"Philosophy has always been with us and we just have to be clear about where it is and when it happens," says the philosopher Wolfram Eilenberger. Thus we can say that much of what we do, work and provoke in our processes as mediators, is veiled by a philosophy of our daily life.
As the great philosopher said Socrateyes, I mediator “I can't teach anyone anything. "I can only make them think.". That is why my intention as a professional is not to give them solutions of any kind, I do not believe that I am anyone to enter their lives, but I am to make them think and see the light to their problem through debate and their own reflections, not from an imposed proposal. The only function of the mediator would be to remove the veil that covers the possibility of agreeing on a solution to your problem.
The presence of philosophy in our daily lives is more common than we think. We all have a philosophy of life, it is implicit in us, with very general ideas of who we are, what we want, who others are, why others and not me, and what actions will be like in the future if we come from a conflict experienced in past tense. Therefore, let us not think of philosophy as something to study but rather as a way of living.
Philosophy in the mid
Not only do we mediators have to know how to ask, but also knowing how to ask ourselves. Philosophy is within us and we just have to be clear about how to make it go through our work and our way of living and, in some way, our philosophy permeates our mid, almost in an educational work.
I would also like to refer to the stoicism, the 2000-year-old philosophy of surviving chaos and asking ourselves, asking them Are we sure that with mediation everything will be fine? How do you know you are safe with the decisions to make? Are there reasons for the conflict? Is there any antecedent that works as a guide for what happened?
When we work in mediation, it is because a moment of crisis arose. Crisis is always a good time for philosophy because it deals with the most basic concepts that drive our lives. When there is confusion, anguish of mind, with insecurities around the problem, it happens that what drives our life and the lives of others falters, is no longer useful or is destroyed before our eyes. So It's a good time for philosophy.
And it has to do, above all, with the fact that people understand that the relationships and actions that led them to conflict are not sustainable. There is something fundamental and that is that our lives have to be rethought, to see an opportunity where there is a problem.
If we look at history, from the Greeks with democracy in Athens and Socrates, changes always occurred when society was in crisis. That is why philosophy, our philosophy of life, can help us understand what happened and, above all, what to do. Basically because Thanks to philosophy we clarify the concepts in the conflict: about each person's freedom of decision, what they consider fair or equitable and even the importance of stable and lasting agreement and thinking that it can be right or wrong.
Thoughts that give rise to actions and therefore solutions
Getting us to pronounce the phrase in the midst of a crisis “I never thought of it that way.” either “I never saw it that way.”, makes us grow and above all move forward in search of consensual solutions that respect differences. That's why I dare to say that philosophy opens horizons. He describes his world again with him as it can be from now on, taking advantage of the present and not how it is through utopias.
Those who really know philosophy, the philosophers, say that our happiness and well-being does not depend on the things we can buy or lose, but rather it is closer to what personal well-being is, to peace with others and with oneself. .
That's why I would ask myself, can mediators become philosophers? Or are we all philosophers in some way? Well, I think so, because any debate, dialogue, conversation, emotional communication or assertiveness that It is our work tool in mediation. Ask and be asked, that is where true philosophy begins to provide opportunities, getting the parties to remove the garbage from their minds and be able to see beyond.
And to finish, I hope I have left you thinking, dear reader, because there are many famous quotes that we could debate and their value in our profession, which helps us understand what philosophy is.
Just a few:
Victoria Camps, He said "The role of philosophy and philosophers in today's society is to help ask questions, pose problems correctly, and give reasons for the decisions that must be made. In short, help you think”.
And my reflection is, Isn't that what we do in mediation?
Emilio Lledó, says "Philosophy was the result of a curiosity of human beings when they became aware that they could think about the world and say it; realizing that words meant things, ideas, feelings, desires; a form of love to interpret what we experienced, to understand history, which consisted of seeing and bearing witness. Philosophy was from its beginnings an opening towards the future of life”.
Do you think this is our job as a mediator? To base ourselves on the future and not on what happened.
Michael J. Sandel, says "What attracted me to philosophy was not its abstraction, but its inescapability and the light it sheds on our daily lives. Understood in this way, philosophy belongs not only to the classroom, but to the public square, where citizens deliberate about the common good.”.
Thus, deliberating, debating, communicating, understanding, everything is mediating.
AND Marina Garces, tells us that “Philosophy is a practice of life that moves the limits of what is visible and thinkable in each time and for each historical and social context, starting from the question of a truth that must be sought with thought.”.
Only through conscious thought can we reach the solution.
Finally, Javier Gomá, takes us to “The 'worldly philosophy' is what is capable of saying something to the heart of the person who lives in a conscious way, someone with sensitivity towards the world, towards the problem”.
Dear friends, I cannot say in conclusion more than that, philosophy is gymnastics of emotions, feelings, positions, to reach interests and needs, but it also needs a lot of practice.
And never forget to keep thinking that mediation can be a philosophy of life.
If you found this post interesting and want to know more about it, you can visit my LinkedIn profile. My name is Javier Alés, founder and director of the International Forum of Professional Mediators and teacher at the International Mediation School.
