Friday, February 28, 2014

Philosophy

Philosophy, as a subject, should be studied before any and all other subjects (with the exception of language and mathematics).  Philosophy teaches us how to ask the right questions.  It teaches us how to analyze data and think logically.  It teaches us how to debate intelligently.  Philosophy opens the path through which we find real knowledge.

I believe reality is truth and truth is reality.  I believe they are a multi-faceted object.  I believe that each subject - literature, mathematics, art, psychology, architecture, biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, history, sociology, politics, thermodynamics, music... each is a single angle to view this object - reality and truth.

If a person only studies one subject, that person will only see reality from one angle.  To get a full picture, to piece the puzzle together, one needs to study as many subjects as possible.  Or, at the very least, find people you can trust who have studied the other fields for you.

The brain grows and retains knowledge by making (quite literally) connections.  The more information you offer it, the more possibilities it has to connect and make sense of.  The more knowledgeable you become.

Don't, however, forget the power of emotion.  It can blind and debilitate logic.  So it is important to understand emotion, whenever and wherever it comes from - and not to ignore it or pretend it has no influence.  Emotion is an angle to truth that logic cannot fathom.  They are, after all, two separate parts of the brain.