A Mindful Philosophy

(Photo by Georg Wietschorke)

Figure 8.   Together

The word ‘philosophy’ has three roots: phil-; logos-; sophy-. Phil is ‘lover of-‘[1]. Logos is word; thought, reason, speech, discourse [2]. Sophy is wisdom, knowledge [3]. In other words, philosophy is lover of thought and reason present in words giving rise to speech and communication in discovering knowledge, leading to the wisdom of choice.

Regardless of gender, race, citizenship, socio-economic strata, or belief system, humans behave according to their thinking processes. Human behaviour is a unique combination of principles plus instinct. Equanimity is attained when our decisions are based on compassion.

The study of philosophy is the science of thought processes and their conclusions. It studies epistemology: how knowledge is discovered and applied; ethics: how normative behaviour forms moral judgments which then informs beliefs and values; logic: how reasoning, critical thinking, and discourse form logical truths; metaphysics: how reality is known from rational intuition, abstract reasoning, and empirical evidence.

The philosophical process is a robust method of determining truth as defined above. Used individually it forms (or reforms) life principles that are firm, yet flexible in any given interaction between Self and others. Used collectively it can form As-Is, To-Be and Transitional statements that fund scientific efforts toward solving global problems; therefore, philosophy needs to focus its efforts in redefining the principles of: law, politics, sociology, economics, neuroscience, ecology, anthropology, botany, zoology and geoscience, toward practical resolutions of social distress.

(Photo by Mohan Reddy)

Figure 9.   Beacon

Human Solving Process

As-Is

An As-Is statement is the current state of any problem. As a process its an essential element to collating all relevant information to form a factual basis (non-reactionary) for each issue.

An example of the pendulum swinging is in the later writings of Thomas Jefferson, reflecting how they (when writing America’s founding documents), ‘imagined everything republican that was not monarchy’ [4]. Here we learn to examine solutions from all possible angles before publishing official documents that affect people’s lives and livelihoods.

To-Be

A To-Be statement is the ideal state realised when the identified problem is resolved. By default it has to be flexible to allow the process of proof to reach a different, if nuanced, conclusion. The To-Be statement is written before the Transitional. It’s the guideline for determining its goals and when it’s feasible to achieve them.

For example: As-Is determines we live in a violent society. To-Be is the state of society at peace. Transitional takes each piece of empirical evidence and maps out a logical, flexible, and compassionate process to lead us into social equanimity.

(Photo by Gábor Balázs)

Figure 5.   Eternal

Transitional

A Transitional statement delineates the long, winding road of change. It’s purpose is to propose a set of waypoints that leads us onward in this journey of discovery. It’s theme is to excavate unintended consequences as a vital part of planning.

This approach yields lasting change toward a better future for the generations that follow us. To the greatest extent possible, it plans for ‘uncertainty’ by encouraging instinct as lead generators and situational awareness antennae.

[1] H. B. Woolf, et al., eds., Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, (Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam Company, 1979), s.v. “phil.”
[2] H. B. Woolf, et al., eds., Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. “logos.”
[3] H. B. Woolf, et al., eds., Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. “sophy.”
[4] T. Jefferson, Letter to Samuel Kerchaval, (July 12, 1816), P. L. Ford, ed. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 10, (New York City, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1899), 37.