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After all, Philosophy Has Freed Myself from Doing Philosophy

  • Zac
  • Sep 16, 2015
  • 4 min read

Philosophy is not for everyone. It is for those who are unsatisfied with what they already know, for those who have the highest degree of doubt towards everything that was said to be true, for those who trust no one except their own reasons and logic. It is for those who wonder and value true knowledge the highest.

After all, philosophy has freed myself from doing philosophy. Philosophy does not matter to everyone's daily life. It comes from life, but it is not life itself. Do not confuse reading philosophy with doing philosophy. It is like people using mathematic equation is different from developing your own equation. Math has a lot in common with philosophy. They both try to explain and describe things in life, yet in an abstract sense that they seem to be so very distant from normal people's life. Surely, everyone knows two and three added together make five, or say everyone knows simple math is beneficial to daily life. However, when it comes to concept like all three angles in a triangle are equal to two right angles, it becomes much more abstract and does not seem to have any relation to daily life.

Philosophy seem to be on a different dimension of Math. While Math can be described as a language that lead us to higher truth, Philosophy is a way of thinking, an activity as a result of the desire to know about ourselves, the world we live in, and our relationships to the world. However, the sense of similarity between the two disciplines philosophy brought me is very strong recently, even though I know nothing about Math.

Philosophy is not for everyone, as well as Mathematics. However, everyone has philosophical understandings and mathematics knowledge. Simply knowing is not the same as doing. Let's not be confused about that. I no longer have the urge to fuse daily life and philosophy together, or the impulse to promote philosophy in others, because although everyone has their own philosophy (more or less), it is not the same as me doing philosophy. After all, philosophy has freed myself from doing philosophy.

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繁體中文

哲學,並不是所有人都能明白。哲學是屬於那些不滿足於自己已知的事情的人;是屬於那些對知識(即使是所謂的真理)有極端的懷疑的人;是屬於那些不相信任何人除了自己的理性和邏輯的人。哲學是屬於那些有好奇心的,真理至高的人。

終究,做哲學的過程將我從哲學裡釋放了出來。哲學對一般人的日常生活並不重要。哲學源於生活高於生活,但是並不是生活本身。不要混淆讀哲學和做哲學,就好像一般人用數學方程解題和建立自己一套的數學方程是兩件不同的事。數學和哲學有太多共通。它們同樣都嘗試理解和描述生命裡的事物,然而它們抽象的概念似乎和一般人的生活相距甚遠。當然,所有人都知道二加三等於五,或者說所有人都知道簡單的數學對生活很有幫助。但是,當這些概念變得更加抽象的時候,比如說三角形的三個角加起來等於兩個直角的和(180度),這似乎就脫離了日常的生活了。

哲學和數學似乎是處於不同的空間領域。數學可以被形容為一種帶領人走向真理的語言,而哲學則是一種思維的方式、一種思想活動,因為做哲學的人想了解自己、了解世界和我們與這個世界的關係。然而最近,哲學給我的感覺就是哲學和數學有著很大的共通,儘管我不擅長於數學。

哲學,並不是所有人都能明白,數學也一樣。雖然每個人都有自己的一套人生哲學和數學知識,但是知道並不同於親身獨立地做,不要混淆這兩點。我已不再有融合生活和哲學的強烈意願,或者是向其他人推揚哲學的衝動,因為儘管所有人或多或少地有自己一套的哲學,並不代表所有人也像我一樣獨立地做著哲學。讓哲學回歸它抽象的本質,這才是哲學的魅力,就和數學一樣。終究,做哲學的過程將我從哲學裡釋放了出來。

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简体中文

哲学,并不是所有人都能明白。哲学是属于那些不满足於自己已知的事情的人;是属于那些对知识(即使是所谓的真理)有极端的怀疑的人;是属于那些不相信任何人除了自己的理性和逻辑的人。哲学是属于那些有好奇心的,真理至高的人。

终究,做哲学的过程将我从哲学里释放了出来。哲学对一般人的日常生活并不重要。哲学源于生活高于生活,但是并不是生活本身。不要混淆读哲学和做哲学,就好像一般人用数学方程解题和建立自己一套的数学方程是两件不同的事。数学和哲学有太多共通。它们同样都尝试理解和描述生命里的事物,然而它们抽象的概念似乎和一般人的生活相距甚远。当然,所有人都知道二加三等于五,或者说所有人都知道简单的数学对生活很有帮助。但是,当这些概念变得更加抽象的时候,比如说三角形的三个角加起来等于两个直角的和(180度),这似乎就脱离了日常的生活了。

哲学和数学似乎是处於不同的空间领域。数学可以被形容为一种带领人走向真理的语言,而哲学则是一种思维的方式、一种思想活动,做哲学的人想了解自己、了解世界和我们与这个世界的关系。然而最近,哲学给我的感觉就是哲学和数学有著很大的共通,尽管我不擅长于数学。

哲学,并不是所有人都能明白,数学也一样。虽然每个人都有自己的一套人生哲学和数学知识,但是知道并不同于亲身独立地做,不要混淆这两点。我已不再有融合生活和哲学的强烈意愿,或者是向其他人推扬哲学的冲动,因为尽管所有人或多或少地有自己一套的哲学,并不代表所有人也像我一样独立地做着哲学。让哲学回归它抽象的本质,这才是哲学的魅力,就和数学一样。终究,做哲学的过程将我从哲学里释放了出来。

 
 
 

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