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