Eason

by Fu Peirong

Is the sky blue, or is it just an illusion? Is it endless and boundless? If we look down, it seems so. - Zhuangzi, Free and Easy Wandering

• Definition of "Philosophy"
  Philosophy is composed of two words, "love" and "wisdom", the love of wisdom.

  1. In Greek, there are three words for "love":
     Philia represents friendship, care, and appreciation, which is gentle, rational, and stable;
     Eros represents romantic love, which is emotional, romantic, and instinctual;
     Agape is usually used in religious (transcendent, spiritual) contexts, representing compassion and universal love, which is the love that cares for every person without distinction or difference.
     To love wisdom does not mean to possess wisdom; it requires an open mind, curiosity, and a desire to gain knowledge.

  2. Wisdom, or Sophia, is not common sense (information) or knowledge (in a specific field or discipline). It is not limited by senses (derived from the body) or knowledge (derived from the mind).
     The characteristics of wisdom are completeness and fundamentality.
     Wisdom is the understanding of the truth of the universe and life from a holistic and fundamental perspective.

  3. There are three fundamental problems: suffering, evil, and death.
     Suffering: Goethe expressed the view that a person wakes up in the morning and is still alive, but does not know why.
     Evil: live - evil.
     Death:

  The great trouble I have is that I have a body. If I have no body, what trouble do I have? - Laozi, Chapter 13

• Characteristics of Philosophical Thinking: encompassing experience (past), reason (present), and ideals (future)

  1. Clarifying concepts: discerning the concepts used and finding reliable starting points

  2. Setting criteria: for each judgment, grasping how the standards are set
     Meaning: the possibility of understanding.

  3. Constructing a system: integrating all thoughts into a complete structure, forming propositions, and establishing the ultimate truth
     Establishing a system that answers fundamental questions about life without contradictions.
     Establishing the nearest truth: dealing with the relationship between the natural world (what is) and human beings (what ought to be), unifying the natural world and humans, and tracing their common origins. With origins, there is a destination for nature. For example, Laozi believes that the Dao gives birth to all things, and all things ultimately return to the Dao.

• Basic Description of Philosophy

  1. Cultivating wisdom: transcending senses and consciousness, making good use of information and knowledge, approaching wisdom
     Human feelings and cognition are unreliable; always ask why.
     Science comes from the Latin word "Scientia," meaning knowledge;
     "Scientia" comes from the verb "Scire," meaning to recognize, to know.
     Therefore, science is actually just clear knowledge, without any sacred aura or mysterious veil.
     In fact, in the Middle Ages, philosophy was called "scientiae," meaning knowledge of knowledge.
     Hegel said that among all things, only humans are not innocent.
     Cultivating wisdom is not easy; Zen Buddhism believes that it requires discipline, concentration, and wisdom. Cultivating wisdom is a lifelong process, and enlightenment follows fate.

  2. Discovering truth: truth refers to the ultimate reality, which cannot be invented but can only be discovered, unveiling the cover
     In Greek, Aletheia means truth, which means uncovering and discovering. It represents the idea that when people live in the world, they are covered by various biased thoughts, prejudices, and preconceived notions.
     Francis Bacon said to break four kinds of illusions.
     Thales said that the origin of the universe is water. He was a great philosopher because before him was the mythological age, where everything in the universe was created by gods. He was the first to explain the existence of the universe using a substance that humans could grasp. His viewpoint is simple, explaining it through the three states of water (solid, liquid, gas). At the same time, he also knew that this viewpoint had flaws, so he added that water is a kind of universal life and power, like a god.
     There is a major difference between idealism and non-idealism: idealism is invented, while non-idealism is discovered.
     Plato first affirmed that the senses are unreliable but must be used to grasp everything. Only through reason can one perceive the true nature of everything, that is, the ideal form.

  3. Confirming values: in making choices, increasing the value of life
     It is easy to live, but understanding is not easy.
     Philosophy requires an open mind. In the West, there is a saying, "Philosophy begins with wonder."

  Confucius said, "I have never seen a person who is not hungry or sleepy all day, but I have seen many who are not learning anything." - Analects, Wei Ling Gong

• Where is the cultivation of philosophical literacy?

  Learning without thinking is useless, thinking without learning is dangerous. - Analects, Wei Zheng

  1. Cultivating thinking habits: emphasizing both learning and thinking, empirical thinking
     Empirical thinking is prior to experience and serves as the foundation of experience.
     All knowledge in the world is based on experience.
     Philosophers need to discuss and explain human nature, which requires insight (inside).
     Kant's philosophy is also called transcendental philosophy. Transcendental thinking is the foundation of philosophical thinking, just as Confucianism first discusses human nature.
     Doubt where there is no doubt, why is there no doubt? Where does doubt begin?

  2. Grasping the holistic perspective: consistency, ultimate reality (as the source and destination of all things)
     For example, atheists cannot discuss the question of whether life has meaning because without God, there is no spiritual dimension to humans. Wu Zhihui said that he is an atheist and his worldview is just a dark void.

  My way is consistent. - Analects, Wei Ling Gong

  Zengzi said, "A scholar must be magnanimous and resolute. The task is heavy and the road is long. Isn't benevolence a heavy responsibility? After death, what is there to fear? Isn't it far away?" - Analects, Tai Bo

  3. Establishing a value orientation: direction, meaning of life (meaning is the possibility of understanding)
     Think about why there are such values.

  4. Striving for the unity of knowledge and action: sincere practice, aiming for the ultimate good (striving for perfection, endless improvement)

• Conclusion: Philosophy is the rational exploration of the fundamental truth of the universe and life, guiding practical life and evaluating cultural ecology.