What does it mean to think independently? Does it mean thinking independently of external influences? Or to confront one’s ideas with the practical experience of everyday life? Independent thinking is a fundamental characteristic of philosophical endeavor and the philosophical path, which consists of an individual search for truth in order to better understand ourselves and others, and to act in complete freedom, in accordance with principles that can be applied in all situations.
Independent thinking is not a spontaneous act. It requires effort and self-work, a struggle against our own impulses, so that we do not become attached to our thoughts and succumb to external influences. Independent thinking is above all an act of a responsible and independent person. But where do we position ourselves in order to think independently? In essence or existence?
To think independently, we need to place ourselves in essence, in “I am,” rather than in existence, “I exist.”
Existence means social, economic, or cultural existence. It means presenting ourselves in a context In a state of routine, established codes and opinions. If we place ourselves in the “I exist” mindset, we will always strive to present ourselves as someone, but we won’t truly be. At the same time as we show what can be seen, we hide our true essence behind the illusion!
If we position ourselves on the level of being, it means we have positioned ourselves on the level of our identity. Our identity does not refer to the external aspects, such as our family, job, house, or possessions. It is connected to the intimate within us, the center of ourselves, the only place where we can find peace, where we can remain objective, neutral, and make the right choice.
To be, one must know oneself, control their instincts, their bad habits in order to reject any form of violence and barbarism. Simply put, one must embark on an inner journey, in accordance with the famous saying carved at the entrance of the temple in Delphi: Know yourself and you will know the world and the gods.
The philosopher Descartes expressed this very well with the following words: I think, therefore I am. “Am” here means “being”. For him, the act of thinking is being. Thought is connected to consciousness in its noble aspect.
True philosophy enables us to know our true nature, reveals to us what we can seek, and accustoms us to discovering truth in all types of questions.
Liberation from influence
In order to know ourselves, we need to free ourselves from external and internal influences.
Independent thinking requires us to liberate ourselves at all costs from external influences (social, familial, educational, temporal…) and internal influences (instincts, as well as states of mind, passions…). Let us add good internal knowledge (of ourselves) and good external knowledge (of others and the world around us), and the act of independent thinking will become an effective means of practicing philosophy.
Independent thinking is the true essence of the philosophical journey, which is neither intellectual nor academic. It consists of living our own chosen values, in consciously living everyday life. The Way of Life.
To be a philosopher, it is necessary to work on oneself in order to better understand oneself and others and achieve better coexistence, and such knowledge was taught in Greek philosophical schools in a classical manner.
The Athenian philosopher Epicurus, the founder of the Epicurean school, defined practical teaching with the term prudentia or “little wisdom”. Prudentia is called “little wisdom” because it gives practical advice for everyday life (how to organize your day, how to write to a friend…) and enables the avoidance of impulsive and hasty action. Never rush into judgment, that is one method of action. This allows for self-control and a perfect understanding of the situation. This is the benefit of prudence, which every philosophy student should apply before taking action. However, in order to reason correctly, it is necessary to first accept one’s own ignorance and examine one’s own ideas, especially those that are not confirmed in everyday practice.
About Opinion or Judgments “Our awareness of the world comes from our own senses and the mental representations we have created, which are often more products of fantasy than reality. This network of sensations and representations transforms into opinions (Gr. doxa) that only have value if they are tested in practice. When opinions are confirmed, they become certain, they become judgments, and starting from them, we begin to reason, to think. But let’s be careful, because what we are certain of is never eternal, and in the pursuit of truth, a philosopher should examine whether his opinions can still be applied in all situations. Truths of one moment may not be truths in another, because situations change.
When a philosophy student applies practical and useful knowledge in his everyday life, when he does not act rashly or impulsively, he begins to think independently, transforming into an individual, into a responsible and autonomous being – a citizen, as Plato said. In order to think independently, it is necessary…” Achieving tranquility of the soul.
Serenity of the Soul
Philosopher Epicurus says that philosophy is primarily a way of life and thinking based on ataraxia (absence of excitement, restlessness, and anxiety), or tranquility of the soul and inner peace.
Today, tranquilizers are recommended for excitement, restlessness, anxiety, or confusion. Epicurus recommends simplifying and reducing needs. It’s not just about reducing material needs but also dependence on others, emotional dependence, and dependence on knowledge. All of these dependencies drive us to always want more, limit our external and internal freedom, and prevent us from delving deeper into ourselves.
Independent thinking enables us to direct our existence, make decisions about our choices, actions, and obligations, and establish a connection with what is deepest within us. Acting in our own soul and conscience, or depth, means directing our existence in accordance with our choices. This presupposes practicing ethics, a holistic approach Living a moral and ethical life means respecting and being responsible towards oneself and others.
To think independently means to act and live by going beyond appearances, reaching the root cause of things, grasping the intelligible world in order to understand the laws that govern everything.
Living a spiritual life means freeing oneself from the influence of the world while remaining in it, resisting the influence of others, and applying what Kant calls “practical reason” which enables us to act with depth, meaning, consistency, and correctness. This requires time.
To act in complete freedom.
To think independently, as we have seen, means breaking free from dependencies, as well as from apparent or false freedoms. Apparent freedom consists of unconscious enslavement. One can be a slave to one’s work, one’s emotions, or one’s needs. We may have the impression of being free, but in reality, we are not. As an example, some people may defend solitude, but actually confuse it with isolation and detachment, refusing to form connections with others in order to avoid suffering and awakening. either feelings or those skeptical ones who doubt everything because they are not capable of trusting themselves, nor of having trust in others, as well as those who are always afraid of losing something because they lack self-confidence.
It is clear that it is necessary to feel free from the outside and from within in order to think independently, provided, however, that we make a choice, commit to it, and achieve it. Freedom is real when we practice it, not just when we think about it. Without inner freedom, independent thinking is not possible, and without external freedom, taking action is not possible.
Indeed, philosophy can help us free ourselves from internal and external unrest, from prejudices and ignorance.
In order not to become obsessed with security and protection, let us work on ourselves in order to think for ourselves, like philosophers. Let us embrace impermanence, contradiction, insecurity, uncertainty, and ignorance as part of reality. Above all, we need to abandon particular thinking and turn towards the universal.
In general, we I tend to think on a personal level, on the level of our ego, to think in an analytical way that dissects, separates into parts, and takes out of context. If we step out of that state, or rather, if we elevate our thinking to the level of the universal and collective, the level of universal laws of nature, principles that support all sentient beings, we can apply those universal principles on an individual level in our lives.
Independent thinking allows us to elevate our thoughts and our consciousness to a higher level, to the level of direct awareness, which we call intuition or, in Buddhism, enlightenment. Intuition allows for the development of great creativity.
The purpose of philosophy is to transcend mental speculation and reach the finest possible thoughts, in order to come into contact with the deepest parts of our being and act from there.