Ask HN: What concepts or philosophies guide your life?

20 points by drewse 15 years ago | 27 comments

The two that I most strongly believe in are Determinism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism) and Materialism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism), which are closely related. As a result, I don't think free will exists, although the definition is probably pretty loose and I do agree that we should play out our lives assuming that we have a say in our decisions even if that is not true.

However I realize that some people may not believe in these philosophies that are based on casualty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causality), but rather agree with the beliefs of Free Will (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will) and Indeterminism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indeterminism).

So what philosophies do you, HN users, use for governing your lives and how do they influence your perspective on life and the choices you make?

Note: I'm sorry if I went a little over the top with the links, but I find that Wikipedia is a really great source when it comes to different philosophies like these ones.

rewind 15 years ago |

Somewhat of an aside: if you don't believe in free will, why do you think we should live our lives like there is? It seems a bit to me like not believing in a god but taking comfort in the idea of a heaven-like place after death; or having a solid grasp of probability yet not saving for retirement because one day you'll hit the lottery numbers.

I'm not saying you have to have a good answer, I'm just curious. The fact that you are quite specific about what guides your life yet are quick to act in opposition to that is somewhat intriguing.

BoppreH 15 years ago |

I'm still trying to find myself. Being quite young, I can get away with that.

For other people in this position, I suggest reading some posts from http://lesswrong.com . Their Harry Potter fanfiction ( http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5782108/1/Harry_Potter_and_the_M... ), regardless of how bad it sounds, is extremely well-written and a fun way to learn this things.

voidzero 15 years ago |

Philosophies, like universe or infinite, depends on the context. There is no simple single theory yet (that would be god concept? and then we question where did he come from etc)

i would approach philosophy no different than physics. There are "spiritual laws" (philosophical?) that govern human mental state, and help understand it better. Buddhism tries to conceptualize this as much as possible.

personally i believe we should only depend on the "truths" or "laws of nature" either physical or meta, that we humans were able to figure out so far...like physics laws, spirutual laws "karma" etc.

cause and effect, scientific discovery etc.

madhouse 15 years ago |

For the past few years (probably closer to a decade now), I've been a great admirer of the Principia Discordia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principia_Discordia).

When I first read it, I found it to be "ha-ha", but then, following the advice within the text itself, I read it again, and realised that there's much more to it than humor.

Not saying I follow it to the letter - that would be fairly hard -, but it did influence my way of thinking, for the better, I hope.

hasenj 15 years ago |

I don't know if there are names for my "philosophical" views.

I'm a practicing muslim, so that excludes materialism, although it doesn't say much else.

I believe in free will, in the sense that at the core, we have the freedom to choose, even if we can't act on our choices or carry them out due to external (or even internal) factors.

Following some wikipedia links, this might have a name: "dualism". But I won't claim that I'm a "dualist" or anything like that.

I essentially believe that awareness and feelings are not reducible to materialistic phenomenon. That computers will never have human-like awareness; they will never experience pain or joy the way humans do. And that awareness has nothing to do with computational capacity, and it's ultimately meta-physical.

EDIT: Reading the wikipedia article on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dualism_(philosophy_of_mind), I like what I'm reading and find that it agrees to my beliefs in a lot of ways.

To quote a quote:

if my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain, I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true ... and hence I have no reason for supposing my brain to be composed of atoms. —J. B. S. Haldane, Possible Worlds, page 209

ronnier 15 years ago |

Judaism. That which is hateful to you, do not do to others. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary; now go study. --Hillel

drewse 15 years ago | |

That is some very good advice and I think the opposite is equally as important (do things to others that you would appreciate if done to you). Putting the two statements together, you essentially get the Golden Rule.

Andaith 15 years ago |

I believe:

1) I determine my future through my actions and choices. 2) Kindness is the greatest gift we can give each other. 3) Be quick to forgive and slow to forget. 4) Love, Life and Freedom are worth fighting for.

As for how I go about life:

Don't complain, just do what needs to be done and don't take unnecessary shit from anybody. Always help others and treat them with the respect they deserve. Always aim for happiness and don't spend too much time on the sad parts of life.

Sorry if this sounds too -I don't know the word-, but it works for me and I'm generally happier than everyone around me.

alexh 15 years ago |

Existentialism.

The philosophy that I have, that most people disagree with is "Given that Ignorance of a thing is or would be bliss, that thing is not immoral"

So if I steal and give it back, but they would never have used it in the interim, I am fine, even if they found out and got angry, because Ignorance would have been bliss.

