Philosophy - Quotes

Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open. - Ludwig Wittgenstein

For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you. - Neil DrGrasse Tyson

Philosophy Of LIfe

Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on. It is this philosophy by which we measure out our days, and by which we advertise to all about us the man, or woman, that we are. . . . It takes but a brief time to scent the life philosophy of anyone. It is defined in the conversation, in the look of the eye, and in the general mien of the person. It has no hiding place. It’s like the perfume of the flower – unseen, but known almost instantly. It is the possession of the successful, and the happy. - George Matthew Adams

Your philosophy of life is your general outlook on life and its problems, especially when that outlook gives character and direction to your thoughts, and becomes the chief impetus of your actions. - Unknown 

The Unknown Philosopher

Individual Thought 

Basically, we are individuals with distinct differences. Each of us custom builds the real world by our personal thinking. But our personal thoughts must be full ones. They must be the consequence of our mental capacity. They must not be the stereotyped, thoughtlessly accepted notions of others. If our thoughts do not spring from our own reason and judgment, we are eventually frustrated. We become slaves to inadequate explanations of the mysteries of life. We fail to draw deeply from the well of happiness and personal peace within. 

It is necessary to draw into ourselves, into our thought processes and the experiences of life for personal mental digestion. We must subject all our experiences to an intimate understanding. We must analyse and question the conventional explanations that are offered for our experiences. It is not so important what the opinions and dictum of this or that celebrated person may be. Rather, what do you think? After all, you live, you act, by your own thoughts. You stand or fall because of them. Uniform mass thought is ineffective, for we are a world of individuals. If we want to live as part of a mental herd, we then forfeit what ever advantages our individuality could provide. 

There is much reference today to the conclusions of so-called experts. For many persons, these experts and their statements have become mere hitching-posts for their personal perplexities. In other words, they become substitutes for the mental effort which the individual should make in arriving at a personal answer. In fact, the individual’s own answer would in many instances be more satisfactory than the conclusions of certain experts. 

The organization of one’s thoughts into a personal philosophy does not require a uniform and formal beginning. There are no specific ideas or notions with which the chain of personal thought must begin. To use a homely analogy, every home has one window that reveals a better view of the surroundings than others. But the favourite window is not on the same side of every home. So too, the best outlook on your experiences does not start with the same mental viewpoint that others have. 

Find within yourself the most convincing explanation of that which engages your attention. These personal thoughts will then gradually assume an order of usefulness to you. This personally satisfying arrangement of your intimate knowledge and comprehension constitutes your philosophy. Take a few random thoughts and consider them. Accept them only if they find response in you. At least these thoughts may be a stimulus that arouses more gratifying personal notions. 

In considering the subject of life, we find that there are two ways we can look upon it. One is the biological, which asserts that we are physio-chemical organisms. We are impregnated with a mysterious energy for which science still searches. Religion, philosophy, and metaphysics have given many conflicting names to this same mysterious element. In the physical sense, we human beings are not unique. In the fact of living, we share a state common to all animate things. We compete in the essence of life with all else that lives. Humans have no particular distinction in the fact of earthly living. 

Experience 

The other way to look upon life is in terms of experience. But what is experience? It is a circle of existence. We do not exist until we know, and know that we know. It matters not that we may exist to some other intelligent beings who realize us. Until we have self-realization, we do not exist to ourselves. Further, until we are to ourselves, nothing else exists to us. Only by making comparison between our self and that which is not self do we realize the world and the cosmos. True life, then is not just a matter of survival. Rather, it is an extension of our consciousness, of reflection upon as much of reality as possible. It is not that you live, but what life can mean to you that is important. 

Almost all religions advocate that this life is a mere preparation for immortality. They consider this life as a test of our qualifications for an eventual intimate relationship with God, or the deity. Actually, as living self-conscious beings, we are always looking out upon eternity. Here and now you are constantly experiencing examples of the First Cause – call it God, if you will. Every form of nature, every object, is of the universal spectrum of energies. Everything has an affinity with the fundamental structure of all else in the cosmos. If, therefore, all particles are of the universal causative Mind, then each conscious moment you look upon them, you are viewing God in this life. 

What is Happiness? 

Let us now consider happiness. For most people, happiness is the mad pursuit of their existence. Yet they are not certain as to its nature. All happiness is pleasure. But as the ancient Greek philosophers knew, pleasure is of two kinds. One is negative, the other positive. Negative pleasures only follow the cessation of aggravation, annoyance, or pain. Negative pleasure is like scratching an itch. One must first have the itch before he can experience the pleasure that comes from scratching. When the itch disappears, so does the pleasure. Many people think of happiness in just this negative sense. Pleasure to them is nothing more than a diminishing of responsibility and duties which invites a state of ultimate idleness. 

