Letters of Love: Community Transmission of Wisdom as a Case Study for an Inclusive Philosophy

Abstract

Philosophy is an abstract and densely academic field of study that excludes the engagement of many people. This thesis looks at the exploration of wisdom through a nontraditional lens. Beginning with a critical investigation of the way that power dictates our ideas of what constitutes valid wisdom, I work to identify routes of exploration that exist outside central hubs of power. For this thesis, I will use wisdom synonymously with philosophy, as wisdom is the knowledge of the world that fits within the scope of philosophy—which can itself be translated into ‘the love of wisdom.’ Through the writing of letters, I explore a vision of philosophy that is personal and directly applicable to my shared experiences and might serve as a model for others. By contrasting the experience that I had studying philosophy with a vision that is community- and care-centric, I explore alternative foundations for philosophy. This thesis provides a discussion of philosophy that is in and of itself an exemplar for the way that philosophy could look. This inclusive vision of philosophy benefits wisdom not only for people that stand to be newly included, but also to the field itself by bolstering the collective experience from which we draw truths. This thesis serves as an ode to the beauty of philosophy when made a community practice, and as a way to think deeply about and reflect on the world of which we are a part.