For as long as I can remember, I have loved philosophy. I consider it a pillar of my own self. If I were one day not to care for wisdom anymore, that in itself would be proof that I indeed have died inside. My life has not been free of adversity, far from it, but my love of wisdom has never seized.
These are but notes on philosophy. I went the route of art, and have no formal education in this subject although I would have loved to have one; I could not stand my lack of knowledge when it came to philosophical terms and history, famous philosophers - so these are my notes - a sharing of my own journey in learning.
Much is simplified, far too short to truly mirror the complexity, and of course there are many, many terms and branches not mentioned here. I also consider this a flexible document; I might edit it at any time.
When philosophy first became a word (from greek: Philos ∙ love - Sophia ∙ wisdom), many branches we now consider separate (such as psychology, biology, sociology etc.) were still under the umbrella of philosophy. As we have, over time, found certain accepted answers to the inner workings of the world, fields of studies have emigrated, like apples from the tree of philosophy.
Other branches were more abstract, such as metaphysics, and never made this emigration.
Today it seems silly to ponder where the rain in the clouds comes from for too long - we can simply google it, if we can't remember from school - but for a long time it wasn't silly at all. And even though it sometimes feels like all is discovered and mankinds collective knowledge is so vast, there are still a million questions and more worth asking; some of them might actually have an answer, others do not (at least not in singular form).
It is in the question, in the wondering, in the subjective realizations - that the value of philosophy lies, in addition to the answers it has already given us. And that is my own axiological pondering on philosophy itself; if you'd like to know what axiology is (I didn't know two days ago) then just scroll a tad bit down.
This is the part where I talk (read: write) about various philosophers as I come across them.
Reading On the shortness of life by Seneca was an absolute pleasure. There is something about this book, despite its age, that is so relevant still. Senecas full name was Lucius Annaeus Seneca, and he was known as Seneca the younger or simply Seneca. He lived to experience year 0, as he was born only 4 years BC, and died 65 years after. He was born in Hispania, on the Iberian peninsula, which was at that time part of the Roman empire.
Seneca was a stoic. He didn't approve of hedonism, and preferred a simple lifestyle. On the shortness of life is writted in a way that is most human and true, and many times did I forget that it was in fact an almost 2000 year old text.
Seneca speaks a lot about leisure in this book, and it came at a fitting time for me. I struggle with stress, struggle to find leisure. Even when I have time, I struggle to relax. Leisure, to Seneca is complicated and he has several opinions on what is not leisure but disguises itself as it, and that is thus a waste of time - in fact, the only thing that is always, undoubtably worthy of time in life according to Seneca, is philosophy. He writes quite beautifully about belonging to a philosophical school - choosing to learn from philosophers instead of our parents, who may have passed on terrible and destructive ideas to us that we didn't ask for. We didn't choose our parents, but we can choose who we look up to.
"We are in the habit of saying that it was not in our power to choose the parents who were allotted to us, that they were given to us by chance. But we can choose whose children we would like to be. There are households of the noblest intellects: choose the one into which you wish to be adopted, and you will inherit not only their name but their property too. Nor will this property need to be guarded meanly or grudgingly: the more it is shared out, the greater it will become. These will offer you a path to immortality and raise you to a point from which no one is cast down."
An interesting chapter in this book, is the one called Consolation to Helia. Here, Seneca speaks to his own mother, consoling her in a time of grief. Trying to help her, he mentions both the terrible things she have had to endure in life, and the people around her who love her. He mentions how, despite her being a woman and not allowed money, she has been in charge of finances in their family and have done well in caring for that. I found it an interesting peak into womens history from the Roman empire, 2000 years ago.
"You administered our inheritances as though you were earnestly looking after your own and being scrupulously provident with another's; you were cautious in using our influence, as if it were someone else's, and in our spells in office you had no part except your pleasure and the expenses."
"0 how many noble deeds of women are lost in obscurity! If she had chanced to live in the days of old when people frankly admired heroism, how men of genius would have competed to sing the praises of a wife who ignored her physical weakness, ignored the sea which even the bravest must fear, and risked her life to give her husband burial; and while her thoughts were on his funeral had no fears about her own! All the poets have given renown to the woman who offered to die in place of her husband. But this is nobler, to risk one's life to bury one's husband: for that love is greater which wins less through equal danger."
Seneca believed that any one person should study philosophy - his own mother also - and that they should also make themselves useful to the community if at all possible. He had great respect for teachers who instilled in their students virtues- the idea of virtues are after all an integral part of stoicism.
The four virtues of Stoicism
Although Seneca believed that one should be at service to the community, he also achnowledged that is is sometimes important for a person to retreat from public life.
"Just as certain wholesome substances do us good by their odour even without tasting or touching them, so Virtue spreads her advantages even from a distant hiding place."
And so we have philosophy, virtue and community as integral parts of a good life, according to Seneca - and, he also advocated for frugality. Another important aspect, he says, is friendship.
"But nothing delights the mind so much as fond and loyal friendship. What a blessing it is to have hearts that are ready and willing to receive all your secrets in safety, with whom you are less afraid to share knowledge of something than keep it to yourself, whose conversation soothes your distress, whose advice helps you make up your mind, whose cheerfulness dissolves your sorrow, whose very appearance cheers you up!"
