In this episode of Dave’s Candid Philosophy, we explore the famous proverb often linked to Abraham Maslow: “If you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” At first the idea seems obvious, but it reveals something deep about how humans think. Our tools—scientific models, philosophical theories, ideologies, and mental frameworks—shape how we interpret the world. From philosophers to scientists to everyday life, we often reshape reality to fit the tools we already have. The real philosophical challenge may not be solving problems with a better hammer, but recognizing when the hammer itself is the problem.