Philosophy today is often dismissed as mere mysticism, lumped in with crystal healing and fortune-telling—a telling reflection of our era. As philosophy fades from our personal lives and our education systems, people aren’t left with nothing to believe; rather, they’re primed to believe almost anything. Yet, not everything we’re told about the world is true.
To abandon philosophy—to stop engaging with questions and ideas that sharpen our understanding—would be to disarm ourselves and leave our less-prepared peers without defense against unfounded beliefs and empty ideas. As C.S. Lewis reminds us: “Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.”
Here, I explore philosophical ideas, examining beliefs and their impact on our daily lives. Through evaluating their validity, soundness, and reliability, I hope to reach more accurate conclusions, and ultimately, find a path to a more truthful, optimistic way of living—not just for myself, but for others.
With the advent of the internet, we are no longer living in a fragmented world. Gone are the worries of isolation and loneliness. Now more than ever, we have the ability to be brought together in ways that were previously thought impossible.
Whether you find yourself in conversations about the election, religion, or sports teams, the notion that you might not have all the answers should be an ever-present idea running through your head throughout any conversation.
Covid-19 and climate change are two hot topic issues we are dealing with in our societies at large, and both phenomena serve as potential pitfalls for the mental lives of those living today. A significant portion of people experiencing mental distress are made worse by the reality of both the pandemic and climate change. Young people in particular often find themselves engaged in catastrophic think and say things like, "it won't matter. We'll all be gone soon anyway."
Let's suppose you're curious about how you were affected by propaganda over this election cycle. In that case, you can gain a pretty decent understanding by assessing how you processed the…
The portion of that Hideous strength quoted here seems to be incredibly relevant as we are in the midst of an election. It would seem now, more than ever, people are engaged in highly partisan politics. Lewis, true to form, puts his finger on the heart of the issue. Regardless of what you believe, it is never acceptable to lean too far in any direction. You often end up falling over.