The Philosophy of Irrationality & Anxiety
Updated: Nov 20, 2024
Summary by Anonymous
The article explores the concept of irrationality and its impact on human perception and understanding of reality. It argues that humans often limit their understanding to what they consider "possible" within their existing framework, dismissing anything outside this as "impossible" or "nonsense."
The piece suggests that this limited perception hinders our ability to grasp a more fluid reality that otherwise may appear utterly irrational for us. To approach the truth, we must question our own limited perceptions and embrace the possibility of a more complex reality.
Furthermore, Mr. Tomasio delves into the nature of irrationality, highlighting how it can manifest in various forms, such as anxiety and misplaced concerns. The writer emphasizes the importance of a logical mind in accurately assessing reality and making informed decisions.
The author concludes by advocating for a balanced approach, recognizing the limitations of intuition and the value of critical thinking. By questioning our own rationality and embracing the unknown, we can move closer to overcoming our respective, mind-prisoning perceptions.
"Mankind has very limited tolerance and patience for matters they do not comprehend! Only perceiving the possibilities that they are willing to accept as 'solid', only within their self-decided concept of the possible.
Concept/things and events that are considered "impossible" aren't acceptable for such limited perceptions and attitudes, so they remain so, but only to a point.
A more fluid and irrational reality inevitably punches through the curtain of common perception here and there, and is instantly denounced as utter nonsense" -- Mr. John Duran
Introduction
Irrationality can be defined as something, such as a concept or even an emotion, that is too deluded to be based on reality. It's something that can make us deluded as well, should we be convinced by it. As we know, delusion is an enemy of philosophizing, as the point of philosophy is to stay farther from it, and not the opposite.
Philosophy is the verbal study of reality from a logical standpoint. However, logic is not only a matter of capability but a matter of expanding our knowledge.
The more irrational a being is, the less of a grip they have on reality. A grip of reality cannot grow if we refuse questioning our current understanding of it. Thus, without expanding our understanding of reality, we hinder our own rationality by our hubris and confidence.
How to Get Closer to the Truth
If one wishes to be closer to the truth, one must decrease irrationality as much as possible, by decreasing one's perceived rationality. That is done by questioning your limited perception, and accepting it in the first place. The more limited your perception is, the more reality can easily appear irrational to you.
The question then remains: Are you the logical one for not inquiring further about reality? Or, is reality the one being illogical?
Being limited people with limited knowledge, reality is far, far more absurd than we might realize. We never have full knowledge. Therefore, reality is necessarily absurd. Thinking that we understand reality competently without further inquiry and questioning, makes us all the more absurd and irrational.
The Nature of Irrationality
The irrational may have false notions about reality, which could make them a poor judge of it. He or she who lives more in a fantasy world, and correlates their imaginations on their reality perception, cannot be deemed as having a good rationale. Why would they?
There are tendencies within us humans that are irrational, in a sense that they are not grounded enough to be objectively defined as correct estimations. This, in turn, leads us to over-react.
For example, people who suffer from anxiety, like me, may find themselves having certain emotions that are too out of proportion with regard to the world outside the consciousness.
Over the smallest of things, the irrational person can find themselves in deep anxiety, for instance. Misplaced anxiety is a proper example of irrationality. In some people, anxiety is more common than others. Using reason and by taking care of ourselves, these anxious patterns of behavior can be reduced.
The point of a good cognition is to be able to correctly estimate reality and base one's actions upon said estimation. The more accurate it is, the less one is to be guided by their own delusions. The less one is governed by delusions, the more rational they can be deemed.
A good philosopher is expected to have an excellent quality of cognition because their brains are work tools. Having their brains in good conditioning means that they can be more in line with the reality that exists beyond their minds. That is the difference between the good philosopher and the crackpot philosopher. The crackpot theorist will not have their ideas grounded on reality, for example. A good fictional example for a crackpot theorist is Kefka from Final Fantasy 6.
By the way, rationality and intelligence may correlate but they are not codependent. Dr. Eggman is an example of a character who is extremely intelligent but is too crackpot, or irrational, in order to be successful as an antagonist. That's how mad scientists usually are. Hyper intelligent beings who lack the rationality to apply their intellect in a way that will overcome their enemies.
Case Example
I used to fear public transportation before I began using it regularly, as I, at the time, mostly went to places by foot. However, that fear was irrational as the only obstacle that awaits in this case is my own lack of awareness, should I either miss the bus or miss the station (Which happened several times regardless). I have grown up since then.
No one should be anxious about something like public transportation, as it by itself lacks actual danger that is worthy of us to be anxious towards. There may be exceptions, yes? But I digress.
The Weird Concerns of Humanity
Whether we like it or not, many of our concerns are irrational. It's not only because they are not grounded enough, but also because there is not much usefulness in having them and giving them a deserved place in our minds. It's a matter of both functionality and understanding. Discard both, and still hold a concern in high regard, and you might as well stay irrational.
