My Three Pillars of Sense-Making

Summary

In this video, Michael Millerman introduces his three pillars of sense-making: philosophy, politics, and mysticism. Philosophy involves foundational inquiries into existence and thought. Politics applies philosophical rigor to political life, exploring justice, law, and community. Mysticism, Millerman's starting point, seeks union with the divine, highlighting self-transcendence and mystical experiences. Millerman emphasizes the importance of combining these three pillars for a comprehensive understanding of the human condition, political community, and spiritual life, advocating for a broad perspective on political theory and intellectual exploration.

Takeaways

• 📚 Michael Millerman introduces himself as a political science PhD graduate from the University of Toronto, translator of Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin, and discusses his interest in the history of political philosophy.
• 🧠 Millerman's three pillars of sense-making are philosophy, politics, and mysticism.
• 📖 Philosophy involves foundational inquiry into the basic components of life, the cosmos, and thinking, including metaphysics, ontology, and first principles.
• 🏛️ Politics or political philosophy applies the rigor of philosophical inquiry to the world of political life, addressing concepts such as law, justice, community, equality, freedom, and heroism.
• 🌀 Mysticism seeks union with the absolute or divine, transcending the empirical self, and involves a deep, often ineffable experience communicated through symbolic and evocative language.
• 🔗 Millerman emphasizes the need to combine philosophy, politics, and mysticism to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the world and human existence.
• 📚 He credits Leo Strauss for highlighting the importance of political philosophy and its central role in understanding philosophy as a whole.
• 🌐 Millerman argues that political philosophy is essential for self-knowledge, as it deals with the relationship between the philosopher and the political community.
• 🎭 He explores the intersection of mysticism and philosophy, noting that many philosophers have mystical elements in their works and that mysticism can provide insights into philosophical inquiries.
• 🌍 Millerman advocates for a balanced study of political theory, including right-wing thinkers, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of political thought and to address the imbalance in the representation of political perspectives.

Q & A

Who is Michael Millerman?

Michael Millerman graduated from the University of Toronto in 2018 with a PhD in political science. He has been translating the works of Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin and is interested in the history of political philosophy and the relationship between philosophy and politics.

What are the three pillars of sense-making according to Michael Millerman?

Michael Millerman's three pillars of sense-making are philosophy, political philosophy, and mysticism.

How does Michael Millerman define philosophy in his sense-making framework?

Millerman defines philosophy as foundational inquiry into the basic components of life, the cosmos, and our thinking capacity. This includes metaphysics, ontology, first principles, and the rules of thinking.

What role does political philosophy play in Millerman's framework?

Political philosophy takes the rigor and depth of pure philosophy and applies it to the world of political life. It addresses questions about law, justice, the balance between individual and collective good, and the nature of political communities.

Why does Millerman include mysticism as one of his pillars?

Millerman includes mysticism because it seeks union with the absolute and involves self-transcendence. He finds commonalities in the mystical experiences across different traditions and sees it as an essential part of understanding deeper spiritual realities.

What inspired Millerman's interest in mysticism?

Millerman's interest in mysticism was inspired by his reading of various mystics from different religious traditions, which revealed to him common experiences and the use of evocative language to describe the mystical experience.

How does Millerman see the relationship between philosophy and mysticism?

Millerman believes that philosophy and mysticism complete each other. Philosophy provides rigorous intellectual inquiry up to the point of mystical experience, while mysticism offers the consummation of that inquiry in a transcendent experience.

What is the significance of political philosophy according to Leo Strauss, as interpreted by Millerman?

Leo Strauss, as interpreted by Millerman, showed that political philosophy is the heart of philosophy. It is essential for self-knowledge because it addresses the relationship between the philosopher and the political community.

Why does Millerman emphasize the study of right-wing thinkers?

Millerman emphasizes the study of right-wing thinkers to restore balance and proper dignity to the spectrum of political thought, which he believes is often overlooked in favor of liberal and leftist perspectives.

What is Millerman's ultimate goal with his sense-making pillars?

Millerman's ultimate goal is to help himself and others think more deeply, clearly, and comprehensively about what it means to be a human being, a member of a political community, and an embodied soul.

How does Millerman address potential objections to his sense-making framework?

Millerman acknowledges that other approaches like economics, psychology, sociology, history, and literature can provide valuable insights. However, he believes that philosophy, political philosophy, and mysticism are often conspicuously missing and essential for a comprehensive understanding.