In daily life we assume many things as certain. But after looking at them closely we find them to be full of numerous contradictory characteristics. Then we start doubting our thoughts and beliefs, and start pondering as to what it is that we really should believe. Appearance and reality are two different things. Appearance is what things seem to be and reality is what things really are. Everyday we get acquainted with various things. This way we gain some knowledge about such things. But such knowledge can either be right or wrong, either true or false. We may believe in what is false or we may believe in what is true. People hold different opinions on various subjects. Not all opinions are true. Some can as well be false. Wrong beliefs are held as strongly as true beliefs. Then how do we know that our belief is not erroneous? No completely satisfactory answer to this question is possible.
However we can analyze what is truth and what is falsehood. A belief is true when there is a corresponding fact supporting that belief. Similarly it is false when there is no corresponding fact to support it. Truth or falsehood cannot be created in our minds. Minds can only create belief, which can either be true or false.
We believe something to be true only so far as our knowledge and correct reasoning allows us to. Such knowledge needs to be coherent. Conflicting knowledge tends to make a thing less probable and possibly false. Coherence makes an inference more probable, more believable and more true. Knowledge can be acquired in various ways.
1. Knowledge acquired by getting acquainted with something. It is knowledge about something that we are directly aware of. We get acquainted through our sense organs.
2. Knowledge that develops in our mind through our intuitive power. It is difficult to ascertain the truth of any knowledge acquired in this way. It can be erroneous at times.
3. Knowledge that is acquired hearing the description of a thing or place we never have experienced or seen.
4. Knowledge gained through experience in life. These are abstract in nature and may seem different under different circumstances.
5. Knowledge of general principles. These are based on experiment, observation and inference.
Modern philosophy started with Rene Descartes' Cartesian Doubt. It consists in doubting whatever seemed doubtful. It is this critical approach of philosophy that makes the subject so unique. It takes up a thing and critically examines it. It only accepts a thing only when it finds no way or reason to reject it. Thus philosophy may also be called criticism of knowledge. However, this process of doubting with reasons gives rise to some error. But philosophy diminishes this degree of error to such an extent that it becomes practically negligible.
Without philosophical thoughts, a person lives his life like a prisoner. He gets imprisoned by habitual beliefs, customs and conventions, which have grown up within him or implanted from outside, possibly without his consent. For such a person the world becomes finite and small. Known things are accepted without doubt and unknown things are rejected with contempt.
Life without philosophy is characterized by narrow personal aims. In such a life there is no peace. It is characterized by desire and lack of will power. A set of prejudices, desires and habits form a barrier between the person and the outer world.
With a philosophical approach a person starts to venture in a world, which is free from personal interests, and steps into a life that is calm and free. Philosophy sets our intellect free, sets our mind free and allows us to see as God might see.
Based on works By Bertrand Russell Tweet Subscribe to Tarry A Little by Email
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