Positive pleasures do not require the removal of some condition before they can be enjoyed. Rather, the positive pleasure is sought in itself. Consequently, such pleasures are more enduring and bring a true happiness. A positive pleasure is the search for beauty – the harmony of our senses, all that is beautiful to see, hear, or feel in nature. This beauty is not found in accumulation of things. The accumulation of things, as we all come to know, brings in its wake responsibility, anxiety, and confusion. The beauty that brings happiness may be sought within ourselves. It is the act of giving expression to our moral impulses and our creative urges, as well as trying to fashion a personal world that will conform with our feelings of spiritual righteousness. That is why some simple and humble lives, in terms of worldly living, have been the happiest. 

Wealth should not be the thing that is sought in itself. No one ever becomes wealthy by seeking wealth. One must first distinguish himself in some service, some art, before he can demand a material reward. Wealth is the abundance of some possession. However, you cannot find abundance. Abundance is not a thing. First we must excel in something, which in turn brings abundance. Furthermore, abundance has no value except as it is applied to some end. Thus wealth is only potential power. It is neither good nor evil except in the manner in which it is applied. 

Fame also is a secondary state, not a primary one. Fame cannot be pursued in itself. Figuratively, fame is the laurel wreath that crowns a distinction which precedes it. To be famous, one must first attain merit in some activity. Likewise, a person cannot first strive to be successful. He can only work toward the satisfying culmination of some enterprise. If he realizes his goal, success comes to him. We never find success – we only attract it by what we do. 

The Cosmic 

Now let us give thought to another subject. We frequently speak of our relation to the Cosmic. How much certainty have we within ourselves about that to which we refer? In other words, just what do we mean by the word, Cosmic, both metaphysically and mystically? We must realize that the Cosmic has no determinative qualities nor does it exist in time and space. The Cosmic has no beginning and can have no end. The universe is infinite, for the finite has an extremity which can only be observed against something else, which is impossible in the case of the universe. 

We contend, then, that the Cosmic is not a thing, nor is it a place. There are two ways in which we can conceive the Cosmic. One way is to think of it as the sum total of all phenomena, the totality of what we call natural law. It is immaterial whether that law manifests in distant galaxies millions of light-years away, or within the particle of an atom or within man. This point of view may be termed the naturalistic or scientific. 

We may also think of the Cosmic as Supreme Mind. This mind functions as universal energy, creative source of all reality. We know that human thought is energy, yet human thought is composed of various ideas which have different realities to the consciousness. So, too, the ideas – if we wish to use that term – of the Universal Mind would manifest as all the particulars, all of the objects of which the Cosmic consists. Thus every creation, no matter what it is, is a conscious part of the universal intelligence. This notion is consistent with the God idea, that is, with the belief that a teleological cause is inherent in the Cosmic. It is also consistent with the scientific theory of an unified field of forces which are isotropic, that is, existing everywhere in the universe and accounting for all phenomena. 

This second conception of Cosmic Mind may be termed mystical pantheism. It places God, the Universal Intelligence, within all things. We look to no one place for the Divine. It exists everywhere about us as the spirit or power by which each thing exists. Whatever we do is cosmic in part. 

We, too, are of this Cosmic Essence and we are closer in perception and apperception to ourselves, to this Cosmic Essence, than to anything else. Consequently, cosmic union is best attained by turning to realizing the depths of our own consciousness. This introversion of consciousness, this turning within to experience an intimate relation with the Absolute, is pure mysticism. The Cosmic, therefore, is a synthesis of all that we call order, law, or manifestation. The more that we understand ourselves, the more insight we have into the Cosmic. The more we study other manifestations of the Cosmic through philosophy and science, the more we come to appreciate our own nature and existence. 

Philosophy is a painting of our personal picture of reality. It is one in which we will find intimate satisfaction. Like abstract art, our picture may mean nothing to the outside spectator, but it will have an inner expression and conviction to the artist himself. 

- Source Unknown 

Who Am I

The question of personal identity, in the deepest sense, is one of the most crucial to answer, and one of the most difficult questions that human beings can take on. 

We grow up hearing from other people how they think we are. But we must each engage in a process for ourselves that is one part discovery, one part invention. Some of these question is engage by taking on the big metaphysical questions – having to do with the objectivity of morality, the reality of freedom, the existence of the mind, our attitudes toward death and questions about life after death, and meaning. How you react to these issues constitutes a deep part of who you are. But another part of the identity question is broached only when we face the practical issues concerning success in this world, in our daily lives.

What are your talents? What are you values? What do you really, most deeply care about? What is your mission in life? What legacy would you most want to leave the world?

