When Philosophy Becomes Therapy Alain de Botton's self-help books for those who style themselves as intellectuals are making their way to the United States. Philosophy has earned a reputation as a complicated, inaccessible, and irrelevant pursuit, consigned mostly to old white men in wood-paneled offices. It’s vaguely associated with asking the kinds of big questions—Do we exist? What does life mean? Is there such thing as right or wrong?—that can seem frustrating, impractical, and, perhaps, pointless. But for the past ten years or so, Alain de Botton, a Swiss-British philosopher, writer, and TV presenter, has made it his mission to rebrand philosophy by stripping away its crusty, academic trappings and restoring its day-to-day value. The School of Life is a cozy space that hosts classes and lectures; the organization also consults with big-name businesses and sells “books, objects, and tools” to help anyone who walks through its doors make headway in “the quest for a more fulfilled life.”
Why Study Philosophy? 'To Challenge Your Own Point of View' At a time when advances in science and technology have changed our understanding of our mental and physical selves, it is easy for some to dismiss the discipline of philosophy as obsolete. Stephen Hawking, boldly, argues that philosophy is dead. Not according to Rebecca Newberger Goldstein. Goldstein’s forthcoming book, Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away, offers insight into the significant—and often invisible—progress that philosophy has made. You came across The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant as a kid. I grew up in a very religious Orthodox Jewish household and everybody seemed to have firm opinions about all sorts of big questions. When did your formal education in philosophy start? I didn’t think I was going to study philosophy. What did your religious family think about your pursuit of philosophy? It made my mother intensely uncomfortable. How early do you think children can, or should, start learning about philosophy? I started really early with my daughters.
What is Philosophy – and what’s it for? © Getty People are understandably confused about what philosophy is. From a distance, it seems weird, irrelevant, boring and yet also – just a little – intriguing. Luckily, the answer is already contained in the word philosophy itself. Though a rather abstract term, the concept of ‘wisdom’ isn’t mysterious. So a philosopher or ‘person devoted to wisdom’ is someone who strives for systematic expertise at working out how one may best find individual and collective fulfilment. In their pursuit of wisdom, philosophers have developed a very specific skill-set. 1. What is the meaning of life? But these questions matter deeply because only with sound answers to them can we direct our energies meaningfully. Philosophers are people unafraid of the large questions. © AFP/Getty 2. Public opinion – or what gets called ‘common sense’ – is sensible and reasonable in countless areas. Philosophy gets us to submit all aspects of common sense to reason. © Rex 3. That’s why we need to examine our own minds.
Wat filosofie is (en wat het niet is) | Jan Dirk Snel [Vrijdag 4 juli 2014] Wat is filosofie? Een beetje filosoof begint dan met op te merken dat dat nou al een echte filosofische vraag is, maar het lijkt me nog maar de vraag of het nou zo’n heel erg andere vraag is dan die naar wat meteorologie is of wat sociologie is. Hooguit kun je zeggen dat die laatste twee vragen geen typisch meteorologische of sociologische zijn. Het zijn praktische, begripsmatige vragen over waar zo’n discipline nu over gaat en daar zou je inderdaad een zeker filosofisch aspect in kunnen onderkennen. FilosofieFilosofie gaat volgens mij vooral over verheldering. Alle vragen die mensen maar omtrent hun bestaan, hun wereld, hun kennis van die wereld, hun handelen in die wereld kunnen stellen, kunnen filosofische vragen zijn. John Locke (1632-1704) was lijfarts van Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper. Filosofie gaat in concreto onder andere over de vraag hoe mensen redeneren. Filosofie kan ook gaan over het geheel van onze werkelijkheid. Het gaat om verheldering.
Filosofie wiki In het dagelijks spraakgebruik wordt de term filosofie gebruikt om elke vorm van wijsheid of levensbeschouwing aan te duiden (zoals in "iemands filosofie") of iemands uitgangspunten (zoals in "het sluit niet aan op de filosofie achter dit plan"). Dit verschilt van het begrip filosofie in een academische context, zoals deze in dit artikel gehanteerd wordt. Oorsprong van het begrip filosofie[bewerken] De introductie van de term "filosofie" werd toegeschreven aan de Griekse denker Pythagoras: "De vita et moribus philosophorum", I, 12; Cicero: "Tusculanae disputationes", V, 8-9). Filosofie en 'filosoferen' was volgens Aristoteles de meest verheven en meest goddelijke activiteit voor de mens, die ze van nature voltooit en die een bron van vreugde is. Mogelijke definities en afbakening[bewerken] Voor sommigen is de definitie van filosofie eenduidig, terwijl deze voor anderen zelf weer een metafilosofisch probleem vormt. Thema's binnen de filosofie[bewerken] Stromingen[bewerken] Wat kan ik weten?
Against happiness: Why we need a philosophy of failure In Hawaii, people are expected to be too happy. Is Britain going the same way? © Hakilon While in Hawaii on a quest for the perfect wave, I once bumped into a psychiatrist who asked me where I came from. It turned out that she was a specialist in depression. She pointed out to me that: (1) In Hawaii the same ratio of people are depressed as anywhere else; (2) The problem with Hawaii is that you are expected to be happy—by idiots like me, for example—so that when you are depressed, you are not just depressed, you feel guilty about being depressed too, so you’re doubly screwed; (3) And, finally, because Hawaii is technically the United States too, if you’re depressed, guilty and broke as well, when you’re supposed to be affluent, then you’re in triple trouble. “Yep,” she concluded, “Hawaii really sucks.” But the spread of depression is partly a side-effect of our addiction to happiness. Freud himself didn’t actually say that Hawaii sucks, but he came close.
