system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How do you avoid allowing philosophy to paralyze your ability to say anything about anything?

My initial goal in studying philosophy was to clarify and edify my thoughts and beliefs. I wanted to open my mind to new ideas and be able to articulate those ideas effectively to others. 


But ive found that as ive exposed myself to all sorts of new and contradicting ideas, I feel unable to hold a position or narrative or approach with any degree of certainty. I also have a hard time making claims or stating what I personally believe to others, because I feel disingenuous or close-minded in doing so, knowing that there are plenty of credible arguments against what i am saying.


Basically my dilemma can be summed up in a quote from Mark Twaine: "Education is the pathway from cocky ignorance to miserable uncertainty." Maybe it's like the Dunning-Kruger effect?


Has anyone else felt this way? How can I use philosophy to express myself confidently in the world, instead of being paralyzed by doubt and indecision?
gpt
Research the idea of “philosophy as therapy”. There’s an entire tradition of philosophers who have addressed exactly what you describe. There are a couple of helpful books and papers too. They’re all influenced by the way Wittgenstein did philosophy. It might be helpful to study modal philosophy for a bit too, especially its epistemology. And make sure to go and touch grass.