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The Oxford Dictionary defines philosophy as “A theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behavior” (Stevenson, 2010). Consequently, a philosophical attitude entails the ability of the mind to determine “the vision of truth and reality” (Sorley, 1910, p. 155). History records the works written by philosophers on different societal issues and solutions to the same. Said solutions find basis on a person’s ability to find feasible resolutions to specific problems while keeping in mind the possible repercussions of using the same. Renowned philosophers, such as Plato and Socrates, encourage morality and call for intelligence among a people to ensure societal cohesion. This paper seeks to identify the role of a philosophical attitude, in the life of a moral and intelligent person, while drawing examples from the works of Plato and Murphy as a concurrence to made arguments.
Murphy’s Laws approaches the idea of a philosophical attitude by encouraging people to realize and admit defeat where there is nothing that can be done to alter a situation. For instance, one of Murphy’s Laws states “If anything can go wrong, it will” (Lopez, 2013, p. 76). In other words, one should not dwell on a mistake or an undesirable situation because it was probably out of their hands from the beginning. Based on the perceptive of a philosophical attitude, the ability to realize that there is not much that can be done to rectify something that has already happened calls for intelligence. For example, when a child spills milk on an expensive carpet, the deed is already done and cannot be reversed. Whether the child’s guardian decides to punish said child or not, nothing can be done to return the carpet to its original state. In addition, the carpet will still need a wash and if the child is too young, he or she cannot be expected to do the washing. Murphy’s Laws call for one to maintain their peace when faced by trying situations and instead, look for a concrete solution.
In “The Apology” (2000), the argument Socrates makes in his defense concurs with the aforementioned concepts of a philosophical attitude. It is important to note that throughout the inquiry, Socrates approaches the charges made against him in a renaissance manner. Said renaissance is evident in his ability to identify the arguments the jury brings forth and tackling them in a systematic manner. For example, in one instance Socrates possess a question asking, “Do you think I would have survived all these years if I were engaged in public affairs” (Plato, 2000, p. 9). Socrates’ charges entail a need for him to be social with the society and be well known by the people. Therefore, by posing the query, the philosopher manages to make the presiding jury question themselves and the validity of the charges. It is safe to argue that Socrates applies the intellectual aspect of his philosophical attitude to tackle the problem he faces. In order to make people change their perspective of a situation, the best method to use is posing a self-evaluation question. It is safe to assume that the jury encompassed elderly men who were probably Socrates’ age mates. Therefore, while Socrates uses himself as an example, the panel of judges was able to apply the situation to their own selves. Socrates calls for a simple life for those aiming to adopt a philosophical attitude. As he keeps himself away from the public’s eye, his life remains unexamined thus allowing him to maintain some degree of morality for being humble.
Plato’s recordings of Socrates’ dialogues are an epitome of philosophical attitudes. In his depictions of Socrates, Plato manages to portray the character of the former while setting forth his arguments regarding the society. For instance, in “Crito” (2207), Socrates avails different arguments to counteract those made by Crito, his friend. As evidenced by the dialogue, Socrates is facing possible prosecution and his friends have opted to aid him in escaping (Plato, 2007, p. 2). However, the philosopher is not keen on breaking the law and instead, opts to remain within the walls of the jail. It is safe to argue that, Socrates was wide enough to realize that escaping jail will only make matters worse and mean he will always live in fear. In addition, while asking for Crito’s reasons for wanting to help him escape, Socrates is not convinced. A good example is in Crito’s argument that Socrates’ death will have a shameful impact on his friends (Plato, 2007, p. 2). To the given reason, Socrates replies by telling Crito to stop worrying about what the public says and instead, care about the opinion of people who matter (Plato, 2007, p. 2). With regard to a philosophical attitude in life, doing something just so one can meet other peoples’ expectations is unadvisable. For instance, students go to school to benefit themselves and might listen to their parents because they pay school fees and have their children’s best interest at heart. However, the idea of caring about what the neighbor will say is absurd. In the same way, it is important for people to consider how their actions affect their lives before carrying them out.
Conclusively, the adoption of a philosophical attitude in life aids in making sound decisions. In addition, the adoption of a positive attitude and the ability to think about the consequences of one’s actions are methods of living a fulfilling life. Perhaps the major disadvantage to a philosophical attitude is the constant pressure to walk within the lines drawn by the same. Given, a person is bound to make mistakes occasionally, but living in the constant fear of making said mistakes is exhausting and can prevent the complete utilization of a free life. However, once people train themselves to adapt the ideologies of the philosophers in their lives, philosophical attitudes will be the norm in every society.
References
Lopez, Edmund S.J. "Murphy's Law: Is it right or is it wrong?" International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies Vol. 5 (5) (2013): 76-78. Print.
Plato. "Crito." Creative Commons Attribution (2007): 1-10. Print.
—. "The Apology." Introduction to Western Philosophy (2000): 112-130. Print.
Sorley, W. R. "The Philosophical Attitude." International Journal of Ethics Vol. 20 No. 2 (1910): 152-168. Print.
Stevenson, Angus. Oxford Dictionary of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.
