Introducing Philosophy for Everyday Life

1. Examine Your Life: Question Everything You Think You Know

The unexamined life is not worth living.

Challenge assumptions. We often live on mental autopilot, carrying beliefs and opinions acquired without conscious thought. Philosophy, following Socrates' example, urges us to persistently question these ingrained ideas, demanding justification and reflection. This process reveals the "dusty books" in our mental library – outdated or misplaced beliefs we've forgotten we adopted.

Gain control. Becoming aware of what we think and why is the first step to challenging and changing it. If we don't control our thoughts and beliefs, they control us. Philosophy is liberating because it gives us greater awareness and therefore greater control over our internal landscape, freeing us from being prisoners of our past thinking.

Improve your life. By removing errors and inconsistencies in our thinking, and discarding unjustifiable ideas, we can see the world and ourselves more clearly and accurately. Better thinking leads to better decisions, and better decisions lead to a better life. The examined life is not just an option, but an improvement, helping us navigate life's questions more effectively.

2. Master Doubt: Navigate Uncertainty Without Paralysis

Never believe what you cannot doubt.

Balance belief and doubt. In everyday life, we must find a balance between gullibility and incredulity. While systematic doubt, like Descartes' thought experiment of an evil demon, shows that almost anything can be doubted, the more practical question is when it is reasonable to doubt. Just because something is possible doesn't make it reasonable.

Suspend judgment wisely. Ancient Sceptics like Pyrrho argued that since certainty is elusive, the rational response is to suspend judgment on things we cannot be sure about. This isn't about denying everything, but about refraining from forming strong opinions based on inadequate evidence. They believed this approach reduced stress and disappointment caused by attachment to potentially incorrect beliefs.

Act on likelihood. While suspending judgment on everything would make life impossible (like Buridan's ass starving between two hay piles), Sceptics advised going with the most likely option for practical purposes. This means relying on common experience and what most people subscribe to, recognizing that while induction isn't foolproof (like the black swan), it's necessary for navigating the world.

3. Think Straight: Use Logic to Avoid Mistakes

Logic is not the knowledge of the use or construction of arguments, but rather the knowledge of discerning and judging them correctly, namely, why some are strong and others weak.

Understand truth and validity. Logic helps us think better by providing tools to evaluate arguments. Deductive logic, exemplified by the syllogism, distinguishes between truth (the content of statements) and validity (the structure of the argument). A valid argument is truth-preserving: if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true, regardless of whether the conclusion seems true on its own.

Identify fallacies. Logic helps us spot mistakes in reasoning, known as fallacies. Recognizing common fallacies allows us to avoid flawed arguments, both in our own thinking and when evaluating others' claims. Examples include:

• Ad hominem: Attacking the person making the claim, not the claim itself.
• Ad populum: Assuming something is true because many people believe it.
• Post hoc ergo propter hoc: Assuming causation simply because events occurred sequentially.
• Non sequitur: A conclusion that does not logically follow from the premises.

Improve decision-making. While logic doesn't tell us what is true, it provides a framework for evaluating how we arrive at conclusions. By thinking straight and avoiding logical errors, we improve the quality of our reasoning, which in turn supports better decision-making in everyday life. It's a skill that requires practice and constant vigilance.

4. Identity is Fluid: Understand Change in Yourself and Others

Thou art not what thou wast before What reason I should be the same?

The paradox of change. Philosophy grapples with how things can change over time yet remain the "same" thing. The Ship of Theseus paradox illustrates this: if all parts of a ship are replaced, is it still the original ship? This applies to us too; our physical cells and mental states are constantly changing. Are we the same person we were years ago?

Physical vs. personal identity. When considering personal identity, like the man who thinks he's Napoleon, we often rely on physical continuity. However, this doesn't fully capture what makes us us. Memories, consciousness, and personality also contribute to our sense of self and how others perceive our identity. The Tichborne claimant case shows how physical resemblance isn't always enough to establish identity after significant time and change.

Expect predictability (within limits). We navigate the world by assuming a degree of predictability in both nature (induction) and people. We expect others to behave consistently within certain limits. Radical, unpredictable changes in behavior, like those seen in multiple personality disorder or the fictional "pod people" in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, challenge our fundamental assumptions about identity and what constitutes "normal" consistency.

