When people think of philosophy, they often conjure images of old, dead Greek men wearing robes and standing in front of ancient buildings, pointing off into the distance, pondering the meaning of life. You might not be completely wrong if this is how you picture philosophy. After all, philosophy originated in Ancient Greece, and one of the most famous paintings by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael, “The School of Athens,” depicts exactly that. But philosophy is more than a classical art. It is a vibrant practice that encourages deep analysis through philosophical thinking. What is philosophical thinking? That’s easy. It’s the basis of writing. Philosophical thinking is anything that begins with the “Five W’s”: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. It’s about asking questions. Uncovering truths and then using your mind to question the truths you come up with. It’s about diving deep and exploring the world. Figuring stuff out for yourself. At the end of the day, philosophical thinking helps you realize who you are, why you think the way you do, and how to interpret the world.Re-read that paragraph. The exciting thing is, every single sentence in that paragraph can also be used to describe writing. Philosophical thinking is the mindset that you use to write. If you’re a philosophical thinker, you’ll also be a better writer. Thinking and writing, after all, go hand in hand, and practicing one makes the other better. The more you practice philosophical thinking, the better you’ll be at crafting logical arguments, using reason, defending your point of view, and finding holes in other people’s arguments. Once again, these are all the qualities you need to write a great essay. They can turn an “okay” essay into an “excellent” essay. Philosophical thinking will transform your essays from “Clark Kent” to “Superman” quality. It will teach you how to think. “I think, therefore I am.” This is one of the most iconic philosophical quotes of all time. You may have heard it before, or maybe you’re still brand-new to philosophy, but it comes from the French philosopher, René Descartes. In his examination of existence, doubt, and God, Descartes taught us one valuable lesson. He encouraged us—no matter who or where we are—to think for ourselves, and in doing so, bring our writing into existence. Who knew that philosophical thinking was that powerful?
