The Philosophers' Guide to Unlocking Your Potential

What if you had access to the greatest philosophers throughout history and could ask them about the key to unlocking human potential?

Turns out we do, with the help of generative AI. This edition explores the answer to my previous question and shows you how to do it using ChatGPT and another tool called Claude.

The question above came to me when I caught myself staring at a quote that I couldn’t remember who it was attributed to…

“The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

So, I asked ChatGPT, and learned that it’s attributed to one of Aristotle’s primary works Metaphysics. I haven’t had a chance to read Metaphysics, but I was curious about what else Aristotle had to say about it. Surely, there would be more profound perspectives.

My first plan was to find a translation of the work, which was a rabbit hole in its own right. Ultimately, I ended up back at ChatGPT and asked for some of Aristotle’s key topics.

ChatGPT obliged, as it always does, with some interesting bits. But, I was immediately drawn to the word “potentiality.”

Then I prompted, “Please act as Aristotle and create a guide for unlocking human potential.”

I got a pretty interesting reply back…

But I didn’t stop there…

I then asked ChatGPT to act like a few other historical philosophers and to respond to the same question. Now I was rolling, and my mind was racing with possibility.

After some tinkering, I ended up with ‘responses’ to my question from 20 different philosophers across human history to explore. That’s 20 unique perspectives ranging from Pre-Socratic minds like Thales, Stoicism and Seneca, Rationalism and Descartes, Existentialism and Kierkegaard, all the way up to Postmodernism.

What blew me away was how similar the recommendations were. I started noticing several patterns, but going through and manually analyzing this by hand would have taken hours.

But luckily ChatGPT was there to help me summarize the patterns and similarities…and the results weren’t great. I’ll spare you the technical details and get to the solution.

I transferred all of the responses into a document so that I could try out other models, specifically Google Gemini and Claude, the other leading chat models for this task.

After much tinkering, Claude did the best job incorporating all of the reference material and creating the most thoughtful synthesis of the ideas.

Now I present to you The Philosophers’ Guide to Unlocking Human Potential by some of history’s greatest minds from Adam & Claude.

“Based on the document, here is a unified list of principles from various philosophers and schools of thought on how to unlock your full potential as a human:

1. Cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to learning by questioning assumptions, embracing new experiences, and engaging in continuous self-reflection.

2. Develop self-awareness and strive for authenticity by examining your values, beliefs, desires, and actions to align them with your true self.

3. Pursue knowledge and understanding through reason, experience, and the exploration of different perspectives, recognizing the complexity and interconnectedness of ideas.

4. Embrace ethical living, moral virtue, and a commitment to the greater good by considering the impact of your actions on others and contributing positively to society.

5. Foster balance, moderation, and harmony in all aspects of life, including physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions.

6. Engage with art, creativity, and aesthetic appreciation as means of self-expression, meaning-making, and personal growth.

7. Cultivate resilience, inner strength, and the ability to find meaning in adversity by viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and self-overcoming.

8. Develop autonomy, independence of thought, and the courage to create your own values and beliefs rather than blindly adhering to societal norms or external authorities.

9. Recognize the importance of community, relationships, and ethical participation in society, acknowledging that individual fulfillment is intertwined with the well-being of others.

10. Maintain openness, humility, and a willingness to revise beliefs in light of new experiences, recognizing the inherent complexity, ambiguity, and plurality of knowledge and truth.

11. Engage in continuous self-examination, introspection, and philosophical reflection to deepen your understanding of yourself, your existence, and your relationship with the world.

12. Embrace change, growth, and the ongoing process of self-actualization, striving to realize your unique potential while contributing to the broader unfolding of consciousness and human progress.”

Next, I got curious about some of the differences, so I asked Claude for some help…

“While there are many commonalities among the philosophers and schools of thought presented, there are also some notable differences and areas of disagreement:

1. The role of reason versus experience/emotion:

   • Rationalists like Descartes emphasize reason as the primary source of knowledge, while empiricists like Locke prioritize sensory experience.

   • Existentialists like Kierkegaard highlight the subjective and emotional aspects of existence, in contrast to purely rational approaches.

2. The nature of reality and truth:

   • Realists like Aristotle view reality as objective and independent of the mind, while idealists like Hegel see reality as a manifestation of consciousness or spirit.

   • Postmodernists reject grand narratives and universal truths, instead embracing plurality and the constructed nature of reality.

3. The individual versus society:

   • Individualists like Nietzsche focus on self-overcoming and the creation of personal values, while thinkers like Aristotle and Hegel stress the importance of community and ethical participation in society.

   • Utilitarians like Mill prioritize the greatest good for the greatest number, potentially conflicting with radical individual autonomy.

4. The role of faith and spirituality:

   • Philosophers like Aquinas integrate faith and theology with reason, while others, like the empiricists, are more secular in their approach.

   • Existentialists like Kierkegaard embrace the need for a "leap of faith" beyond reason, contrasting with purely rational or materialist philosophies.

5. Approaches to ethics and morality:

   • Kantian ethics are based on universal moral laws and the categorical imperative, while consequentialists like utilitarians judge actions based on their outcomes.

   • Virtue ethicists like Aristotle focus on cultivating moral character, differing from rule-based or outcome-based ethical frameworks.

6. Attitudes towards societal norms and conventions:

   • Cynics and individualists like Nietzsche advocate defying social conventions in pursuit of personal authenticity, contrasting with philosophies that emphasize social harmony and duty.

   • Postmodernists deconstruct and challenge traditional power structures and authority, while others, like Aristotle, respect tradition and authority to some degree.

7. Perspectives on language and meaning:

   • Analytic philosophers like Wittgenstein scrutinize the role of language in shaping thought and meaning, while others may treat language more instrumentally.

   • Poststructuralists like Derrida emphasize the instability and deferral of meaning, contrasting with more fixed or essentialist views of language and concepts.

These are just some examples of areas where the philosophers and schools of thought diverge, reflecting the rich diversity of perspectives and approaches within the Western philosophical tradition.”

Some quick takeaways

• I was struck by how much of what I’ve been writing about and plan to write about has been explored by some of the greats and has remained consistent over time. For example, the concept of embracing all the different parts of us while not being tied to any one identity appeared time and time again over the ages, as did the importance of finding balance and harmony.

• They generally agree on several key topics, suggesting some universal truths or principles. Why does this happen? Are we programmed for this? I want to know more!

• Where they disagree or differ tends to be areas of contention among people today, for example, accepting versus challenging traditional power structures and the role of authority. Or things like faith versus reason.

• Most suggest that we operate on a continuum and that it’s up to us to find what works for us, which I aim to teach and inspire you how to do.

• I was shocked by how consistent these ideas have remained over time while also evolving with the time period and shift in culture, society, religion, government, and so forth.

What’s next?

My next action is to go through each of the 20 guides in detail to select the principles I want to use personally as part of my own “Operating System.” For example, I’ll choose my favorite take on “maintaining openness” to act as the guide.

I’m also considering publishing the full guide and a more robust summary.

If you want a copy, hit reply, and I’ll send it over when I’m done.

Have an incredible weekend; you have lots to digest if you’ve been following along this week ❤️ ⚡️