we |
| recently that just blew me away. It's not that I | | | | should each tackle the big questions and think our |
| believe everything I read, especially when it | | | | way through the process of reaching our own |
| comes to Hollywood, but for the sake of | | | | conclusions. So, in true Cartesian style, he started |
| discussion, let's assume that the quote was | | | | with the most basic concept first. We all know |
| correctly stated. | | | | that classic annoying backseat question, "Are we |
| It was attributed to Angus Young, member of | | | | there yet?" Well, try this one on for size: "Are we |
| the band AC/DC. Think big arena rock, throbbing | | | | here now?" |
| bass, and screeching vocals. You could identify an | | | | Descartes came up with a famously succinct |
| AC/DC song in the first few measures by its | | | | statement in response to this timeless question: "I |
| distinctive bass line and ribald lyrics. Many fans | | | | think, therefore I am." (In Latin, Cogito ergo sum) |
| have smirked in recognition of the adolescent | | | | If I am here contemplating this question, it means |
| angst celebrated in the songs. | | | | I am alive and thinking. If I am alive and thinking, |
| So here's the quote attributed to Angus: "I don't | | | | then it follows that I must indeed be here. Whew! |
| listen to music. I stopped listening 25 years ago | | | | Glad that's settled. |
| when I started making my own." | | | | Of course, it isn't really settled. You could spend a |
| Oh, Angus. Wow. That has got to be the most | | | | long time thinking about that, and I invite you to |
| radically conservative thing I have ever heard. | | | | do so. For now, let's go back to Socrates. |
| What's so amazing about this is that we all do the | | | | Picture this odd-looking guy wandering around |
| same thing. We establish certain ideas and opinions | | | | Athens in a shabby cloak and barefoot. In all |
| about things and we get attached to them. They | | | | places, at all times, in everything he does, he is |
| become part of our identity. We build our lives | | | | grabbing every opportunity in his daily life to ask |
| around ideas we may have had when we were in | | | | questions. |
| our twenties. If we're aware of these ideas at all, | | | | He doesn't ask easy questions. He asks hard |
| we might notice that we've changed our minds | | | | ones, probing ones, ones that maybe even piss |
| over the years, but for the most part, we tend | | | | you off. As he used to say about himself, "I am |
| to hang on to our opinions for decades. It's just | | | | utterly disturbing and I create only perplexity." |
| easier that way-no need to go there and think | | | | Hmm. I think we all know people like that. The |
| through that again! | | | | thing is, we rarely think of them as philosophers. |
| This thinking and rethinking is what philosophy is all | | | | Perhaps we SHOULD. |
| about. Socrates said that the purpose of | | | | Socrates' purpose was to question his peers so |
| philosophy is to help us become "excellent human | | | | that they would question themselves, their ideas, |
| beings". Our experiences help shape our | | | | their choices, their very way of life. He liked to |
| philosophies, but our minds give us the ability to | | | | stir things up, but his intentions were pure. He |
| think logically and apply our knowledge. | | | | looked upon himself as a midwife, helping people |
| Socrates himself always said that the only thing | | | | give birth to their own truths, their inner |
| he knew for sure is that he knew nothing. He | | | | possibilities. And, like childbirth, that process could |
| was fond of saying that there are two categories | | | | be messy and painful. He could put people in a foul |
| of beings that do not engage in philosophy-the | | | | mood. He understood implicitly that the value of |
| gods or sages, who are already wise, and the | | | | asking questions is not in finding answers, but in |
| senseless people, who THINK they are wise. A | | | | revealing ourselves. |
| philosopher is a person in the middle, someone | | | | We can learn a lot about ourselves and our own |
| who is not yet wise but at least knows it. | | | | life philosophies by asking ourselves this: What are |
| That's not a bad place to start. | | | | my Angus issues? What thoughts have I attached |
| The best philosophers are those who inspire us to | | | | myself to? When did I last spend time rethinking |
| think for ourselves. The French philosopher, Rene | | | | these issues? |
| Descartes, really zeroed in on that idea. He was a | | | | Let's use the ol' Cartesian method here, starting |
| brilliant mathematician who later became known | | | | with simple ideas and moving toward more |
| as the father of modern philosophy, and his | | | | complex ones. |
| "Cartesian Method" remains an integral part of | | | | Start small. Look at an opinion you have, like "I |
| mathematical studies as well as a time-tested | | | | hate country music." Hmm. Okay. Is that ALL |
| approach to scientific research. It basically breaks | | | | country music? Is that ALL country singers? Is |
| down the process of inquiry into manageable | | | | there not a single country song or artist that I |
| pieces. | | | | like? What would it be like if I didn't have that |
| Got a problem? First, you break it down into | | | | opinion? What would it be like if I had the |
| smaller pieces. Then, you arrange these pieces | | | | OPPOSITE opinion? Would my friends laugh at |
| from the simple to the most complex. Next, you | | | | me? Would I have to hide my CD collection? |
| analyze each one, beginning with the simple ones | | | | Would I start wearing cowboy boots? What really |
| and moving on until you tackle the most difficult | | | | bothers me about country music? Why do I get |
| concepts. Finally, his approach required the | | | | so riled up, anyway? |
| investigator to keep analyzing the tough notions, | | | | Examine the differences between ideas and |
| even when they seem unfathomable. We use this | | | | habits. Perhaps you are more attached to one |
| approach all the time without realizing we're being | | | | than the other. In the country music example, |
| so Cartesian. | | | | how much of your opinion is based on your idea |
| But the most revolutionary concept Descartes | | | | ("I hate it, so I never listen to it.") and how much |
| introduced was that of universal doubt. Since the | | | | on your habit ("I never listen to it, so that means |
| times of the early Greek philosophers, the field of | | | | I hate it.")? |
| philosophy was generally regarded as the study | | | | After you've tackled some little Angus issues, |
| of the theories of the great thinkers, and required | | | | move on to bigger ones. Let's say you don't |
| a whole lot of discussion around which thinker had | | | | believe in life after death. You think that once you |
| the most profound ideas. | | | | die, it's all over. No spirit, no heaven, no soul, no |
| Descartes came up with a revolutionary | | | | nothing. On what have you based this notion? |
| notion-that each of us should approach philosophy | | | | When is the last time you revisited this idea? |
| from scratch. In other words, we could study the | | | | What would it be like if you didn't have that |
| great philosophers if we wanted to, but then we | | | | belief? What would it be like if you strongly |
| had to throw out all those ideas, stripping | | | | embraced the OPPOSITE concept? |
| everything down to its most basic elements, and | | | | Your goal: to become aware of the thoughts |
| come up with our OWN ideas. This seemed | | | | shaping your daily life, and to begin questioning |
| preposterous to many at the time. What...we | | | | them. It might be disturbing. It might be |
| should think for ourselves? But, why? HOW? | | | | invigorating. I hope it'll get you thinking. |
| Descartes wasn't satisfied basing his own life | | | | We need more thinkers on this planet! |