Kant Had it Backwards

ByMatthew

“‎The ‘I think’ which Kant said must be able to accompany all my objects, is the ‘I breathe’ which actually does accompany them.” – William James

I have long thought that Kant had it wrong when he said “I think, therefore I am.” Sometime not long after my Intro to Philosophy course at Hobart College I started think that it was the other way ’round – that we are, therefore we think.

I much prefer the implications of our beingness coming from something other than thought, like a timeless, effortless Source:

I am, therefore I think.

Similar Posts

  • Three Power Questions

    ByMatthew

    As a coach I love questions. In fact, questions are coaching. It’s the willingness for the coach to be open to asking and not knowing that allows for the client to create their own answers – and the actions that follow. Here are three of my favorites: What do I really want? When you take the time to…

  • The Secret to Time Management

    ByMatthew

    Don’t do what you sincerely don’t want to do. – Ernest Hemingway Putting aside the fundamental truth that time just is and cannot be managed (only you and your priorities can be managed), this is the essence of effective self- and priority-management. The simple fact is: you’re too busy, or overwhelmed, because 1) you’ve said…

  • What Can You Do?

    ByMatthew

    You might not want to do everything you imagine, but you can’t do anything you can’t imagine doing. I pondered over the above words a fair amount. I wanted them to be expansive and positive, while still defensible against critics and pessmists. I wanted them to strike a balance between what people often see as…

  • A (Surprising) Truth

    ByMatthew

    It’s easier to forego temptation than it is to stop after only a bit. For example, it’s easier to not have any ice cream at all, than it is to eat just the “recommended portion.” In these situations inertia serves us. If we’re standing still in relation to something  (for example, the ice cream in…