IN DEFENSE OF A PHILOSOPHICAL CHOICE

IN DEFENSE OF A PHILOSOPHICAL CHOICE
by Jack Buno
It may be questioned whether a choice of philosophies needs to present a defense for its acceptance; I believe it does! Primarily because the mere taking on of a quest for knowledge requires in its accomplishment, a purposeful differentiating from the ‘norm’. There is a quote, I believe by Cleanthes ? that says, ‘Though a philosophy may run counter to the opinion of the world; yet has it reason on its side.’ Because a philosophy serves only the person practicing it, the philosopher is always ‘weighing’ his own choices of actions against all others. It is necessary that he contains an understanding of his choices, and a yet clearer understanding of the resistance presented to him in his own struggle, meaning that of freeing himself from the rationales that the masses follow, as the philosopher believes, to their own undoing; and as a result, when he knows both sides, he can accept his philosophy with confidence, knowing it is a product of reason. While of necessity, he is devaluing the opinions of others, he holds his own ‘opinion’ as the best reasoning could produce, even if only for himself.
The only sound argument, is an argument that can produce on it’s behalf, solid witness. No one can discuss his philosophy without having control enough of his tongue, to speak or express the ‘counterpoint’ with equal weight of 'evidence'. Dialogue is the accepted form of communication demanded by reason. Without Dialogue, reason will not participate in what would amount to mere ‘argument’; knowing beforehand that nothing would be noteworthy.
I conclude, that if there is no defense for a point, it would have been a point or choice made without the application of reason. The process of reasoning produces in the form of it’s expression, the counterpoint! The resultant duality assures the balance needed for both stability and confidence. You gain within yourself a clear delineation between what you hold as opinion, and what you hold as fact. This is not to imply that the facts held as true by me, need be regarded by others as any more than my opinions; because opinion is the best that can be derived by any method of reasoning.
Since life exposes its features equally to us, meaning all of us, the man who does not have a clear understanding of himself, meanders thru both the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ of the world, mixing his opinions with what is true, and what is not, and at best, accomplishes thru his fault, a state of lukewarmness.