<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def insert_paths(self):
 """Inserts a base path into the sys.path list if one is specified in the configuration. """

        if self.args.path:
            sys.path.insert(0, self.args.path)

        if hasattr(self.config.application, config.PATHS):
            if hasattr(self.config.application.paths, config.BASE):
                sys.path.insert(0, self.config.application.paths.base)