How to Journal (& Think) like a Philosopher

In this video, I help you understand the difference between a journal and a diary, commonplace book, compendium, book of silioques, catch all, and pocket notebook. Then I lay out three key features for actually doing philosophy or thinking like a philosopher. Then I help you journal like a philosopher by applying these essential features to journaling to help you keep a deep thinking philosophy journal. Enjoy!

Grab a Murdy Creative notebook (or anything else from them) for 10% off your whole order at checkout with code PARKERNOTES

0:00 - intro and overview
0:58 - what's the difference between a journal and a diary?
2:50 - what is a commonplace book?
3:10 - what is a compendium?
3:57 - what is a sililoquy?
4:17 - good idea catch-all
4:40 - pocket notebook
5:12 - philosophy commonplace book vs. journal
6:54 - how to think like a philosopher (Mike Huemer)
8:41 - how to journal like a philosopher
9:47 - example from the philosophy of artificial intelligence
12:55 - summary of how to think and journal like a philosopher

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[hayattMD]

I used to think I was crazy for keeping an infinite amount of notebooks and now I think I have found my twin on the other side of the world.

[andrea_star]

I used to write diaries at the age of 9... And all I write is just a bunch of negative emotions because as a kid, I was neglected by my parents, and I don't really get any attention... And when I was 9 I used to think about death. Because I really don't feel like I exist (I feel abnormal as a kid). But now I'm 16, all my life I dedicated to my writings. I started writing journals at the age of 13.. Instead of writing negative emotions I write positive ones, and it really helped me a lot.. Now I'm 16, I'm planning of having an argument journal because I have a lot of arguments in my head.. Just mentally curious about a lot of things... This really helped me inspired and motivated to write more thank you so much ❤

[gnarwhal]

Very inspiring. I don't know what you would call it, but for the past 4 years I've kept journals I refer to as my "thought books" (to which my friends snicker at the name). They're essentially written collections of whatever pops in my head at the time. Be it poems, dialogue, song ideas/lyrics, love letters, journal entries, philosophical musings, quotes, etc. Any idea worth writing down will be in those books. Sure they could be more organized, but I've found them to be more interesting to read back because of the variety. I'd recommend trying it out for anyone who finds straight journal and poetry books to be too intimidating

[tbilod]

I remember reading how Ludwig Von Beethoven would take daily walks in the park near his home. While taking his daily walks he would get inspirational musical stanzas. He would return to his home and write these stanzas in a notebook and use some of these stanzas composing his music. Upon his death there were hundreds of these notebooks. This method can be used in a number of different ways.

[DeidreaDeWitt]

I'm currently a philosophy/theology major in graduate school. I love that you're also into both! :) Keep up the good work!

[eleigar]

I love the messiness of your writing and notesbooks. I used to bullet journal and it always stressed me to see other people with amazingly beautiful notebooks. I can't really draw and I don't want to spend hours to make it look nice, so I stopped. It's kind of stupid but I feel like seeing your notebooks gives me a permisson to get rid of my washi tape and ruler and not to worry how my notebooks looks like.

[adamgriss]

The different kinds of notebooks are really interesting and well though out. My notebooks are basically all in one because I section them off. I prefer your more compartmentalized. I would love to see an episode of you discussing your ideas with John Danaher. That would be epically epic!

[Leo-bdms]

I probably won't keep this many books. For me it would just get too overwhelming characterizing everything. I did that with my drawing books and just categorising everything and it just made me stop drawing in those completely.
I'm not saying you shouldn't keep these many books but rather that they just don't work for me.
Tho I'm definitely gonna buy a diary and a journal. Cuz as you say, I don't get difficult thoughts every single day abt why I'm feeling this or feeling lost in life.tho they come by atleast twice a week. So gonna just keep a diary for everyday writing and just how I felt and what I shoulve done better. And a journal for ideas I have, why do I do this, why am I like this.

[x-Musashi-x]

I see the Jiu Jitsu shirt bro… and the cauliflower ear. Just like the Greek Philosophers who not only were powerful philosophers, but they were also strong and nimble wrestlers and athletes. You are basically an extension of the Greek Philosophers in modern 2023.

[Shirayumi]

Thank you for flipping through and showing everything. Seeing the "pretty" notebooks that other youtubers make disuaded me from starting, but seeing your notbooks with some blank pages, some crazy sodeways writing, and some structured stuff helped me to do the hard thing and just start wring things in the dang book lol

[emtrovert]

I completely understand the separate books for different things… it’s just how some of our brains work.. I also enjoy compartmentalizing what goes into my journals. I remember looking at the notebooks section in a store, and my mom (who knows I am a notebook dragon), asking, “Are you out of paper?” And I told her, “That’s hardly the point.” 😂

[gunfyjndr]

Can you go more in depth about the content of your journals? Like how and what do you write in your compendium and stuff?

[TerryBenzie]

It's sort of comforting to see somebody with as many notebooks as I have.

I'd be interested in how you store both your current and archived journals.

[Maxamos]

Yo man your moustache is philosophical, I think if you start sporting the Nietzsche moustache that might move the antenna 😊

[michaeletienne]

Im glad to have found your channel. I also train jiu jitsu and have a immense passion for philosophy. Its cool to have cauliflower ear and be a philosopher.

[Barry-dymn]

after listening to your thoughts, journaling seems to be a genuinely useful tool for thinking deeply about any of our interests and hobbies.
thank you for the insight and inspiration.

[jilltribley]

I'm in my late 40s, have been journaling since I was a kid. And I still haven't decided whether I want one comprehensive journaling book or multiple books. I'm not bothered by it, I'll figure it out eventually!

[detroxphen]

Park, you've literally changed my life.
I've always been very notebook-oriented, but I forced myself to stick to digital mediums as they were supposed to be more "efficient". But does that even matter when you don't even use those commonplaces you've set up in Obsidian or Notion? Since I found your channel, around 1 month ago, I've implemented basically all the notebook types you show here, plus others I deemed necessary for my personal use. You present ideas I haven't seen around here on YT, at least not so well explained. Not like I'm too much into the YT notebooks niche, I confess, as I find it sort of repetitive, yet certain videos of yours have been revealing and a good watch. So far, I already can see results in my thinking process and depth, and how I propose more valuable thoughts/questions/ideas. Unlike digital mediums, using notebooks is the perfect fit for me; I carry them around all the time, like a baby carries their toys. I've rewatched this video many, many times, just like your recent pocket notebooks video (also amazing). I can't wait for your video on commonplace books. I hope it's very informative and surely is interesting.

[Rod-bpow]

"To write or to scribe, it is as easy and flexible as it sounds, yet the rites of rhythm are applied, for it to give a thought and not a doubt, it is as impromptu as genuine, it is as guaranteed as certainty, to write or to scribe as it is to describe it all"

[Emilywilson]

I love this!! Would love more videos on this topic!
Journals are one of my biggest hobbies and I have sooo many. I 100% think this sort is missing from my line up so I’m going to add it!! I love new ways to use a notebook!