This is Philosophy

Philosophy is more than abstract thinking. It shapes how we view ourselves, others, and the world. When you become genuine with yourself and those you meet, earning respect takes time. Yet, the respect you gain is authentic and enduring, not just surface-level.

Understanding Belief and Choice

Humans have a unique ability to believe. This capacity drives philosophical thinking and personal growth. You can choose your philosophy and decide what guides your life.

Choosing What to Believe

• You can believe in myths and legends, relying on stories passed down through generations.
• You can choose to focus on ‘what is’—the observable reality around you.

Believing in reality is challenging enough. It requires honesty and courage to let go of comforting stories and face the world as it is.

Practical Steps for Living Philosophically

1. Start by observing ‘what is’—what exists right now.
2. Decide what you truly want in life.
3. Check if what you want exists or if it can be created.
4. Make a decision: Can you achieve it? If so, commit to it.
5. Take action and pursue your goal.

Example: If you want to build a career in art, first look at the current possibilities, decide what kind of art career you want, find out if it exists or how you might create it, and then take steps toward that goal.

Ethics: The Human-Made Guide

Ethics is a concept created by humans to guide behavior. What is considered ethical varies across cultures, locations, and individuals. What one society values as ethical, another may see as unethical.

Subjectivity of Ethics

Context	Ethical Example	Unethical Example
Country A	Freedom of speech	Censorship
Country B	Community harmony	Public dissent

Ethics often lives in the realm of myths and legends, shaped by stories and beliefs. Ultimately, you are free to choose your actions. The main constraints are the laws of nature and the actions of others.

Rights: Defending Your Life

At the core of human rights is the right to your own life. This is the fundamental right worth protecting.

Understanding Rights

• If someone restricts your right to life, they are violating your freedom.
• If they believe in protecting their own life while violating yours, they contradict themselves.
• If you do not believe your life is worth defending, this right may not hold meaning for you.

Case Study: Consider a society where freedom of expression is protected. When authorities try to suppress it, citizens protest, defending their fundamental right to life and liberty.

Politics: Managing Force in Society

Politics is the study and application of force within a group. It exists because humans naturally form communities, or herds, and need systems to manage interactions and resolve conflicts.

Functions of Politics

• Constraining harmful behaviors to protect community members
• Creating laws and systems to maintain order
• Shielding individuals from those who would violate their rights

However, politics can also be imposed on people, sometimes against their will. It is important to remain aware of how political systems influence your life and choices.

Aesthetics: Exploring Change

Aesthetics is the study of beauty, art, and sensory experiences. It is also about understanding how things change and evolve.

Key Questions in Aesthetics

• What can be changed in what we see, hear, or feel?
• How do our environments and cultures shape our sense of beauty?
• What creative possibilities exist?

Example: The evolution of music styles over decades shows how aesthetics reflect social changes and new possibilities.

Metaphysics: Investigating Existence

Metaphysics explores what exists and what is possible. It asks, “What is real?” and “What can be done?”

Core Ideas of Metaphysics

• What exists, exists.
• What can be done, can be done.
• The only real limit is time.

Since time itself is a concept, metaphysics reminds us to question the nature of even our most basic assumptions.

Epistemology: Understanding Knowledge

Epistemology is the study of knowledge—how we know what we know. It challenges us to distinguish between reality and belief.

Principles of Epistemology

• Everything is a myth or legend until it is proven.
• Subjective experiences are opinions, not objective facts.
• Opinion alone is not reality.

Example: Scientific discoveries often begin as theories or beliefs. Only through testing and evidence do they become accepted knowledge.

Philosophy: Putting It All Together

This is philosophy—a way of living and thinking that starts with facing reality and making choices. It involves ethics, rights, politics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology. All these branches help you understand yourself and the world.

Next Steps

• Ask yourself: What is real for me?
• Decide: What do I want to do with what I know?
• Act: Take steps to live according to your chosen philosophy.

The journey begins with a single question: What are you going to do?