📿 Philosophy as a Way of Life
This week’s weekend meditation comes from Irrational Man by William Barrett, a previous book we explored in Reading & the Good Life. Irrational Man is widely recognized as the finest definition of existentialist philosophy ever written; this book introduced existentialism to America in 1958.
Barrett writes,
For Socrates, philosophy was a way of life, and he existed in that way. Since he did not profess to have any theory of philosophy, he did not accept pay as a professor. He could teach only by example, and what Kierkegaard learned from the example of Socrates became fundamental for his own thinking: namely, that existence and a theory about existence are not one and the same, any more than a printed menu is as effective a form of nourishment as an actual meal. More than that: the possession of a theory about existence may intoxicate the possessor to such a degree that he forgets the need of existence altogether. The lover may become more fascinated by his theory about love than by the person of the beloved and so cease to love.
Contemplation Questions (Pick one or create your own!):
What is your philosophy of life?
How do you remember to embody your philosophy?
This Week’s Meditations…
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Thank you for reading/listening this week; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W.
P.S. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or make suggestions!