Rules for our Discussions
Philosophical conversations are different. They don't focus on getting through the agenda, voting on an action, or mobilizing people. We are more reflective, taking our time, and thinking carefully. These rules will help us keep our conversations philosophical.
1. Our discussions will focus on beliefs and values, not people or events.
We aren’t seeking to judge others, but to understand which beliefs and values should guide how we live. Philosophers focus first and foremost on themselves and their lives. After all, your life is the only life you can live.
2. Everyone is equal.
Philosophy only helps someone if they understand it. It can help to listen to the perspectives of people with different experiences. People can explain perspectives you never considered, or in a new way. Thinking about the reasons people believe what they believe can help us decide if we want to live like them, but, in the end, each person must decide what beliefs and values will guide their lives. No one can live your life for you.
3. Approach differences with curiosity.
Philosophers must seek to understand before they criticize, accept, or reject a point of view. People who think differently and views put forward for discussion can help us understand our own views better. They can help us to appreciate the significance of an issue, and they might even help us change our minds. Philosophy starts in wonder.
4. Philosophies should be lived.
These arguments matter. When we understand our beliefs and values, we understand how we should live. Philosophical discussions challenge us to think about what we find most important in life, and what it would mean if we took those beliefs and values seriously. Often, we will find that we are not living as we think we should, and something needs to change. Philosophers have developed “philosophical exercises” to help us internalize what we learn, and bring our lives into harmony with what we believe and value. We won’t just discuss abstract ideas. We will think about how those ideas might help us live better.