These are questions of self-knowledge. And it’s only rarely that they can all be answered early in life. We grow in our understanding of the questions, and in our vision of their answers, as we live and experiment with different possible paths. Life is supposed to be a series of adventures – adventures of self-knowledge and self-creation. As we explore the outer world, we form and learn more about our own inner worlds.

“Who am I?” is less a question to answer than it is one to live with and use. It should always be connected up with another question: “What am I becoming?” In the end, each of us is responsible for what we do with the talents and opportunities that we are given. Each of us has the chance to do things that will make a positive difference in the world and that will express well who we are. But to accomplish this, we must use the freedom that we have to find our own way forward in life. Benefiting from the wisest counsel we can find, each of us has the responsibility to develop our own wisdom and put it into action. Only the process itself will finally answer the question of who we are.

- Tom Morris - 

Can we Ever Really know anything?

Being capable of some knowledge, we can know much more than logical trivialities. And we can know beyond the reach of proof – which is in itself, something well worth knowing.

We know plenty of things about the matters of daily life. We know how we like to be treated. We know that our time is an extremely limited commodity. We know what it feels like to be busy. We know what it feels like to suffer. Philosophy is the attempt to build on those ordinary things that we all realize we know and to come to some extraordinary conclusions about fundamental issues that we don’t usually contemplate in the frantic rush of daily life.

Knowledge doesn’t require universal agreement. It doesn’t even require that everyone I respect should agree with me. Sometimes you or I can be privy to a fact or an inkling of truth that is not universally recognized. A lack of clear-sightedness or perspective on anyone else’s part, though, can never undermine the ability that you have to attain real knowledge by your own means.

In fact the existence of disagreement between ourselves and others is something that can spur us on to further knowledge. If we are open-minded enough to learn from it what is there to be learned. And then we increase our knowledge.

- Tom Morris - 

When someone opposes me, he arouses my attention, not my anger. I go to meet a man who contradicts me, who instructs me. The cause of truth should be the common cause for both. - Montaigne 

Is Philosophy Practical?

For whose who wonder about the role of Philosophy, the following is adapted from Tom Morris' answer in "Philosphy For Dummies".

What is it for something to be practical? Something is practical if it helps you to realize your goals. If your goals include knowing who you really are, what life in this world is all about, and what’s ultimately important, then philosophy is eminently practical. 

The greatest philosophers always seek to understand life. They want to attain the deepest perspective they can about this world and about another world that may exist. They take nothing for granted but question and probe in search of illumination, insight, and what some call ‘enlightenment.’

Philosophers want to understand the context within which we live and move and exist. They ponder the most important things in life. They tackle head on some of those most fundamental issues that we too often dance around and never really address.

What illusions are you living under right now? What things do you value that really lack the importance you attribute to them? What could you be ignoring that is really of true value? What assumptions are you making about your life that may be based on appearances and not realities? Most people are chained down by all sorts of illusions. It is the goal of philosophy, to help us all break those chains.

Can philosophers argue endlessly over ultimate issues? Sure. But that doesn’t mean that there are no answers or that the answers don’t matter. There is wisdom to be had in life even where strict proof is not available. And philosophy is the search for the wisdom.

In their look at the great philosophical questions, philosophers ask basic and probing questions about what it is to be a human being in this world, what life is all about, and how we can live in the most satisfying ways. 

However, in philosophy, ultimately, there are no authoritative experts. Consult your intuitions. Philosophy is, at its best, a passionate commitment to pursuing and embracing the most fundamental truths and insightful perspectives about life.

Drinking Tea

The video is a bit long but a good lesson on Life

A Shadow of the Light

It has been written that, “A glass of wine once lost a kingdom; a nail turned the tide of a mighty battle, and a woman’s smile once destroyed the homes of a million people.” So It happens that little things have at times changed the course of human events. And a legend also relates that the untiring determination of a tiny spider spinning a web in an old barn gave Robert Bruce of Scotland renewed courage to return to battle and thus succeed in his mission.

But the majority of us are not marked for such historical destinies and the role we play upon the stage of life may make little impression upon the tides of a nation’s progress. Yet who can say how much the little things we do today may deeply affect the tomorrow of someone we may never know?

Greatness does not always mean fame, wealth, or power. Greatness requires more than these trappings. It is that subtle something in the innermost recesses of the self which glows like a ray from an invisible candle shedding the light of illumination into the dark night, and leaving in its wake an unforgettable essence only the heart can comprehend.

- Merle A Allison 

My Philosophy Of Life

Here’s a summary of my philosophy of life.

Life is transient. We were born, live a number of years, and we die. In between we do the best we can with what we have got. 