On the shortness of life shares wisdom on how to live a long life; time is relative after all, as we know today. It does not stop for anyone, and yet we have all experienced how some minutes feel like hours and years flew by like days. As I am diagnosed with a chronic depression disorder, I have often felt that life is too long. However, I am trying to give up my habit of dissociating, which is threatening to steal my life away. Despite life sometimes feeling too long, I have decided, after much thinking, that it is not to be squandered still. We all die in the end, there is no hurry. I might as well make use of the time I have; and suddenly, feeling a need to live a good and valuable life, I am also realizing that presence is a key to that. Presence has been an enemy on mine, for it strengthens not only the good, but the bad in life as well. However, I must become present, as much as I can, or else my life will become terribly short, no matter how long I live.
Towards the end of the book, he summarizes briefly what one should remember in order to live a long life - for it is, as he says, long if you know how to use it.
"We must indulge the mind and from time to time allow it the leisure which is its food and strength. We must go for walks out of doors, so that the mind can be strengthened and invigorated by a clear sky and plenty of fresh air. At times it will acquire fresh energy from a journey by carriage and a change of scene, or from socializing and drinking freely. Occasion ally we should even come to the point of intoxication, sinking into drink but not being totally flooded by it; for it does wash away cares, and stirs the mind to its depths, and heals sorrow just as it heals certain diseases."
Reading the Tao Te Ching was like reading poetic riddles. I enjoyed it profoundly, although I feel that it needs to settle. I borrowed the book in the library, but I think I need to read it again in a few weeks. It doesn't take a long time to read through it, and yet people spend their lives reading it. Reading it, I understand why.
Taoism, or daoism is a branch of philosophy, and a religion as well. The Tao Te Ching spends much time attempting to explain what tao really is, while also achknowledging that it cannot be explained, resulting in what feels like riddles. Some things have no simple answer. A recent theme of my life has been the practice of listening without the need of understanding, and the Tao Te Ching certainly required that of me.
Something deep within might nod in understanding, even though this part of me is not yet ready to explain it to my conscious mind. This is the approach I am taking in life these days, at least. There is so much my mind can not grip, I am but a single person, not even 30 years old yet and so I achknowledge that there is much I do not know - however, the depths of human conciousness continue to baffle me, as though we are portals unending, and I do believe that something within that, that depth, might understand things that I do not. And so, I read these riddles, and enjoyed doing so.
"What cannot be seen is called the invisible.
What cannot be heard is called the inaudible.
What cannot be touched is called the intangible.
These three cannot be examined and comprehended.
And hence are mixed together as one.
This “Oneness” is not much brighter in the sky, as It is not much dimmer on earth.
It is not more glorious in a saint as It is not more fainter in an ordinary person.
It is everlasting and cannot be named.
It is the original void of “non-being.
This “Oneness” is the Tao which is invisible, and formless."
"Tao (The Way) can be infused into the nature and put to use without being exhausted.
It is so deep and subtle like an abyss that is the origin of all things.
It is complete and perfect as a wholeness that can
Round off sharp edges;
Resolve confusion;
Harmonize with the glory;
Act in unity with the lowliness.
Tao is so profound and yet in invisible, It exists in everywhere and anywhere.
I don not know whose Son It is, It existed before heaven and earth."
"Tao exists in the universe like the rivers and streams that lead to the ocean."
"A person of great virtue is like the flowing water."
"Tao (The Way) that can be spoken of is not the Constant Tao
The name that can be named is not a Constant Name.
Nameless, is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The named is the Mother of all things.
Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence.
The constant being enables one to see the outward manifestations.
These two come paired from the same origin.
But when the essence is manifested,
It has a different name.
This same origin is called “The Profound Mystery.”
As profound the mystery as It can be,
It is the Gate to the essence of all life."
Meta ∙ beyond - Physics ∙ nature
Metaphysics explores the fundamental nature of reality and existence. It delves into profound questions about being, knowing, identity, time, space, and the interconnectedness of mind and body. This branch of philosophy helps address questions like, «What is real?» and «Why are we here?» by probing the underlying reasons behind our existence and the nature of the universe itself.
Metaphysics is divided into the branches ontology which focuses on the study of «being» itself, and cosmology, which examines the origins, evolution, and structure of the universe.
Major schools of thought related to metaphysics are:
Axios ∙ worthy - Logos ∙ study of
Axiology is the philosophical study of value. Also called value theory, axiology is associated with social sciences like economics, sociology, anthropology, and psychology.
Value is the worth of something, usually understood as a degree that covers both positive and negative magnitudes corresponding to the terms good and bad. Values influence many human endeavors related to emotion, decision-making, and action.
Value theorists distinguish between intrinsic and instrumental value. An entity has intrinsic value if it is good in itself, independent of external factors. Axiology is divided into the subcategories ethics (the study of moral values) and aesthetics (the study of beauty and taste). Within the field of ethics, we'll find other branches like political philosophy, in which many renowned schools of thought have grown, such as liberalism, conservatism and anarchism - but these will need their own room later in my notes.