A Visual Dictionary of Philosophy: Major Schools of Thought in Minimalist Geometric Graphics by Maria Popova A charming exercise in metaphorical thinking and symbolic representation. Rodin believed that his art was about removing the stone not part of the sculpture to reveal the essence of his artistic vision. Skepticism True knowledge or certainty in a particular area is impossible. The skeptics (in the colloquial sense of the word, although its roots are, fittingly, philosophical) should remember that rather than an exercise in reckless reductionism seeking to dumb down some of humanity’s most complex ideas, the project is instead a playful and thoughtful celebration of symbolic and metaphorical thinking — that distinctly human faculty that is the hallmark of our imagination. Carreras writes: The visuals [are] open to different interpretations, allowing the reader to draw their path to connect the idea behind each theory with its form. Relativism Absolutism An absolute truth is always correct under any condition. Stoicism Positivism Empiricism Humanism Holism Authoritarianism Solipsism
Stoicism / Getting Stronger Hormetism is a practical set of tools that can help you lose weight, get fit, or even improve your eyesight. But thinking of it as just “as set of tools” actually undervalues the benefits of Hormetism, because it leaves out the greatest benefit: a path to freedom from stress and a means of increasing your physical, mental and spiritual strength. Hormetism is at once a broad perspective on living and a specific set of techniques that can free you from distractions and foster your ability to focus on the important things in life–even the most challenging ones–with greater engagement and joy, and with less distraction from negative emotions such as anger, fear, worry, and the other negative manifestations of stress. But did Hormetism come out of nowhere, or are there historical precedents? Epictetus was a prominent Stoic philosopher who lived from 55-135 AD in Greece, and later in Rome. Irvine’s account of Stoicism. Tranquility. Meditation. Training through voluntary discomfort.
Don’t try to cure anxiety: we need it – Charlie Kurth At a dinner party, you find yourself seated next to a man named Sam. He’s a new acquaintance, but it turns out the two of you have several friends in common – so you’re keen to make a good impression. On that score, things seem to be going quite well. The talk is flowing and your companion gives every sign of finding you witty and engaging. And then, all of a sudden, the mood turns a little sour. Popular now The appeal of ISIS isn’t so far from that of Tolkien How bad experiences in childhood lead to adult illness Was the evolution of our species inevitable or a matter of luck? It’s strange, but Sam’s cooling attitude delivers a shock to your system. But just how bad is anxiety, really? Immanuel Kant suggested an even graver problem with anxiety: it is incompatible with virtue. This picture of anxiety as a dark and pernicious force certainly has illustrious supporters. Daily Weekly What might our little dinner party story tell us about this puzzling emotion? Let’s look at another scenario.
9 Mind-Expanding Books Of Philosophy That Are Actually Readable (A Guide To Practical Philosophy) Very few people wake up and think “I need philosophy.” This is perfectly understandable. But of course, everyone has their own problems and are dealing with the difficulties of life in some way or another. The irony is this is actually what ancient philosophy was intended to ameliorate. “Vain is the word of a philosopher,” Epicurus once said, “which does not heal the suffering of man.” Centuries later, Thoreau expressed this same thought: “To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school . . . it is to solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically, but practically.” Suffering might be a strong word to describe most our travails in love, in business, with our egos, with our urges, with our jerk of a neighbor who keeps stealing our parking space. Whatever problem you’re facing right now, someone else probably already went through it. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Meditation is perhaps the only document of its kind ever made.
8-Bit Philosophy: Plato, Sartre, Derrida & Other Thinkers Explained With Vintage Video Games You thought video games were a waste of time? Well, think again. These 8-bit video games can teach you philosophy. Launched in April, the series now features 15 episodes. The most recent episode explores the philosophy of Jacques Derrida using scenes from the 1987 beat' em up video game, Double Dragon. You can watch all 15 episodes of 8-Bit Philosophy on YouTube. via Critical Theory Related Content: 135 Free Philosophy eBooks Alain de Botton’s School of Life Presents Animated Introductions to Heidegger, The Stoics & Epicurus Watch The Idea, the First Animated Film to Deal with Big, Philosophical Ideas (1932) Waarom we niet zonder filosofen kunnen Column - Het trolleyprobleem is een beroemd gedachte-experiment in de filosofie. De meest eenvoudige versie gaat als volgt. Een tram (trolley) rijdt een heuvel af. Vijf mensen zijn vastgebonden op de route die de tram zal volgen. Op dit spoor is één persoon vastgebonden op de rails. De dikke man Een variant op het trolleyprobleem is ‘het dikke man probleem’. Onderzoek toont aan dat mensen die eerder bereid waren de wissel om te zetten nu minder geneigd zijn de dikke man voor de trein te duwen. De chirurg Het experiment, nog een stap verder: een chirurg kan het leven van vijf mensen redden door vijf organen van een patiënt die komt voor een ooglidcorrectie te gebruiken; alle testen toonden aan dat de organen in aanmerking komen voor een kansrijke transplantatie. Beslissingen door robots Het trolleyprobleem is oud, maar krijgt een nieuw leven ingeblazen. In TheAtlantic.com (‘The Ethics of Autonomous Cars’) wordt de vraag gesteld. Filosofie schrappen? Illustraties met dank aan Fotolia.