Before interrupting someone or diving into an argumentative debate, it’s essential to pause and suspend our judgment. This article explores why this approach, far from being just an intellectual exercise, is actually the key to profound wisdom.

Judgment is that mental act where we declare something to be true. It can take the form of factual judgments, like “It’s been raining since this morning,” or opinions, such as “Today is such a gloomy day.” It can also include moral, administrative, aesthetic, or even practical judgments.

In all these cases, the human mind engages in a decisive evaluation between two elements. For instance, administrative judgments stem from decisions based on laws and regulations, while aesthetic judgments evaluate a work of art based on specific criteria.

While relativism encourages us to accept every judgment as a subjective opinion—allowing everyone to express themselves without fear of repercussions—it also presents a trap: any sincere pursuit of truth, wisdom, or exact knowledge risks being reduced to the same level as the ramblings of an unbalanced mind.

In reality, every judgment carries a claim to truth. It cuts, imposes a conclusion, and closes a debate.

But before judgment is passed, everything remains open. In the legal field, this openness takes the form of investigations, pleadings, and deliberations. In science, it’s about observing, analyzing, and interpreting.

Adopting this methodical yet cautious approach means acknowledging that truth exists and is worth the effort to uncover.

What if, for just a moment, we put ourselves in the philosopher’s shoes? Truth would become our sole objective. We’d feel a certain disdain for trivial debates, for those discussions where everyone tries to impose their judgment, to assert their opinion on everything and nothing. Instead of scattering our judgments to the wind, we’d choose to cultivate a prudent uncertainty, to suspend our judgment, and to dedicate ourselves to deeper reflection.

In truth, meditation and reflection are rewards in themselves. A mind that exhausts itself in constant judgment grows tired and diluted, while the philosopher’s mind—open and serene—finds in wonder a far more precious balance.

Far from political turmoil and narcissistic speeches, we turn off our screens, embrace voluntary simplicity, practice meditation, listen more, and speak less. This return to philosophy, as an art of living, resonates in our quest for meaning.

By suspending judgment, we give ourselves the chance to reap the fruits of wisdom.

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