Some schools of thought within the field of axiology are:
Episteme ∙ knowledge - Logos ∙ study of
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature, origin, and limits of knowledge. Epistemologists study the concepts of belief, truth, and justification to understand the nature of knowledge. To discover how knowledge arises, they investigate sources of justification, such as perception, introspection, memory, reason, and testimony.
Some schools of thought within epistemology are:
Logos ∙ word - Logikē tekhnē ∙ the craft of reason
One might consider logos the area of philosophy that studies the scope and nature of logic, and this would not be wrong. The term Logos is used mainly in Western philosophy, psychology and rhetoric, but also Cristianity, giving it a second, more mystical layer of interpretation. Logic is often seen as the study of the laws of thought, correct reasoning, valid inference, or logical truth.
Logic is broadly divided into categories:
From stoa poikilê - a porch in Athens decorated with mural paintings, where the very first of the philosophers we now consider stoic taught and congregated. Stoicism was founded Athens, Agora, by Zeno of Citium ca. 300 BCE.
The Stoics believed that to acchieve eudaimonia - a well-lived life, one must live a life of virtue. The four cardinal virtues - prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice — would have to be part of ones everyday life, as well as living in accordance with nature.
«Virtue is the only good» for human beings according to Stoicism. External things such as health, wealth and pleasure, are neither good or bad, but «material for virtue to act upon».
Today, stoicism is commonly known as a way of being, an attitude towards life. In stoicism, one is adviced never to be too positive, too hopeful; frankly one should expect the worst. "No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity," according to stoicism. It seems bleak, but at heart, stoics believed that this mental preparation would aid in overcoming even the most terrible of events. And if, at some point, there was no way onwards, stoics reminded themselves calmly that death awaits for every man and woman.
From greek hēdonē - pleasure. Hedonists believe that happiness or pleasure should be the chief goal in life.
Hedonism can be divided into several branches.
Outside the academic context, hedonism is a pejorative term for an egoistic lifestyle seeking short-term gratification.
Marx - from philosopher Karl Marx
Marxism is a social, economic, and political philosophy that originates with the works of German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A core idea of marxism is that the world is split into multiple classes/groups of people - the main two being the working class and the capitalist/ruling class.
Marxism has inspired many movements and fields, causing great variations in the understanding of the term.
From Tao - way, road, path or technique
Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the universe. Taoists believe in spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death.
Several practices and traditions have developed with influence of taoism, such as including forms of meditation, astrology, qigong, feng shui, and internal alchemy. Taoist practice urges self-cultivation, a deeper appreciation of the Tao, and more harmonious existence.
Relativism is the belief that there’s no absolute truth, only the truths that a particular individual or culture happen to believe. If you believe in relativism, then you think different people can have different views about what’s moral and immoral. Relativism is a family of philosophical views which deny claims to objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assessed. There are many different forms of relativism, with a great deal of variation in scope and differing degrees of controversy among them.
Buddhists believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), it is possible to escape this cycle forever. Siddhartha Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and is still known today as the Buddha. Buddhism combines both philosophical reasoning and the practice of meditation.[6] The Buddhist religion presents a multitude of Buddhist paths to liberation; with the expansion of early Buddhism from ancient India to Sri Lanka and subsequently to East Asia and Southeast Asia, Buddhist thinkers have covered topics as varied as cosmology, ethics, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, ontology, phenomenology, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of time, and soteriology in their analysis of these paths.
Positivism is a philosophical school that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positive – meaning a posteriori facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience. Other ways of knowing, such as intuition, introspection, or religious faith, are rejected or considered meaningless. The basic affirmations of positivism are that all knowledge regarding matters of fact is based on the “positive” data of experience and that beyond the realm of fact is that of pure logic and pure mathematics. Positivism is the term used to describe an approach to the study of society that relies specifically on scientific evidence, such as experiments and statistics, to reveal a true nature of how society operates.
Idealism is the metaphysical view that associates reality to ideas in the mind rather than to material objects. It lays emphasis on the mental or spiritual components of experience, and renounces the notion of material existence. Idealism in philosophy, also known as philosophical idealism or metaphysical idealism, is the set of metaphysical perspectives asserting that, most fundamentally, reality is equivalent to mind, spirit, or consciousness; that reality is entirely a mental construct; or that ideas are the highest type of reality or have the greatest claim to being considered «real». Because there are different types of idealism, it is difficult to define the term uniformly.
Realism philosophy is the view that an object or thing really exists and has certain attributes, independently of what people think about it. In other words, realism is the view that an object or thing has mind-independent reality. The viewpoint which accords to things which are known or perceived an existence or nature which is independent of whether anyone is thinking about or perceiving them.
Pragmatism is a way of dealing with problems or situations that focuses on practical approaches and solutions—ones that will work in practice, as opposed to being ideal in theory. The word pragmatism is often contrasted with the word idealism, which means based on or having high principles or ideals. Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that views language and thought as tools for prediction, problem solving, and action, rather than describing, representing, or mirroring reality. Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topics—such as the nature of knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and science—are best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes.