18 Comments
User's avatar
Marco Mignogna's avatar

Profoundly important concept, William. This 'mindcleaning' is perhaps one of the most vital, and most resisted, practices in modern life.

You're describing an intersection I explore daily. On one hand, it's the peak of Stoic practice—the discipline to stress-test our judgments (what I call the EVOLVE pillar).

But it's also deeply spiritual. To truly 'understand' the other side without refuting, as you say, we must be fully present (our BEING pillar), listening without the ego's constant need to defend itself.

This is Essentialism for the mind. It’s not just 'mind optimization'; it's a direct path to integrity. Thank you for this clear, actionable framework.

Dave's avatar

Abortion is wrong, plain and simple.

It wouldn’t be in the state of discussion it’s in if people could had more discipline around procreation

There are medical exceptions but these aren’t the standard.

The standard today is hookup culture

Abortion reduces not only the mother and child but humans as a whole to this animal like state of existence.

We are smarter than that. Don’t have sex unless you’re ready for the gift of life

William B. Irvine's avatar

What about if it is an ectopic pregnancy in which the mother and fetus will both die unless the fetus is aborted? Wouldn’t this be an allowable exception?

Dave's avatar

I literally said in my statement there are exceptions that are non-standard. These are the outlier but should be the rule. The standard.

What if’s” help no one, they are just fabricated anxieties of others and the future.

Sofia's avatar

How do you propose that abortions could be restricted for those who view them as a form of birth control but still be accessible for these non-standard situations

Dave's avatar

Counseling, guidance, revolution

At the end of the day we are mammals so there is no best answer

Nymph's avatar

Yes, I think that having an abortion totally depends on the situation. I don’t have any big views on this topic but I get what both sides are trying to say.

Zak Waddle's avatar

But this wasn’t actually about abortion…

It’s about challenging your beliefs, not really just stating them…

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Oct 23, 2025
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Dave's avatar

A lot of logical fallacies in your statement. Leading questions, many assumptions

Rape is clearly a non standard situation

Dave's avatar

So rape is ok now??

Wouldn’t need them if you stopped the rapists

Dave's avatar

Hookup culture perpetuates rape. Date rape has become so commonplace it’s disgusting

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Oct 27, 2025
Comment deleted
Dave's avatar

Oh, thanks for doing my thinking for me since you barely know me, stranger on the internet.

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Oct 27, 2025
Comment deleted
Dave's avatar

You’re right, you’re all making assumptions and extrapolations about me based on your own biases and opinions even the author doesn’t see the irony in his fallacious thinking by calling me out.

Cheers to your delusion

Andreanne Roy — Design+Rituals's avatar

This made me pause; especially the part about refining beliefs rather than defending them. Such a grounding reminder that real thinking requires humility.

Siarhei Rutkouski's avatar

Mindcleaning sounds like a practice of humility — to admit that even our smartest thoughts can go stale if we stop questioning them.

William B. Irvine's avatar

As I have explained, Thinkers will be notable for the epistemic humility: https://open.substack.com/pub/morebetterthinking/p/are-you-a-thinker

Alexandra's avatar

Just love this post. Thank You!