Live, Learn, Adapt: Applying Empiricism in Your Personal Journey
Introduction
Empiricism is a philosophical and scientific concept that emphasizes the role of experience, evidence, and observation in the formation of knowledge. It asserts that knowledge is best gained through sensory experience. Therefore, we should engage in experimentation to gain knowledge rather than relying on intuition. This mindset distinguishes us from animals—our ability to make informed decisions based on what we know rather than what we feel. At least, that’s how it should be, right?
In this post, I will argue how applying empiricism to our personal lives, just like in science, psychology, or agile methodologies, can lead to better decision-making and growth.
Empiricism explained
In agile, particularly in Scrum, working empirically means following three steps: be transparent, inspect, and adapt. These steps ensure that whatever you want to improve allows you to act upon it and find ways to get better based on what you know, not on suppositions.
Let’s break down these steps and how they can apply to life.
Transparency – In Scrum, this means presenting the facts as they are. All people involved—the customer, the CEO, individual contributors—are transparent in their day-to-day dealings. They trust each other and have the courage to keep each other abreast of both good and bad news.
The same principle applies to personal life.
Are you familiar with the saying, “a problem stated is a problem half-solved”? Well, this follows the same principle. You need to first be frank with either yourself or others about what bothers any of the parties involved to tackle the issue and begin to solve it.
Many times, my therapist has made me understand that if I want to solve something, I have to be aware of it—to be transparent. My traumas buried deep, “like skeletons in the cabinet,” could never have been found if I hadn’t had revelatory discussions to begin to understand what had really happened and process the information. It was truly the first step toward healing.
In a relationship, whenever we had discrepancies or issues to resolve, they couldn’t have been tackled unless we spoke openly and let each other know what bothered us. How could it happen otherwise? We are not wizards, Harry. We don’t know what droids to look for unless the other tells us what happens in their mind. Just go and talk to that person and tell them what you think—don’t expect someone to know how you feel. This is rooted partly in the romantic era, where classic books portrayed lovers who always knew what the other wanted and completed each other so beautifully without speaking. On the other hand, we’ve all grown up with stories like Cinderella or Snow White, where the prince JUST loves the girl, knows how to help her, where to find her, and give her the shoe back, and everyone lives happily ever after. No one tells you the hard part of talking to each other to solve problems in the long run. Because it’s not fun, it’s true, but it’s necessary. Be transparent. You’ll thank yourself later.
Inspect – In Scrum, inspection means evaluating the product, process, or situation to gather valuable feedback and adjust accordingly. Teams review their work after every sprint, gaining insights to refine their efforts.
Maybe the most “meaty” part of empiricism is inspection. In this context, it’s not done by an inspector but by everyone on the Scrum Team. The inspection can be done for the product, processes, people aspects, practices, and continuous improvements. For example, the team openly shows the product at the end of each sprint to the customer to gather valuable feedback. If the customer changes the requirements during inspection, the team doesn’t complain but rather adapts, using it as an opportunity to collaborate with the customer to clarify the requirements and test new hypotheses.
Now, let’s take a personal approach to inspection.
Tell me, when was the last time you watched yourself in the mirror? Like, truly inspected yourself in the mirror, not just to see if your hair is well arranged or before leaving for work or meeting someone new. I’d say not in a while—or ever. Me? I hadn’t done it until maybe a year or two ago. And it was damn scary, to say the least. Watching myself, without judgment, just getting to know who I am. Seeing my imperfections, the color of my eyes, how I laugh, and why people stare at me when I make that cringey face at work. Well, they were right—it WAS cringe (still is).
Much can be said about inspection. It can be physical, as described above, or psychological. In my opinion, the most helpful thing you can do in terms of inspection is meditation. Meditation is one of the practices I was introduced to in recent years that has greatly changed how I live. All day, we’re looking at our phones, talking to someone, playing games, working, cooking, watching series, listening to music, or watching a podcast. Then, there’s meditation. Whether you do it guided or alone in the shower, it just feels like a break from everything else. You’re alone with your thoughts. You’re…you.
Adapt – Adaptation in this context is about continuous improvement—regularly adjusting based on the results of inspection. Everyone must ask this question: Are we better off than yesterday? The adaptation should eventually relate to why Agile was adopted—for example, faster time to market, increased ROI, or improved customer satisfaction.
In personal life, adaptation allows us to evolve.
Adaptation is the one thing that set us apart from other animals and allowed us to become who we are today. We started hunting in groups because it was more effective. We began sleeping in more isolated places, like trees, because it was safer. We developed signs and basic vocabulary to warn others of danger in the bushes. Better teamwork led to better food, which provided more nutrients, and our brains grew as a result. All this happened because of—adaptation.
Logical Empiricism
On another note, logical empiricism, also known as logical positivism, is a scientific movement from the 20th century that emphasizes observation, logical reasoning, and empirical verification in knowledge. It’s relevant in science because it insists that concepts and theories must connect to observable data. Logical empiricists believe that statements not verifiable by empirical observation are meaningless and cannot be trusted for making decisions or drawing conclusions.
Logical empiricism stands on four values:
Verification Principle: For a statement to be meaningful, it must be provable through observation or logic. This principle rules out abstract or unverifiable claims (like those in metaphysics) that can’t be scientifically tested.
Emphasis on Science: Logical empiricists held that science, with its reliance on experiments and observation, is the best path to true knowledge. They wanted philosophy to adopt the same rigorous, evidence-based approach.
Rejection of Metaphysics: Ideas that couldn’t be tested or observed, like the existence of God or other abstract concepts, were dismissed because they couldn’t be verified through experience or logic.
Importance of Formal Logic: Clear, structured logic was essential for clarifying ideas and avoiding confusion in philosophical discussions. Logical empiricists used symbolic logic to ensure precise reasoning.
In his last paper, After Six Years, a review of the Unified Science Movement during World War II, Otto Neurath, a sociologist and philosopher, stressed that the problems of scientists and the everyday person are more intertwined than people realize. Any synthesis of intellectual life should never forget these far-reaching social implications.
Conclusion
Incorporating empiricism into your life means making decisions based on experience and evidence, not assumptions or gut feelings. By being transparent, regularly inspecting yourself and your circumstances, and adapting as needed, you can continually improve and grow. Just like in Agile, applying empiricism to your personal life can lead to more informed, thoughtful decisions and ultimately better outcomes.
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