Life can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. 

I believe life is all about cause and effect. Things don’t happen on its own. 

Sometimes, we make waves; sometimes, we ride the waves; and sometimes we go with the flow of the currents.

There is no certainty or security in life. The only certainty in life is change and death. Nothing remains the same for long. And where there is birth, there is death. 

There is no absolute right or wrong, good or bad. Everything depends on our perception and understanding of the issues at hand. So don’t be too rigid in your thinking. Keep an open mind.

Think, analyse, reason, rationalise. Use your logic and common sense. If logic and common sense tells you that something is not right, then that thing is most probably not right. 

Don’t judge. Everyone one of us has problems of our own. We don’t know what battles the other person is fighting. Besides, we are all different. We do things differently. And we have our reasons for doing the things we did.

Be humble, be nice, be kind, be forgiving of people. And most of all, love and be kind to yourself. We all need a break now and then, and we should give ourselves a break too.

Sometimes we win, sometimes we loose. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail. But that is not important. What is important is that we did our best and we enjoyed the game, or the challenge. Failure and success are not permanent. We may win the next time round. 

Be patient. Sometimes things take a little longer than expected – whether it is receiving good tidings, or for your woes to go away. A time for everything. Let nature takes its course.

Acquire knowledge and wisdom. Read deeply, listen attentively, observe closely. Knowledge and wisdom will help you understand the world you live in – and yourself.

Take things easy. Be happy. Laugh and have fun. Enjoy life. A little forbearance, a little understanding, a little humour and surely you will enjoy a happy and fulfilled life.

So, there you are – my philosophy of life – the basics of it anyway. What do you think?

Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open. - Ludwig Wittgenstein

What is Philosophy

I was a philosopher before I even knew what the word means, or what philosophy is all about. I remember having so many questions about life but no answers. In that respect, I suppose we are all philosophers at some point in our life as I am sure you asked a few questions of your own – questions pertaining to life, death, our role in this existence etc.

As we grew older, we accept that there are some questions which have no answers, and there are questions that can be answered only partially. So we stop questioning, and we accept it as part and parcel of life. However, for some, the questions remained and the desire to seek the answers are stronger. I am one of them. 

Recently, in passing conversation with a friend, the topic of philosophy was brought up, and it was then that I found out that the spiritual, and mystical aspects of life which I thought are separate entities are actually part of philosophy. 

So, what is philosophy anyway?

According to Tom Morris, philosopher and author of ‘Philosophy for Dummies’, - “Philosophy is, at its best, a passionate commitment to pursuing and embracing the most fundamental truths and insightful perspectives about life.”

              Philosophers seek to understand life. They want to attain the deepest perspective they can about this world and about another world that may exist. They question and probe - in search of illumination, insight, and what some call ‘enlightenment.’ 

              We all want to understand the context within which we live and move and exist. In our look at the great philosophical questions, we will allow ourselves to ask basic and probing questions about what it is to be a human being in this world, what life is all about, and how we can live in the most satisfying ways. 

              We tackle head on some of those most fundamental issues that we too often dance around and never really address.”

So, let the contemplation of life begin! Let there be enlightenment! And here are a couple of questions/issues to start you on –

What is the meaning of life? What is happiness?

I have actually covered these 2 topics in my earlier posts when I thought those questions were more spiritual than philosophical. As I understand it now, spiritual is but a part of philosophy. Anyway, if you want to refer to the articles, or to read them again, look under Life, Happiness on the labels on the right hand side of the page.

Philosophy is the love of wisdom and the endeavour to attain it. - Seneca 

The Philososphy Of Life

There are many aspects of life. The more noted and familiar ones are the temporal (worldly), religious, spiritual, philosophical, mystical, holistic …… aspects. 

I am more interested in the philosophical side of life which encompass the spiritual (not to be mistaken as religious), as well as the mystical aspects. I have always wondered what life is all about – always felt that there’s more to life than meets the eye. The way I see it, we are but a minute existence of this Universe. We are but a very small part in the scheme / nature of things. It has always been my desire to learn more about life, about nature, about the cosmic, and about my place in nature’s scheme of things.

I tried looking for answers in religion, and I realized that the answers can never be found there. However, I found Buddhism, which to me is more of a philosophy of life than a religion. Buddhism has answered some of my questions and helped in my outlook of life. I think my life is richer because of Buddhism.

I don’t know if I will ever find the answers I am looking for, but I intend to make the pursuit my hobby/past-time/interest for life. This may not be a hot topic with most people but for those who are interested or curious, look out for this space on Mondays. And If you have something to contribute feel free to drop me a line.

The object of studying philosophy is to know one’s own mind, not other people’s. - William Ralph Inge