There can be no doubt that if a philosophy of life is to fulfill its proper role, it must be a philosophy of living, a philosophy to live by, a philosophy of action. Philosophy at its best is not simply an interpretation or explanation of things. It is also a dynamic enterprise that aims to stimulate people in the direction of those ends and values that are supremely worthwhile and desirable; to bring us closer to those standards of truth and methods of truth-seeking that are most reliable.
Corliss Lamont, The Philosophy of Humanism
Hopefully, you will find the ideas in the blog informative, stimulating and motivating enough to compel you to rethink your assumptions about the world, society, and yourself. I also hope that the ideas had an “expansive” effect on your own worldview, opening new vistas and making it stronger and more coherent. As we saw in the Roadmap section, a worldview is comprised by a set of beliefs that reflect the explicit or implicit answers we provide to existential questions of the type “where we come from”, “who created the universe”, “who gets to decide what’s good and what’s evil”, and “why we do what we do.”
As I hope you realize during your reading of the ideas, science can provide answers to, or at least shed light on, many of these fundamental questions. I also hope that, if you read through to the end, you’re able to “connect the dots” among the different ideas. Indeed, one of the benefits of reading the entire list is the realization that the ideas are not isolated, but deeply connected to each other. Consider the major events discussed here: the Big Bang; the formation of elementary particles, atoms, stars, galaxies and planets; the formation of cells; multi-cellularity; the evolution of higher organisms including humans, sex, language, consciousness, society and culture (religion, morality, politics, science); and the unescapable decay of the Earth and the universe.
These momentous transitions in our collective history are usually taught in isolation to college students, if at all. However, science is now able to link them together, providing a “grand narrative of life” that hitherto only religion could claim possible. This unified vision is one of the greatest achievements of the human mind and part of our human heritage. It also provides a powerful framework to make sense of the world and absorb new information. In effect, a compelling story line can help us remember the facts we are trying to learn.
I believe, nonetheless, that this also presents an opportunity for you to develop your own philosophy of life. Specifically, as I explained, I selected the ideas in order to “deconstruct” people’s worldviews. By the same token, the ideas, and the associated supporting arguments and facts, provide the raw material needed to “construct” a philosophy of life. To be sure, everybody has a worldview but just a few have a philosophy of life; that is, a personal philosophy that you have thought through in-depth, have tested, and use regularly and explicitly for guiding your actions. It would include things like how you decide what is good and what is evil, what success means, what your purpose in life is (including if you don’t think there is a purpose), how you should treat others, what is your role in society, etc.
Of course, different philosophies of life can be constructed from these ideas. There are many ways in which we might reasonably want to live and there is no single best way that reason requires everyone to aim at. Indeed, a philosophy of life is something that we should develop on our own, so we can live by its tenets. After posting all the ideas, I'll provide my interpretation of them in a form of narrative that reflects my own philosophy of life. You may come up with a different interpretation and in fact I encourage you to do so (see questions below).
According to Nietzsche, the only way to test a philosophy is by finding out if you can live by it. Likewise, the best evidence that your philosophy works is by showing that it can improve your ability to make wiser decisions and cope with the challenges of modern life. If not, you should keep trying until you get it right. Our collective lives may depend on it.
Revisiting your worldview
As I have mentioned, my hope is that after reading the ideas in the blog you spend time reflecting on how, or if, the discussion has in some way influenced, changed, or reaffirmed your image and understanding of the world, society and yourself. Here is a list of questions that can help you revisit your “core” beliefs as you read through the ideas.
Origins
How old is the universe and how it was created?
Is the universe eternal or it will end some day?
Does the universe have a plan or purpose?
Does the Earth inhabit a special place in the universe?
What is the origin of life on Earth, including humans?
Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?
Are there other universes aside from ours?
Human Nature
What does it mean to be human?
What makes us different from other animals?
Are humans inherently good or inherently evil?
Are we the product of nature or nurture?
What makes everyone the same but also different?
Are some races “superior” than other races?
Morality
What exactly is morality (and why it is important)?
Where does morality come from?
Who gets to decide what is moral or immoral, good or evil?
How can we make better moral decisions in an increasingly complex world?
Are values absolute, or relative (or neither)?
Cognition
Are humans rational?
Are humans the only intelligent, self-aware beings on Earth?
How do we acquire knowledge?
What are the reliable sources of knowledge?
Should we trust our senses to understand the world?
What distinguishes science from non-science?
Is science the most reliable way to acquire knowledge?
Behavior
What are the drivers of human behavior?
Why we do what we do?
Is human behavior the product of nature or nurture?
What goals are worth having and pursuing in life?
Should we trust our intuitions to make decisions?
Is there free will and are we responsible for our actions?
What is the nature of consciousness?
Relations
What is, and should be, our relationship to other humans?
What is, and should be, our relationship to the natural world?
What is” culture” and how we are connected to it?
What political system should we aspire to?
What is our human destiny: Survival or extinction?
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