Do you think about your philosophical positions? You should.

When was the last time you evaluated your philosophical positions or your worldview?

It might be sooner than you think. Let’s talk about why you should evaluate them every so often.

If you are someone who is interested in systematic or academic philosophy, then chances are evaluating your worldview is all that you do. So maybe it’s time to, you know, get a girlfriend or something.

However, if you are not a formal student of philosophy, thinking about your own worldview is probably not something you do regularly.

This may be due to the fact that you think philosophy is for pretentious folks or is something not worth your time. Allow me to try and change your mind.

What is a philosophical position or a worldview?

A philosophical position is a view that attempts to explain that which is in front of you. It tries to bridge the gap between the unknown and that which you know to be true (or think you know to be true).

A worldview is the conception of the world around us. You can think of it like a set of multiple philosophical views/positions. Naturally, every person has a unique worldview with some commonalities with every other person.

Now you may wonder or think that you have never taken any philosophical position or that you do not possess a worldview because you do not think about the universe or consciousness or any other such intellectual concepts (Life is not that deep pal).

However, Philosophy comprises of pretty much anything in any area of human thought. Anytime you pick any intellectual position, you are associating yourself with a philosophical idea.

Do you believe in God’s existence? You have taken a position. Specifically, Theism.

Do you believe dogs are better than cats? You have taken a position. Lets call it Canine Superiorism.

Do you think the Earth is flat? You have taken a position. It is called the wrong one.

Difference between you and a veteran philosopher

Now that you are convinced that you do have philosophical views, what is then the difference between you and a veteran philosopher?

The important difference is perhaps that you have not thought these positions through. That you do not apply them consistently. Or in worse case, you have taken the obviously wrong ones.

Evaluating one’s worldview then, is simply the matter of finding consistency in it. A self-contradicting worldview is axiomatically false.

You would also be surprised to find, once you start looking, how many contradictory views we try to maintain at once. Not only does this make us hypocrites but casually undermines everything that we think the world is like or should be like.

Why do philosophical positions matter?

On the surface, thoughts (views) do not seem to have any consequence on their own. However, our actions are grounded in our beliefs. An action consistent with our beliefs, pleases us. On the other hand, an inconsistency is a gate to negative emotions.

Right actions can only contain intentionality if the belief that is its basis is also right.

Belief, therefore, is critical in taking right actions.

In the internet age, evaluating one’s worldview has arguably become more valuable. People are always trying to either pigeonhole or bandwagon you into taking positions that you probably don’t want to take.

In these cases, it is very helpful, if you have a general worldview that you can then apply in selecting the position on specific issues.

Why should you think about your beliefs

Now one may say that “thinking about our philosophical views” or arriving at them through thought is not the way to go about forming our worldview. That is to say: My beliefs are based on my experiences or evidence.

However, that statement itself is a philosophical view arrived through thought. It can also be countered by questioning the validity of one’s experiences or the selective evidence that we can access.

I have found that many people, simply want to be told what to believe. I am sure this conforms with your experience of people as well. This behavior is only going to increase as our sphere of knowledge increases. A point also made in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

People argue that they belong in the other group: “Rebels”, but then they go on to form their beliefs based on their life experiences. In this case, these “Rebels” are simply adopting their believes from whatever life has thrown at them and do not ever consider that there exists a universe outside of themselves.

Only through thought can you truly achieve or at least try to achieve a bird-eye view of the world. Only through thought should you try to form your beliefs and your worldview.

Takeaway

If you have made it this far into this article, here is what I want you to do:

Make a list of your philosophical views and try to find general reasons as to why you hold those positions. If you do find some inconsistencies, think over them.

Here are some general questions that you can ponder over:

1.     Does God exist?

2.     Do you have free-will?

3.     Is reading philosophical articles by seemingly pompous bastards, a waste of time?

However, I shall not tell you what positions to take. Because if I tell you that, I will have undone everything we have discussed yet. The most important takeaway from this article (I would like it to be) is for you to simply...think.