Writing on philosophy

A few weeks ago, I started writing articles on this platform. A few weeks before that, I committed myself to publish a book by mid-2021. Both processes are still in their ideation phases, but a certainty present in both is that I want to write about philosophy.

What compels me to write about philosophy of all my interests? I could have settled for the writing of other topics (such as entrepreneurship) that would potentially attract more readership--an especially promising prospect to help gain passive income for my Medium partnership and my book when it (hopefully) goes to the market.

Well, the reason for writing about philosophy is the same reason that I fell in love with the topic in the first place: it is really the father to all other topics. No matter what issue I decide to write on for any specific article or chapter, I know that there will always be a method for incorporating philosophy into the text to spice up my writing.

Philosophy is the father of human thought, and consequently, the majority of academic disciplines today are more or less derived from philosophical thought. And yet, there is a common perception of philosophy whereby it fundamentally exists in an abstract field on its own--as if philosophers think about concepts that are so theoretical that there could be no way to connect philosophy to the fields we cherish today, like politics, technology, and economics.

But in its very essence, philosophy is the discipline that criticizes down the assumptions needed to establish other disciplines, as well as the one that asks about the very existence of these disciplines. The literature of philosophy may not directly contribute to the underpinnings of the practical world, but it is what allows for discourse in any discipline to take place in the first place.

My defense of philosophy so far may be a detriment to itself--it has been theoretical throughout, without concrete examples as proof of the vitality of philosophy. So let us return to my writing.

For those that don't know me, I am interested in a wide multitude of intellectual interests. I am currently pursuing degrees in philosophy, economics, and business management, but I also extensively explore mathematics, sociology, politics, psychology, history, and the arts. With such a wide range of interests, it almost makes it impossible for me to wholeheartedly pursue only one academic subject--for to me, the opportunity cost of intensively pursuing one subject would be the exploration of my many other interests.

So when I write about my various interests, I try so hard to find connections between my disparate ideas. Some connections are easily made--connections between history and politics, psychology and sociology, mathematics and economics. But for any disparate field which I decide to discuss in my writing, I find that I always am able to find a connection back to philosophy.

In talking about which economic policies countries should enact, philosophy clarifies the underlying metaphysical assumptions and tenets of each policy. In understanding how people interact in group settings, philosophy provides answers relating to epistemology. In proving real analysis theorems, philosophy provides the logical base with which the proofs can exist. In discussing state legislation regarding divisive topics, philosophy clarifies ethical boundaries and constraints. And in appreciating contemporary music, philosophy gives essential thought basis in value theory.

I could go on with these examples, but the important notion is that there are abstract patterns in each specific investigation--patterns which are observed and evaluated by philosophy. These patterns are in turn what allows us to have a comprehensive understanding of the field at hand--and simultaneously, to develop understanding in academic questions that fit the pattern. For example, the ethical considerations given by philosophy could benefit politicians debating the geopolitical advantages of an alliance just as much as economists debating the economic prospects of the alliance. Effectively, this ability for philosophy to abstract and relate my different interests compounds it into this meta-subject: philosophy is the study of studies.

And this is the reason why I love philosophy, and have decided to base my writing off of philosophy. No matter what road I take, I know that philosophy will always serve as a crucial foundational stone for my thought process and writing. My hope is that, by reading my writing, my readership is able to find the ever-growing necessity of studying philosophy and seeing its true intersections with our daily lives.