If I violate somebody's privacy, but never change my interactions with them based on it, and never reveal what I know to other people, I am fine. Because they are doing precisely as well as they would if I had not.

cj 15 years ago |

If you don't believe in free will based on the principle that every event causes another event, which causes another, etc... then take a look into quantum physics. A great intro book is Quantum Enigma.

Quantum Physics is one of the few branches of science that is not always predictable. Even more, our inability to predict is not based on a lack of ability to measure precisely or lack of computing power. Quantum physics gives our world an elements of spontaneity.

danielford 15 years ago |

I'm strongly influenced by stoicism and enlightenment-era deism. I think that God exists, wants us to be decent to each other, and never interacts with the universe. The primary purpose of life is to develop internal strength and character. Or as Paul Graham once wrote, "What matters is what you make of yourself." The other things in life are great too, but they're outside of your control, and so they should never be the main goal of existence.

wazoox 15 years ago |

Materialism, Existentialism, Empiricism, Cynicism, and a good dose of Socratic questioning : I don't think - or even want - we should stick strictly to one school of thought. Depending on the matter, the moment and the mood, one or other philosophy will fit you better.

I read lots of philosophy. In fact I mostly read philosophy, even those I don't agree with, because it provokes thought.

Reading philosophy cured me of Determinism long ago :)

sayemm 15 years ago |

The meaning of life is to make the most meaning out of it.

And everyone derives meaning or utility from it in different ways. Everyone is like their own program in the system (just like the "The Matrix").

Winners in life tend to be naturally stubborn existentialists though.

One of my most favorite movie scenes of all time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaJPNrf1DPY

jackfoxy 15 years ago |

I think I've experienced different meanings and different influences at different points in my life. Right now it would have to be meaninglessness and struggle, which possibly makes me some sort of stoic existentialist, the idea of which I don't like very much.

things do not stand much looking into -- character in a Joseph Conrad novel

jasonkester 15 years ago |

Snowboardism: Go Big.

Or, in the words of Frank Sinatra: "If you're going to do it, it's no good unless you do it all the way"

Or Lao Tzu: "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart"

Taking up a sport? Put in the effort to get good at it. Going travelling? Quit your job and take a year doing it right. Building a startup? Go big.

blender 15 years ago |

Existentialism

I sing as the bird sings, That on the bough alights, The song that from me springs, Is pay that well requites.

From the Ego and Its Own by Max Stirner. An obscure but amazingly original work - published the year Nietzsche was born!

Generally, Karma in the popular sense.

garrettgillas 15 years ago |

I generally consider that most advice that people give is either incomplete or fundamentally wrong.

utku_karatas2 15 years ago |

Yeah, mine is to not get sucked up by any "-ism"s whatsoever.

keiferski 15 years ago |

Lots of Nietzsche, with healthy doses of pragmatism (James & Dewey), some empiricism (Hume), and rationalism (Spinoza).

conjectures 15 years ago |

I'm a cheerful nihilist and a materialist. We have to carve out meaning for ourselves. That's something to take pride in.

hasenj 15 years ago |

Is this a poll to see what philosophy/ideology is dominant on HN? Or just a general thread to discuss philosophy?

drewse 15 years ago | |

I'd like it to be more of an informal poll than a discussion thread, as I don't want people's philosophies to be rejected or argued against. It's fine if people want to contribute to or add on to other's beliefs as long as they're respectful, but it's best that you stick to sharing your own ideas.

qp 15 years ago |

http://theunitedpersons.org/constitution

motters 15 years ago |

As a young man I was primarily influenced by Suprematism, but later lapsed into bog-standard rationalism.

petervandijck 15 years ago |

Whenever there's a big decision to be made: how will you feel when you're 85? That helps a little.

DanielBMarkham 15 years ago |

Existentialism, Agnosticism, Stoicism.

I find these three fit very nicely together.

mindcrime 15 years ago | |

Yeah, that's pretty close to the same here, but substitute Atheism for Agnosticism.

I also believe very strongly in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-ownership and adhere to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism

jodrellblank 15 years ago |

What guides my life is my inbuilt future scenario modelling system. If it looks at a situation and predicts gains in status, human contact, interest or safety it makes the predicted scenario feel good/exciting/attracive/likely/desirable.

If it looks at a situation and predicts losses in one or more of those areas, or more losses than gains, then it makes the imagined scenario feel bad/scary/anxiety inducing/unsafe/dangerous/miserable.

Then on top of that I have a conscious mind which rationalises what I do and pretends it was the result of some kind of philosophy or wisdom or moral choice.

Like a lot of people, I've accidentally learned a lot of rules which make the predictions very inaccurate and I'm slowly working on correcting them as I find them. After that (in a few years, maybe more), who knows who I'll be.