Prose

I have always thought of philosophy as simply “the love of wisdom” (Gk. “philosophia”). And by wisdom, I mean “the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding” (Lockyer p. 1103). On these bases, philosophy for me is carefully knowing and carefully doing what is truly right, for there are so many things in this world that can deceive us if we are not careful.
 
So many people are not aware of the fact that they are philosophizing in their way of thinking on a daily basis. Many are not aware that philosophy is not only an academic study taught in colleges, that it also refers to one’s own worldview – his way of thinking on which action or attitude would be the best for him to take. As the American philosopher and theologian Francis Schaeffer once said, “There is a second meaning [of philosophy] that we must not miss if we are going to understand the problem of preaching in the twentieth-century world. For philosophy also means a person’s worldview. In this sense all people are philosophers, for all people have a worldview.” And on this basis, whether we are aware of it or not, each one of us has a philosophy to hold.
 
The philosophies of men, however, have their limitations and dangers, given the fact that man’s nature is corrupted with sin. Sometimes, it is not only the outside factors that can deceive us; sometimes, it is what we think is the best for us, which comes from our very own hearts – hearts made corrupt and selfish by sin. And because of sin, we are also in nature rebels against the Creator Himself. Because of this, the philosophies of man (generally summed up to what is called humanism) have been progressively rejecting the laws this Creator have set up in His creation. These philosophies have reduced God to an imaginary being and raised humanity to becoming false gods, being able to do what may please them. We should remember that this kind of thinking is what made tyrants, like Mao Tse Tung, Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Stalin, slaughter billions of people unnecessarily.
 
And knowing that like those tyrants, I am only a man - sinful and naturally corrupt - I already gave up on the idea of developing my own philosophy about four years ago and decided to simply submit to God’s wisdom, which I found out can only be revealed through Jesus Christ. For why should I trust my wisdom, knowing that I am sinful and vile to the core? And why should I not submit to God’s wisdom, knowing that He is eternally good and incorruptibly just? For me, this is the true “philosophy” – loving wisdom by choosing what has been proven perfect and therefore, the best.

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This was my answer to the first question in my take home examination in my "Philosophy of Man" subject.