5. Recognize Persons: The Moral Weight of Who (or What) Counts

'Person' stands for a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing, in different times and places.

Distinguishing persons from humans. Philosophy often distinguishes "persons" from "human beings." This allows for the possibility that not all persons are human (e.g., intelligent aliens, AI) and not all humans are persons (e.g., fetuses, individuals in a persistent vegetative state, depending on the definition). This distinction is crucial because "person" is a morally loaded term.

Criteria for personhood. Definitions of personhood typically focus on characteristics beyond mere biological humanity. Common criteria include:

• Intelligence and rationality
• Self-consciousness or awareness
• A sense of continuing identity over time
  These criteria raise difficult questions about where to draw lines, especially regarding the very young, the severely cognitively impaired, or non-human animals that exhibit some of these traits.

Moral implications. The importance of the "person" concept lies in the moral distinction it implies. Persons are generally considered to be entitled to greater respect, consideration, and rights than non-persons. Treating a person merely as an object or a means to an end, as Kant argued, is morally wrong. Recognizing who or what counts as a person profoundly influences how we believe we ought to treat others.

6. Live by Principles: But Ensure They Are Consistent and Justifiable

It is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them.

Principles demand consistency. Acting "on principle" means having a reason for your actions, and for Kant, the highest reason is one that could be universally applied. The question "What if everyone did that?" embodies this idea. If you claim to act on a principle, you must be willing for everyone in a similar situation to do the same. This consistency is a core aspect of fairness.

Identify your principles. Many actions in everyday life are done simply as a means to an end (e.g., cycling to work for exercise). Others might be done on principle (e.g., cycling to work to reduce carbon emissions). Reflecting on why you do things helps uncover the principles you implicitly hold. This self-awareness is crucial because principles guide behavior, and unexamined principles may be guiding you in ways you wouldn't consciously endorse.

Avoid hypocrisy. Kant's insight also serves as a hypocrisy detector. If you wouldn't want something done to you, you cannot consistently claim it's acceptable to do it to others. This requires empathy – putting yourself in another's shoes. While consistency isn't the only value, a lack of it, especially when demanding others adhere to standards you don't follow, undermines integrity and fairness.

7. Embrace Freedom: Accept the Responsibility That Comes With Choice

Man is condemned to be free.

The illusion of no choice. We often say "I had no choice" to excuse actions, but this is rarely literally true. Even in dire situations, options, however unappealing, usually exist (like the Dudley and Stephens case where cannibalism was a choice, albeit horrific). Claiming "no choice" is often a way to avoid responsibility for our actions.

Freedom and responsibility are linked. As Sartre noted, freedom can be daunting because it brings responsibility. If we are free to choose, we are responsible for the outcomes of those choices. Hiding from responsibility means hiding from our own freedom, effectively making ourselves prisoners of circumstance or perceived necessity.

Responsibility is complex. While we readily claim responsibility for successes, we often shy away from blame for failures. However, determining responsibility and blame is not always straightforward. Factors like provocation, self-defense, or diminished capacity can complicate judgments. Ultimately, embracing freedom means accepting responsibility, both for the good and the bad, recognizing that our choices shape who we are.

8. Your Reality is Unique: Understand How Perception Shapes Your World

Reality is what I see, not what you see.

Shared vs. personal reality. While we share a physical world governed by laws like gravity, our experience of reality is deeply personal and shaped by social conventions and individual history. Social reality is an agreed-upon reality (like driving on a certain side of the road), learned through culture and enforced formally (laws) or informally (etiquette).

Interpretation is key. Beyond shared conventions, our personal reality is filtered through our unique experiences, upbringing, biases, and values. We constantly interpret what our senses perceive, translating raw data into our understanding of the world. This is why different people can interpret the same event or object (like a flag) in vastly different ways.

Misunderstandings are common. Assuming others perceive and interpret things exactly as we do is a major source of misunderstanding. Awareness that others live in their own realities, shaped by different histories and perspectives, is crucial for navigating interpersonal interactions. Recognizing that our own filters influence what we see allows us to question our interpretations and be more open to different viewpoints.

