Philosophy in a Rush

In a previous article I mentioned how I studied philosophy for a couple years at university, but I didn’t feel comfortable writing about the subject in any meaningful sense because it had been a while since I really studied a philosophical subject deeply. I want to change that, because my positions on technology including Linux, AI, accessibility, and coding are all informed by philosophy and politics. While I don’t think I will be writing essays on core philosophical topics any time soon, philosophy is definitely relevant to my other interests. Below, I explain how I currently engage with philosophy, the changes I’m making, and how that might shape what I write about here.

My Philosophical Diet #

I consume philosophy the same way I consume the news, through podcasts and video essays. Those are great and have certainly exposed me to areas of philosophy and surrounding subjects I had not looked into before, particularly theology. However, I am aware that listening to a podcast doesn’t make you an expert. This doesn’t always matter, there are creators who are not credentialed that make excellent videos on many subjects which I am certainly more informed about after listening to. But listening to a podcast can give you a false sense of just how well you understand something.

5 months ago I started playing tennis. I have been attending adult beginner lessons and practising my serve if the British weather allows it. I noticed that when I rally with the other beginners, the shot quality is what you’d expect, sometimes we produce a great rally, but it normally lasts for a maximum of 4 balls. Usually the ball is flying all over the place and trying too hard in the moment to inject power with your arm only makes it worse. There is a cheat code though - if I rally with the coach, all of a sudden I play like I am in the intermediate class! I’m more consistent, my timing is better, the rally lasts longer.

Listening to podcasts or video essays is like rallying with the coach. As I listen to Jason Brennan explain the pitfalls of the democratic process, or Joseph Folley flesh out the Meditations beyond the famous quotes, I feel much more informed than I actually am on these subjects. I am missing the best counter arguments or alternative explanations on these subjects even if some are given within the podcast itself. The video format provides an authoritative feel as well. Again, I am not arguing that these videos are wrong just because they are videos, it is however good to be aware that the guests on a podcast or the creator of a video essay has to condense the topic quite a lot to make it palatable, engaging, and under 2 hours long.

I reflected on this personally when a Mormon evangelist struck up a conversation with me while I was eating a Greggs sausage roll. I didn’t mind having a chat, and I do have some questions for theists, mostly revolving around divine hiddenness, that I find a bit troubling. I’ve only taken notes on 2 theological arguments, the argument from motion put forward by Aristotle, and Plato’s Euthyphro. So I sort of asked my questions with no depth, when the Mormon replied we quickly moved on to another subject. I don’t think this was entirely my fault, but if I had actively studied these arguments, I am sure it could have been a better conversation.

The natural takeaway here is to read books, but there is an issue. Philosophy books demand time, reflection, note taking, looking up definitions, researching historical context, rereading chapters - it’s a lot. If you have time, it is well worth it, while it can be challenging for your focus, afterwards you will have more stamina for philosophical texts and really understand why a philosopher has stood the test of time. You might also be tempted to turn to an audio book here, and I do think that is a valid option for some philosophy like shorter works, introductions, books you have already read, that sort of thing. But anything denser and you mustn’t work or scroll while you listen, or you’ll have to rewind the same chapter as you realise you’ve forgotten the argument being put forward.

This left me in a difficult spot. When push comes to shove, nothing can replace reading the source materials, joining a book club to discuss the text, and really grappling with the issues. But could I do more for my curiosity than just listening to the podcasts that are recommended to me on Spotify or YouTube? This is the question I wanted to figure out.

Going Forward #

I started to realise I was thinking about philosophy incorrectly. Drawing on my tennis analogy again, since I started having lessons, I have become more dedicated to strength training and cardio (the workout I am most likely to skip 😬). I see how the strength training can reduce injury risk, and how the cardio can help me move around on the court. Philosophy should not be siloed away, it should be a part of my other projects, they inform each other. Philosophy doesn’t have to be done in one particular way; when someone thinks of a person “doing philosophy” they picture someone sat in an armchair reading a large text by candlelight. For most people, that is not how philosophy could ever be a part of their lives. In fact I would argue keeping it purposely separate is often why many struggle to see the point in reading philosophical texts and why philosophy is commonly seen as antiquated. By strictly writing these articles about technology and never including any philosophical discussion or political opinion, I was dooming my interest in these subjects to always be on the back burner.

Anyway, there are some fantastic contemporary philosophical essays in accessible formats right now, which can easily inform your understanding of problems like AI ethics, work, the environment, neuroscience, the list goes on. You do not need to read philosophy in the form of books alone. Some of my favourite ways to access these resources include Aeon and Philosophy Now , both publish free essays from professors and intellects on a range of topics. But the sourcing is only one part of solving my problem, it’s the nature of how you find philosophical material that can help you become more informed on these topics as well.

An algorithm can suggest great articles or podcasts, but to really learn about a subject, you have to actively engage with it, write and present your work. For example, the rise of the “year of the Linux desktop” meme has taken my interest recently, I think there are connections to be made between the intellectual underpinnings of Linux and FOSS and the political and economical climate we are living in, where many people are disappointed in Microsoft and Apple. There is a lot of philosophy to be considered in what seems to be a mostly technical topic, I could look into the libertarian ideals that are important to open source software, or go further back to when these ideas first took shape through the French revolution. Purposefully looking for sources and intertwining them into projects that come more naturally to you is how you actively engage with a subject, be it philosophy or anything else. All of this research will come together in an article one day, to solidify the themes in my mind.

Not everything needs to be optimised for learning or work. Sometimes a podcast simply piques my interest, and then I move on. But by including philosophy in my articles where I otherwise wouldn’t have, I can scratch that itch without waiting endlessly for the free time to dedicate to it.