In a thought-provoking discussion, philosopher Robert M. Ellis explores his latest work on Middle Way philosophy. He delves into the five essential principles that advocate for nuanced thinking, including skepticism, provisionality, and the rejection of absolutism. Robert emphasizes the importance of balancing intuition with reason in decision-making and the impact of agnosticism on communication. He also examines the intricate relationship between justice and freedom, advocating for mindfulness as a means to achieve better decision-making in complex moral landscapes.
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insights INSIGHT
Middle Way as Judgment Principle
The Middle Way is a principle of judgment to avoid absolutes and navigate uncertainty in life.
It is practical, interdisciplinary, and focuses on moment-to-moment awareness rather than metaphysical claims.
insights INSIGHT
Skepticism and Provisionality Principles
The first two principles of the Middle Way are skepticism (awareness of uncertainty) and provisionality (making judgments with openness to alternatives).
Balancing confidence with uncertainty helps avoid absolutization and supports sane decision-making.
insights INSIGHT
Balanced Skepticism Avoids Extremes
Skepticism, when applied evenly to all claims (positive and negative), navigates between extremes.
This balanced skepticism creates a safe space where no single absolute viewpoint dominates.
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Robert M. Ellis's "Five Principles of Middle-Way Philosophy" offers a practical framework for navigating life's complexities. The book emphasizes skepticism towards absolute claims, promoting a balanced approach to judgment. It introduces the concept of provisionality, encouraging openness to alternative perspectives. Incrementality is highlighted as a way to assess beliefs on a scale rather than binary terms. Agnosticism is presented as a deliberate avoidance of absolute assumptions. Finally, integration is explored as a method for resolving conflicts and achieving a broader understanding. The book draws on various disciplines, offering a comprehensive guide to practical wisdom.
Archetypes in Religion and Beyond
Robert M. Ellis
Layman sits down again with Middle Way philosopher and author, Robert M. Ellis, this time to discuss his new book, The Five Principles of Middle Way Philosophy -- the second book in a planned 9-part series on the Middle Way. Layman and Robert review the essential arguments of the book, exploring how a post-traditional, universalized middle-way philosophy might show up and what it might contribute to addressing the challenges of the contemporary world.
From the book's description:
"This second book in the 'Middle Way Philosophy' series develops five general principles that are distinctive to the universal Middle Way as a practical response to absolutization. These begin with the consistent acknowledgement of human uncertainty (scepticism), and follow through with openness to alternative possibilities (provisionality), the importance of judging things as a matter of degree (incrementality), the clear rejection of polarised absolute claims (agnosticism) and the cultivation of cognitive and emotional states that will help us resolve conflict (integration). These are discussed not only in theory, but with links to the wide range of established human practices that can help us to follow them. Like all of Robert M. Ellis's work, this book is highly inter-disciplinary, drawing on philosophical argument, psychological models and values that prioritize practical application."
Robert M. Ellis is a philosopher, writer and teacher. He has produced a series of books about the Middle Way, understood as a principle of judgement that throws us onto experience by avoiding absolutes, both positive and negative. He has also founded the Middle Way Society to support the development and practice of the Middle Way understood in this way, and he has recently opened a retreat center, Tirylan House, in rural South Wales.
The Five Principles of Middle Way Philosophy:
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Principles-Middle-Philosophy-Experientially/dp/1800503032/
The Integral Stage 