Are You Focused on Theory or Practice?
The difference between knowing the path and walking the path.
During college and graduate school, I spent a significant amount of time in the philosophy halls as opposed to the Life Science building; that would be fine, if I was working toward a degree in philosophy, not experimental psychology.
I found myself drawn to the ideas, theories, debates, and deep dives into the why of it all. It was entrancing, contributing to such deep philosophical discussions and digging to the limits of logic and reason.
As intoxicating as that was in my budding years of thinking for myself, it indirectly set the foundation for Stoicism to enthrall me immediately upon discovery.
I enjoyed the world of theory, but how does that help me? How does that help others? What does all that debate for debate’s sake actually do to help improve the world?
There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. — Morpheus, The Matrix
Theory?
What practical benefit do you gain from understanding the great debate between the Utilitarian camp led by John Stuart Mill and the Deontologists, spearheaded by Immanuel Kant and his Categorical Imperatives? How does this, or even the multiple thought experiments proposed in this debate, help you when you are struggling with an ethics issue? Does that knowledge itself make any difference in your world?
Aristotle stated that “Virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions,” [emphasis mine]. Will Durant famously interpreted this quote as “We are what we repeatedly do…therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit.” [emphasis mine].
Practice!
Stoicism is a philosophy of doing. It is for those of us who gravitate toward the implementation of theory. We can theorize, of course, but the main purpose is to put those beliefs into action, every day.
Do you stop and help the neighbor with a flat tire (because helping people is right) at the risk of upsetting the dozen people you are driving to meet (to keep the most people happy)? Epictetus would say that you can only control your reasoned choice to help, not how those affect react; Marcus Aurelius would tell you to stop arguing about what a good person should be and just be one.
The world is not driven forward by theory. While it is valuable, there is a place for it and that place is ALWAYS to drive action. Name one bit of progress that humanity has made that did not involve doing.
Gee golly, if you let this certain type of mold grow, you can create an antibiotic that would save lives. Without action, no penicillin, literally millions of lives would have been lost.
Well, I bet we could hook up a few computers and make them talk to each other. Without action, no internet, which completely changed how worldwide commerce is conducted and how all social interaction existed.
I enjoy using my brain, pushing my limits to learn something new. But the purpose of all that should be action. To be a good husband, brother, friend, manager, employee. To be a good man by acts not thoughts.
Anything less is simply intellectual masturbation.
You don’t have to change the world by inventing the internet or discovering penicillin; you can change the world by simply making the choice to help someone in need, pick up that trash on the ground, spend an hour or two a month volunteering, or simply telling your spouse that you love and appreciate them for all they do.
What are you doing? How are you using what you learn on Medium or via this Stoicism publication to make the world a better place?
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