Why is it much more important to understand than to know? Why are all the 'why' questions significant, and how an understanding of reasons shapes our actions? I found these two articles that I would like to share with you today: on understanding and on 'why'. In each article, the authors offer their take on … Continue reading Spreading the Word: Importance of Meaning-Making
Philosophical Quote on Interpretation as Way of Being
"...the way we experience one another, the way we experience historical traditions, the way we experience the natural givenness of our existence and of our world, constitute a truly hermeneutic universe, in which we are not imprisoned, as if behind insurmountable barriers, but to which we are opened."Hans-Georg Gadamer "Truth and Method" (my emphasis) keep … Continue reading Philosophical Quote on Interpretation as Way of Being
Disrupting and Creating Meaning
We, humans, are remarkably flexible beings. Sometimes, we surprise even ourselves if we pay attention. For example, take Jacques Derrida's idea of deconstruction. As a way of thinking, it takes a settled meaning we accept as true and dismantles it to show how inherently arbitrary any one such interpretation is. In other words, its opposite … Continue reading Disrupting and Creating Meaning
Understanding is an Interaction
Whenever we are trying to understand the world, we are, by extension, trying to understand ourselves. Whether we are aware of it or not. Indeed - whether we want it or not. We bring ourselves along to every encounter with the world, and we experience each such encounter through ourselves. We don't really have any … Continue reading Understanding is an Interaction
Philosophical Essay on Philosophy (Part II)
In the first part of this essay, I explored what philosophy is for me, what is its meaning and value. Now it is time to address one of the most frequent objections to philosophy: namely, that it is something too abstract, too theoretical, impractical, and, therefore, useless. Here we go! Image reference below (1) First, … Continue reading Philosophical Essay on Philosophy (Part II)
Automatic Misunderstandings and how to avoid them
There is nothing new about it - people misunderstand each other regularly, we all know it and we all do it. However, recently I have been reminded just how easily we fall into the simplest traps of misunderstandings. So easily that when we realize it afterwards (if we do), we are surprised to the extent … Continue reading Automatic Misunderstandings and how to avoid them
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