What does philosophy mean to you? Do you have an overarching one? How much does it really matter?

Since time immemorial, and at least since Plato, Aristotle and the ancient Greeks, some people among us have always found the time to ponder the imponderable.

The word philosophia literally means ‘love of wisdom’ in ancient Greek. It’s a general and systematic study of the big questions about existence, value, knowledge, and consciousness. You might say it’s how we get a handle on ourselves, our world, and our place in the universe.

Some folks might say that philosophy is a luxury. If you’re scrambling around the bottom of Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs fighting for food, shelter, and basic survival, the idea of understanding your place in the universe may not seem like a priority.

But when times are tough, understanding how to be stoic might give you the grit to climb up out of your situation.

Throughout our history, philosophy has bumped up against science and had to adapt accordingly. It certainly was a simpler worldview when we believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and that the creator had brought it all into existence in the space of a week just a few thousand years ago with a snap of his fingers.

Smart folks like Copernicus, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin, played a huge role in throwing sand in the theological gears. Philosophers had no choice but to adapt accordingly.

Philosophy has been a hot topic around here recently because we just completed another one of our tandem reading adventures. As avid narrative fiction enthusiasts with different native languages, we often like to read the same book at the same time in both English and French and compare notes as we go along.

The book Sophie’s World by the Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder has lingered at the bottom of our reading list for some years now and we finally got around to it. The tale of a teenage protagonist’s encounters with a mysterious philosophy teacher is tricky to unravel, but it has the benefit of being a tour of philosophies from Plato to Sartre.

Which brings me to our present moment. Throughout history we’ve had to share the planet with folks who exhibit cruelty and a lack of empathy — all too often they’ve been in power. Does a person’s professed philosophy matter when their moral compass is so out of whack?

You probably lean towards compassion, much as I endeavor to do. If your orientation is towards kindness and away from cruelty, your very existence makes the world a better place. Philosophy is abstract, actions are concrete. Call it what you will, the dance you do in your daily life becomes the model for those around you to emulate.

Taking the high road is not always easy. Resisting negativity, narcissism, or nihilism takes considerable effort. But if you want to live with yourself in peace it’s the only philosophy worth having. We create a better world together, one kind action at a time.

Much love till next Monday!

Merci et à bientôt!

M+

ML #656

Mark Metz
Monday Love Movement Calendar