9. Question Value: Not Everything Should Be Bought or Sold

Money can’t buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy.

Commodities and their limits. Everyday life involves buying and selling, treating things as commodities whose value can be exchanged, often for money. However, societies draw lines on what is permissible to commodify. While we accept selling houses, most agree selling people (slavery) is wrong. The question is where to draw this line and why.

Why some things aren't commodities. Some things are arguably not commodities because they cannot be produced or acquired through exchange (like genuine friendship or love). Others, even if they can be bought or sold, are widely believed should not be* because they are considered necessities or possess intrinsic value that shouldn't be subject to market forces.

• Necessities: Air, water, healthcare, housing.
• Intrinsic value: Human life, dignity, perhaps certain cultural items.

Unexamined judgments. We often treat things as commodities out of habit or convention without reflecting on why. Becoming aware of these implicit judgments is part of the examined life. Every purchase or sale reflects a belief about what is permissible to exchange. Questioning these beliefs reveals underlying values and helps us decide if our actions align with what we truly believe should or should not be for sale.

10. Mind Your Language: Words Shape Thought and Can Deceive

What can be said at all can be said clearly.

Language traps. Philosophy, particularly in the 20th century, highlighted how language can mislead us. Questions that seem meaningful might be nonsensical ("When did democracy get married?"). Questions that seem clear might be ambiguous, hiding multiple interpretations ("Is democracy the best form of government?"). Unclear language hinders clear thinking.

Clarity is key. Wittgenstein and others argued that philosophical problems often arise from linguistic confusion. Clarifying the meaning of words and questions is essential before attempting to answer them. If a question cannot be made clear, it may not be a real question worth pursuing.

Language influences perception. Beyond simple clarity, language shapes our thought and can be used to manipulate. Orwell's Newspeak in Nineteen Eighty-Four illustrates how limiting language can limit thought. Political language and advertising often use loaded terms or indirect suggestions to influence our judgments and actions without conscious awareness. Becoming aware of how language is used to persuade or manipulate is crucial for thinking for ourselves and resisting undue influence.

11. Face the Final Frontier: Death Demands Our Attention in Life

It’s not that I’m afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.

Death is unavoidable, but uncertain. Death is a certainty we all face, yet it remains a great unknown. Different cultures and philosophies offer various ways of understanding and coping with it. While some believe in an afterlife, others, like Epicurus and Wittgenstein, argue that death is simply the end of existence and therefore nothing to be feared, as we won't be present to experience it.

Views on death vary. Beliefs about death are deeply personal and culturally influenced.

• Some see it as the end of consciousness.
• Some believe in an afterlife or reincarnation.
• Cultural conventions around death (mourning rituals, burial vs. cremation) vary widely and are often held with strong conviction.

Death in everyday life. We encounter death through loss, illness, and our own mortality. Reflecting on death, while potentially morbid, can also provide perspective on how we choose to live. Considering our own mortality, or even imagining immortality, can highlight what we value and how we prioritize our time and actions in the present.

12. Learn from Experience: Knowledge is Tested by Its Consequences

Whenever a dispute is serious, we ought to be able to show some practical difference that must follow from one side or the other being right.

Pragmatism's test. Pragmatism, associated with thinkers like William James, proposes that the meaning and truth of ideas lie in their practical consequences. If two different beliefs or theories have no discernible practical difference in how we experience or interact with the world, then the distinction between them is meaningless or irrelevant for practical purposes. Knowledge is valuable because it works.

The 3 Rs of learning. We gain knowledge and improve our lives through a process of trial and error, which can be summarized as Reflect, Refine, Repeat.

• Reflect: Analyze what happened, especially what went wrong or could be better.
• Refine: Devise changes or adjustments based on reflection.
• Repeat: Test the refined approach through action.
  This iterative process allows us to learn from mistakes and improve our strategies for navigating life's challenges.

Knowing the goal. The trial-and-error process is effective when we know what success or failure looks like (e.g., finding the quickest route to work). However, many aspects of life lack clear, agreed-upon goals. If we don't know where we're trying to go, it's impossible to know if we're on the right path or if a mistake has occurred. Recognizing what constitutes an "error" is fundamental to learning and making progress.

Last updated: May 23, 2025