LIVING NOT MERELY KNOWING PHILOSOPHY
LIVING NOT MERELY KNOWING PHILOSOPHY
(A Paper on Chinese Philosophy)
As a fourth year graduating philosophy student, I have studied different philosophies of various philosophers for years. Now, I can say that, perhaps, I am more adept in writing philosophical reflections or papers compared to the students outside who are taking up nursing, engineering, education, etc. I can now speak more things about philosophy than before such as St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument, St. Thomas’ Quinque Viae, Kant’s Categorical Imperatives, Nietzsche’s pronouncement that “God is dead,” Edmund Husserl’s Phenomenological Method, Alfred Whitehead’s Process Philosophy and many more philosophies of renowned philosophers. Many if they will ask me if what knowledge means, I can give them a variety of answers from a range of philosophers; I can say that knowledge for Plato means “justified true belief” while for Kant, “knowledge is synthetic a priori.” For almost four years, I have gone many readings, passed a lot of recitations, quizzes and exams in my rigid philosophy subjects. My mind is somewhat filled with so many theories and dogmas of many philosophers by now. Maybe when the comprehensive exams come, I can give some answers to the panelists’ questions. However, I ask, “Is my knowledge in philosophy makes me a good philosophy student at all?”
In my own point of view, merely knowing these different theories and dogmas of different philosophers from different philosophical era does not make someone a good philosophy student. As I see myself, at first I thought that being a good philosophy student is being able to explain different metaphysical principles, memorizing the different principles in ethics or writing an excellent philosophical term paper, so that when the grades will be released at the end of the semester, I will get a high mark in my card. Nevertheless, I realized that philosophy is far beyond knowing the theories and dogmas of many philosophers. It is not just answering a very hard question such as whether God exists or not. Philosophy is not only about knowing these different ideas but, more importantly, it is about integrating these ideas in my life.
Philosophy is a way of life. If it is a way of life, philosophy, therefore, is a powerful tool for us to understand better our own living condition and to improve the way we live. There is really a little value of knowing philosophical theories if these theories do not somehow make a difference in our daily lives. For instance, what good is there in knowing the ethical principles if the one who is knowledgeable in them is still living an immoral life? What is the value of knowing St. Thomas’ Proof on the existence of God if the one who is learned with his philosophy lives as if there is no God? What is the use of knowing the definition of truth if the one who knows its meaning always lives in untruthfulness? Philosophy is not about theories or dogmas, but it is about how these philosophical thoughts are applied to our daily living so that we can live a better life. We ask ourselves, does this philosophy make a difference in my life? If its not, then forget about knowing it! It is worth to be in oblivion.
Understanding the spirit of Chinese philosophical thought, I think is what Chinese Philosophy wants us to make use of philosophy---a philosophy that is not centered on dogmas or theories but a philosophy that is focused on its applicability in our own lives. We must see philosophy not as a static entity that only resides in the mind but as a dynamic entity that brings difference in one’s life. Chinese Philosophy teaches us that philosophy is a powerful pragmatic tool that must transform us into the best human persons we could possibly be and not just inform us with many dogmas and theories that do not make any essential difference in the way we live our lives.
Wisdom is not only for the mind but also for the whole being of one’s human person! Live philosophy; do not just know it!
As a fourth year graduating philosophy student, I have studied different philosophies of various philosophers for years. Now, I can say that, perhaps, I am more adept in writing philosophical reflections or papers compared to the students outside who are taking up nursing, engineering, education, etc. I can now speak more things about philosophy than before such as St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument, St. Thomas’ Quinque Viae, Kant’s Categorical Imperatives, Nietzsche’s pronouncement that “God is dead,” Edmund Husserl’s Phenomenological Method, Alfred Whitehead’s Process Philosophy and many more philosophies of renowned philosophers. Many if they will ask me if what knowledge means, I can give them a variety of answers from a range of philosophers; I can say that knowledge for Plato means “justified true belief” while for Kant, “knowledge is synthetic a priori.” For almost four years, I have gone many readings, passed a lot of recitations, quizzes and exams in my rigid philosophy subjects. My mind is somewhat filled with so many theories and dogmas of many philosophers by now. Maybe when the comprehensive exams come, I can give some answers to the panelists’ questions. However, I ask, “Is my knowledge in philosophy makes me a good philosophy student at all?”
In my own point of view, merely knowing these different theories and dogmas of different philosophers from different philosophical era does not make someone a good philosophy student. As I see myself, at first I thought that being a good philosophy student is being able to explain different metaphysical principles, memorizing the different principles in ethics or writing an excellent philosophical term paper, so that when the grades will be released at the end of the semester, I will get a high mark in my card. Nevertheless, I realized that philosophy is far beyond knowing the theories and dogmas of many philosophers. It is not just answering a very hard question such as whether God exists or not. Philosophy is not only about knowing these different ideas but, more importantly, it is about integrating these ideas in my life.
Philosophy is a way of life. If it is a way of life, philosophy, therefore, is a powerful tool for us to understand better our own living condition and to improve the way we live. There is really a little value of knowing philosophical theories if these theories do not somehow make a difference in our daily lives. For instance, what good is there in knowing the ethical principles if the one who is knowledgeable in them is still living an immoral life? What is the value of knowing St. Thomas’ Proof on the existence of God if the one who is learned with his philosophy lives as if there is no God? What is the use of knowing the definition of truth if the one who knows its meaning always lives in untruthfulness? Philosophy is not about theories or dogmas, but it is about how these philosophical thoughts are applied to our daily living so that we can live a better life. We ask ourselves, does this philosophy make a difference in my life? If its not, then forget about knowing it! It is worth to be in oblivion.
Understanding the spirit of Chinese philosophical thought, I think is what Chinese Philosophy wants us to make use of philosophy---a philosophy that is not centered on dogmas or theories but a philosophy that is focused on its applicability in our own lives. We must see philosophy not as a static entity that only resides in the mind but as a dynamic entity that brings difference in one’s life. Chinese Philosophy teaches us that philosophy is a powerful pragmatic tool that must transform us into the best human persons we could possibly be and not just inform us with many dogmas and theories that do not make any essential difference in the way we live our lives.
Wisdom is not only for the mind but also for the whole being of one’s human person! Live philosophy; do not just know it!
posted by Franklin at
9:23 AM
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