Thinking in Different Philosophies
Polygots often speak of the worlds of art and literature that are made available to them upon learning a new language.
An English-speaking person who studies French, for instance, is able to be inspired and informed by a larger population of films, books, songs, and conversations. They are able to laugh at jokes that were previously meaningless to them. They are able to be moved by poems that were once unintelligible to them. They live in the same world as before, but the possibilities of that world are more fully open to their experience.
I believe that an analogous kind of experience is made available through the contemplation of unfamiliar ideas.
Every idea is a kind of language which, when understood, opens the mind’s ability to discern new meanings and messages from life’s experiences.
Whenever we make the effort to learn something new, life reflects our knowledge back to us in the form of a freer and more fulfilling existence.
New ideas produce new opportunities for exploring and engaging the world.
Being able to “think in different philosophies” is no less valuable than being able to speak in different languages.
And I would add that it’s MORE valuable “to think
in different philosophies” than to “speak in different
languages.”
Most people won’t learn a different language during
their lifetime, but they can learn ” to think about
different philosophies.” In other words: critical
thinking.