“Will to Know is the fundamental driving force in humans. It drives all human thought and deed. We, as humans, have an unquenchable will to know to make sense of the two universes; the one within and the one without, with the ultimate goal of bridging the two; our inner and external realities, what I call the “Grand Unison”. I do not know exactly how to realize this grand unison, but I know that I have the will to know.”
– December 21, 2023
What is “Will to Know”?
The Will to Know is the core of my personal philosophical exploration. It is the foundational principle cementing together my interpretations of it across the realms of Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Ethics. It does not oppose to Schopenhauer’s Will to Live or Nietzsche’s Will to Power, but it stands as an evolution of the ideas of these giants.
While the phrase itself may appear in Foucault’s Lectures on the Will to Know, this philosophy is totally distinct in spirit and scope. It is not merely about knowledge but the existential, spiritual, and cognitive force that drives humans to seek meaning, beauty, and peacefulness.
A Philosophy Rooted in Curiosity, Connection, and Meaning
The Will to Know is the underpin across the core branches of philosophy:
- Metaphysics: It posits that humans are not isolated, dualist beings but parts of a vast, interconnected reality; Oneness. We seek not only to survive or assert our self-expression but to understand our participation and being (and becoming) in this Oneness.
- Epistemology: Knowing is not limited to cold, logical deduction or scientific induction. It embraces intuition, experience, feeling, and spiritual connection. A child’s wonder, a scientist’s rigor, a mystic’s awe with his universal love; all are expressions of this will.
- Ethics: When we realize our will to know is shared, though at different levels and stages, we internalize a connected responsibility to pursue the Grand Unison with empathy and to contribute to a world where our journeys deepen connection.
Most importantly, Will to Know is not a rejection of former core philosophical ideas like the Will to Live or the Will to Power. Rather, it is an evolution shaped by a life lived at the crossroads of civilizations and in diverse cultures.
As I mentioned in the About me section, I was raised and spent the majority of my life in Istanbul, where East meets West. I have since lived in the West, more shaped by its rational rigor and scientific traditions. These dual roots have instilled in me a lifelong fascination with the connection between cultures, between souls, and between our inner and outer worlds.
It is from this lived experience of interconnectedness that the Will to Know emerges; not only as a philosophical lens, but as a deeply human longing to understand ourselves as part of a greater whole. A way to reimagine what it means to be human in our times.
Coming soon
I am currently drafting the three-part structure of this philosophy:
- What: Defining the Will to Know across philosophical domains
- So What: Exploring its implications for humanity and our understanding of existence
- Now What: Imagining a future aligned with the pursuit of understanding and interconnectedness
Stay tuned as I share my evolving thoughts and ask for feedback here.