An old story which has made a great conversation piece (like a quaint item on a coffee table might in the living room of your host) has been Plato’s “parable of the cave.” It has been an attempt to understand why many people are so vehement in their rejection of the ideas which philosophers propose.

I think that the whole phenomenon can be better described in a much simpler way. People need to choose a healthy method of reasoning. One can even become “mentally ill” if they choose to reason in a haphazard manner. Generally people decide that they will subscribe to the consensus of the community. Some folks who think of themselves as more refined believe that they should listen to and believe whatever seems to be the consensus of scientists in regards to the area of life they are thinking about. This works fairly well for them 90% of the time. Although it does make me chuckle how such people seem oblivious to the fact that consensuses shift and change over time, and by choosing to find someone else to listen to and believe, they are putting themselves and their lives and judgements at the mercy of a somewhat unreliable process.

Philosophers may believe that they are only trying to convey an idea. But, in fact, they are inviting people to adopt an entirely different way of reasoning. Philosophers are asking people to think independently, look at the world with their own eyes, and draw their conclusions carefully after doing so. This is the barrier for entry if one wants to read a philosopher’s work. You, the reader, have to bring to the table your own musings, and your own conclusions, after having thought independently about the issue which is being discussed.

But, people who have anchored themselves to one method or another of reasoning are tenacious in their relationship to that method. They will get angry, indignant, unreasonable all because they fear that if they give up their anchor in the storm, they will be tossed to and fro like a piece of driftwood upon the ocean swells. It’s quite a reasonable concern on their part. But they are like children who stick their fingers in their ears and yell “I can’t hear you.”

I think that philosophers should make it their primary life’s goal to help folks to learn how to think and reason in a better fashion. Enough with the endless debates over what historical philosopher a b c or d was saying! Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work with helping others in our society in a very tangible way.