The different schools taught you how to lead a happy, well lived life. “Throughout antiquity wisdom was considered a mode of being: a state in which a person is, in a way which is radically different from that of other people – a state in which he is a kind of superman.” (What is Ancient Philosophy?, Pierre Hadot). The observer needed to be understood and included in the system of observation. It purpose was to rationalise the dogmas of religion, but it was religion itself, and not philosophy, that was the guide to life. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Summary - Duration: 13:19. It is better to live in the present moment and accept reality as it, the simple joy of existing, as the other major school of ancient philosophy, Epicureanism, calls it. As the 20th century French philosopher Pierre Hadot pointed out: “…modern philosophy appears above all as the construction of a technical jargon reserved for modern specialists.” (, “…he [the philosopher] is the one, in fact who knows the fundamental thing, how to live.” (, “Throughout antiquity wisdom was considered a mode of being: a state in which a person is, in a way which is radically different from that of other people – a state in which he is a kind of superman.” (, “Philosophy is not an occupation of a popular nature, nor is it pursued for the sake of self-advertisement. Introduction aux Pensées de Marc Aurèle. Get a FREE membership video! This entry was posted on Sunday, October 14th, 2012 at 4:49 pm and is filed under Philosophical and Ethical Arguing. Between 1953 and 1962, Hadot studied the Latin patristics and was trained in philology. And in a world becoming increasingly uniform and unfree more of this type are sorely needed. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. So when we go back to read ancient philosophy, we are troubled by the absence of systematic thought. It is not so much what is said that is important but that one speaks, because it is only through interacting with others that I can gain any self-knowledge. We would be wise, thought the ancients, to remind ourselves of the uncertain and uncontrollable nature of death more often: “Persuade yourself that each new day that dawns will be your last; then you will receive each unexpected hour with gratitude. There are ways of being philosophical that have gone in … These exercises can be practiced by anyone at anytime, and can potentially raise one’s self and worldview to a level higher than most can even comprehend. For the ancients, one studied philosophy to become a fully developed individual, able to navigate through life as successfully as possible, immune to the troubles, worries, and fears which plague the minds of most. How to reason positively and concentrate in what they thought the good life was. In this video we will unearth some of the ancient philosophers’ ideas on the elusive “art of living”, displaying philosophy as a subject imbued with a potentially transformative power which can help one change their life. Nowadays we tend to think of philosophy as an academic discipline that you study in university and that to be a philosopher is to be a professor of philosophy. Far more important than ones individual life is truth itself. Most spend their days, consumed with planning and acting for the sake of the future, unable to enjoy the pleasures and beauty of the present moment, and completely unaware that the future which consumes so much of their time and energy may. Philosophy, the author explains, was not a technical, complex discussion of words then, is was rather, a way of life. The modern individual who abides by the ancient conception of philosophy as a way of life, those “endless seekers” who “unsettle all things” as Emerson described them, are beacons of individuality and originality. [2] This means ridding ourselves of the inessential to find what is essential beneath, and what is essential is the life of reason, for this is what expresses the true essence of the human being. Philosophy as a Way of Life - Duration: 8:28. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Many of the great ancient philosophers viewed humans as for the most part living misguided lives filled with fear, ignorance, and idiocy. Summary. In our modern age of calm despotism and increasing social conformity, autonomous individuals are sorely needed. Even the written masterpieces of philosophy that we still read today are not important in themselves. The most important of these exercises in Stoicism is ‘attention’ (prosoche). and The City of God (Augustine). Everyday low prices and free delivery on … In this video we investigate, building on the works of Pierre Hadot, how the ancient philosophers conceived philosophy as a way of life. A Guide to The Good Life Summary If you lack a grand goal in living, you lack a coherent philosophy of life. ISBN 0-631-18032-X. Thus, in ancient philosophy it was perfectly possible to be a philosopher without having written anything, for what mattered was not the discourse of philosophy in itself (being knowledgeable about philosophical theories), but living philosophically. philosophy to be a superfluous enterprise, valuable only to those with their “head in the clouds” and time to kill. In an infinite universe, how much do my own fears and desires matter? Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. 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