When we are concerned about something that cannot be helped, we might often make the mistake of letting this worry too much space, too much "power", or importance. Importance to us, of course. Importance that might as well be both false and even dysfunctional, or harmful to our endeavors. This is why having a calm mind is imperative to be the better judge of reality.
The thing is, even if there are issues that are worthy of importance, it doesn't always mean we can do anything to fix them, if at all. People may be afraid of getting old, for instance, but it's not like it can't be prevented through natural means, correct? We can extend our lifespan but we can't live forever, can we? Then, worrying about getting old is impractical because we'll be old regardless of what we do.
Our hair may get white, our skin paler and we may even encounter certain medical conditions that can hinder us in some way. This still does not mean we can solve these problems if these worries are without solution, no matter their value to us.
Being Grounded in Reality Using Philosophy
And that is indeed the overall irrationality that exists within different anxieties, or in other words, in our different feelings of distresses when we are to believe that something bad might happen. That's where reasoning can come in, or in other words, philosophizing. It's point of it is to clarify us from delusion and ground us more in reality.
The more grounded we are in reality, the more we can rid ourselves of unnecessary, impractical and unrealistic anxieties.
When did I happen to miss the bus? That is an irrelevant question that could just increase our anxiety. It should be a given that the bus has left the station and is now on its route forward. Feeling distressed because of it and because of the implications that may follow, won't necessarily help one bring the bus back, get to work in time and so on.
My distress won't help, thus giving it too much importance would be irrational, compared to thinking what else can be done to get to the office. Correct?
In philosophy, we must come in terms with things which are either possible facts or given facts. We must recognize the facts and the likelihood of things being fact, so we will not deceive ourselves so unnecessarily. It's obvious that the bus moved on, but maybe it should mean that we should move on too because the past cannot be altered, for it already happened.
If anything, the past deserves its place when it is functional, AKA, when it can help us work towards a better/different future.
I utilized my mental scars for work, for example. I utilized my vengeful tendencies to be a better philosopher and to focus more on the craft of article-writing. Using the past as a means to an end is better than wasting time and energy in lamenting it. I suppose we can agree on that.
No amount of worry will get that bus back, so if we want to make it to work, we must think instead of another solution, since sinking in distress is irrational when it is impractical. It would've been practical if it were productive in any way. Perhaps we can learn that, when we miss the bus, to think of ways to reduce that chance of that happening again.
The Essence of Practicality
Remember: There are times where practicality matters more than our personal sentiments. Such is the case in professional settings.
As such, I regard myself, or at least aspire to be, a consummate professional, when it comes to my work as philosopher and as Philosocom's founder. If something, like a poor article, doesn't meet results, I will consider deleting it or at least revamp it massively. It's nothing personal, even if emotional investment is or was included. My readership matters more, as it should.
Lamenting over how disappointed I am over an article I thought would be interesting, is irrational as it is impractical.
I am not an artist by heart. If my emotional attachment gets in the way, I take a pair of metaphorical scissors and cut it loose. Being able to distinguish between "Kli" and "tochen" is the key to understanding reality more accurately.
Hence why I dislike the anxious tendencies within me. For the vast majority of the time, these anxieties are baseless not even on logic itself. It may exist within me, despite my knowledge that there is nothing to be anxious of. Such is the nature of generalized anxiety disorder. That's my only mental disorder, which I'm handling using logic. Rationality calms me.
I am chilling in my apartment at midnight, no noise outside my headphones, and of course, no physical threats whatsoever. Why am I anxious now? Despite said tendencies, I have no idea. So, instead, I choose to avoid giving it an undeserved position.
Accepting Our Ignorance
If we wish to overcome irrationality, we must look beyond it. To the world beyond the mind. We must accept the notion that there might be things we are not aware of yet. Or, perhaps, underestimate or overestimate.
Underestimate, like the importance of rest. Overestimate, like a minor discomfort. That is also the fallacy that lies with bias, as bias can make one overlook things, while also making other things more significant than they actually are. For better, like a test we excelled in despite worry. For the worse, like an error in a math equation that ruined our calculations.
I was told several times that I should consider the intuitive part of the mind. It's part that is more spontaneous and that is not calculated at all; to "go with the flow", to "be like water" and so on. However, as a philosopher, I must inquire: What makes intuition rational enough when we are not supposed to question it?
What if intuition can make one more delusional, and thus, stay further from the truth? Why should we ignore Socratic questioning, when it could yield practical results?
I do not claim to be the most rational being, as I am consumed by impractical anxieties. Anxieties I am trying to purify out of my system. Being more rational is key to being good at being a well-respected philosopher. That is the point of philosophizing to begin with: To get closer to understanding reality. With your clarity of thought, you can bring much good to this world, by helping others in need. It's the moral thing to do.
Conclusion
Do not find anything as given fact, before you can rest assured that it's either a fact. Likely, your emotionality is irrelevant in this case and can mislead you from the truth. Some things are easy to accept things as how our poor rationality draws them to be. Do not yield to it so easily, if it is indeed poor.
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