The more deeply I ponder Aristotle’s conception of eudaimonia (usually translated as “happiness” or more recently sometimes as “flourishing”), the more radical it seems. For instance, we are perfectly comfortable saying things like “that basil plant is much happier since we moved it to the windowsill” or “their daughter is really flourishing in her newContinue reading “Aristotle on Human Fulfillment”
Category Archives: Philosophy
Ways of Life
Having last week explored what philosophers do, I thought I’d broaden that theme by looking at ways of life in general, not only philosophy as a way of life. Although Aristotle delineated four ways of life (making money, having fun, public service, and intellectual inquiry), nowadays we often think of various hobbies and pursuits asContinue reading “Ways of Life”
Open Reading Interview
Three weeks ago I had the honor of being interviewed by Sal Inglima of Boston Free Radio for his Open Readings show. We had a great time talking about the fine art of poetry translation. Sal read aloud my translation of a German poem about the eve of World War II by philosopher Walter KaufmannContinue reading “Open Reading Interview”
What Philosophers Do
If philosophy is a way of life, then what are the characteristic activities of philosophers? (I mean, of course, not professors of philosophy, but people who love and practice the minerval arts of wisdom.) As far as I know, there is surprisingly little written on this topic, even by Pierre Hadot, who resurrected the ancientContinue reading “What Philosophers Do”
The Determinist Fantasy
Determinism – the belief that all events (including animal behavior and human actions) are fixed or ordained before they happen by antecedent conditions or external forces – doesn’t keep me up at night, but it seems to be something of a bogeyman for many people. To my mind, it’s a fantastical notion. Here’s how IContinue reading “The Determinist Fantasy”
Philosophy and Grief
Grieving is one of the characteristic activities of human beings. Although it seems that some other species (e.g., members of the corvid family) experience sorrow, grief is a more complex phenomenon. Recently I had occasion to read a fine book on the topic by Michael Cholbi, entitled Grief: A Philosophical Guide. Here are the essentials ofContinue reading “Philosophy and Grief”
Intellectual Jousting
In my recent post on intelligence vs. wisdom, I used the phrase “intellectual jousting” to describe the modern practice of doing philosophy. Here’s a bit of psychological speculation about how that activity comes to be valued. Let’s say you were the smartest kid in your elementary school class. It feels great to be lauded byContinue reading “Intellectual Jousting”
Intelligence vs. Wisdom
Ever since I left behind the high arrogance of my teenage years, I have valued wisdom over intelligence. This is likely why I’m much more drawn to the ancient conception of philosophy as a way of life than to the modern conception of philosophy as an exercise in argumentation. Consider, for example, the criteria thatContinue reading “Intelligence vs. Wisdom”
Moderation
First, happy World Philosophy Day! Speaking of philosophy, in my post last week about the wisdom of Socrates, I suggested that he lost his head in his attachment to Alcibiades. And the phrase “lost his head” is appropriate, because in ancient Greek the opposite of doing so was σωφροσύνη, which although usually translated as “moderation”Continue reading “Moderation”
Know Thyself
The saying γνῶθι σαυτόν (“know thyself”) was prominently displayed at the temple of Delphi, where ancient Greeks, Romans, Persians, and others sought answers to their most pressing questions. Yet what is it exactly to know thyself? Essential clues can be found in an obscure little book published in 1916: “Know Thyself” in Greek and LatinContinue reading “Know Thyself”
Peter Saint-Andre, Philosopher-Coach 