THE PRACTICAL EFFECT OF PHILOSOPHY
I first adopted my philosophical convictions because I judged them as true, but I got into philosophy in the first place because I struggled to understand how to orient myself in the world; for example, I struggled to answer questions such as how to treat myself and others, what to aim for and how to pursue my aims, why do I feel what I feel and what does it mean, what to protect and what to fight against, etc. In other words, I sought clarity when I was at a level akin to the level of an intelligent newborn, and the lack of this clarity was painful confusion, debilitating overthinking, oversensitivity toward others’ actions and words (since I struggled to differentiate between what was important and unimportant in human interactions), despair about the future, etc. The remedy for such a state of existence was a valid metaphysics and epistemology.
But beyond this level, what was the practical effect of philosophy on my life? Firstly, it laid solid foundations for hope. How? Due to my metaphysics, I regarded existence as primary and its laws absolute, and due to my epistemology, I regarded sense-perception and reason as valid and capable of knowing reality. Thus, I regarded reality as not subject to the whims of some consciousness or as an ocean of chaos but as logical and knowable and thus capable of being dealt with by us to achieve rational ends. Of course, I recognised the fact that much of reality is unknown and beyond our control, but it is also true that much is known and in our control and worth doing something about.
Secondly, it laid solid foundations for serenity. How? If existence exists independent of consciousness, then wishes cannot be held over and above the facts, and existence cannot be regarded as malicious or benevolent. Facts are facts, to be accepted before being evaluated, and to be evaluated by the standards of reality and not of fantasy. Thus, I was eventually able to tackle hardship, loss and misfortune with much more serenity, thus able to think rationally and not lose myself in irrational anxiety or panic.
Thirdly, it laid the basis for respecting the rationality and autonomy of other people, and by extension, it laid the basis for just, honest and mutually beneficial relationships. How? Recognising the basic facts of human consciousness and recognising the irreplaceable value of a human being showed why and how a human being must be valued. Justice, honesty and mutual self-interest are conclusions drawn by applying these facts in the context of an egoistic ethics, as can be seen here: Values and Virtues from Ethics.
Importantly, an egoistic ethics grounded firmly in the value of one’s own volitional existence laid the basis for long-range value-orientation, i.e. caring about one’s existence in a broader context, leading to a desire for purpose and productive ambition. In my own life, I have seen the drastic shift in my approach toward my own future before and after adopting my current ethics, moving from a listless and passive existence to a hopeful and active pursuit of value. There were ups and downs, but by and large, this has been my orientation overall, helping me overcome despair, pessimism and callousness.
Apart from the above, I have used my philosophical premises to overcome detrimental states such as evasiveness, envy, shame, indecisiveness and overload (cognitive and motivational). In particular, due to my philosophical convictions, I have overcome evasion, which was crucial in me overcoming detrimental escapist behaviour, and moral and practical responsibilities. My writings on all these are listed below: