Let’s tackle a fun question: How do I read philosophy without going insane? Let’s be honest—philosophy is tough. It’s not structured like a non-fiction book with a clear outline, and it’s not like fiction, which gives you a narrative to follow. Instead, a philosophy book is more like a conversation with someone explaining vague and amorphousContinue reading How to Read Philosophy (Without Going Insane)
Stoic philosophy has gained a lot of steam due to writers like Ryan Holiday (Love that guy). It’s always been a “popular” philosophy because it, along with other Hellenistic philosophies (Greek 323 BCE – 31 BCE) like Epicureanism and Skepticism, tries to answer a useful question: How do I live well? It’s a thing theContinue reading You’ve Heard of Stoicism, But Have You Achieved Ataraxia Yet?
I’m pleased to report that philosophy is not dead. It did not go the way of the Dodo with the death of Socrates, Nietzsche, or Foucault. We have living and breathing philosophers today, still writing and pondering the mishaps of our nutty world. One of those living philosophers, Dr. Michael Huemer, points out in hisContinue reading Why Philosophers are Weird (and Fantastic)
I’ve been working hard to free up some mental space, and I didn’t realize just how mentally, emotionally, and physically tired I was. It’s strange, but we’re like sticky tumbleweeds rolling along, picking up everything we touch. We carry that stuff with us all day, every day. Eventually, we get so bogged down with worry,Continue reading Free Up Mental Space (A Stoic Trick)
In my book club, we’re reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, one of the Stoic philosophers. (Technically, he wasn’t a philosopher. He was a Roman Emperor whose journal is now a popular Stoic text.) In our discussion last Tuesday, someone mentioned how refreshing it was to read the words of a politician who cared and wasContinue reading Reading the Stoic Philosophers
Some of my family and friends will say that books ruined me. My wife and I left the Mormon church with our four kids in tow last September. For years, I was told never to read religious materials unless they came straight from the church. Luckily, I have a wife with a PhD who tookContinue reading Have Books Ruined Me? Let’s Find Out.
Let’s create a syllogism for why you should read today. Premise 1: All experiences that challenge our thinking are thought-provoking and valuable. Premise 2: Reading books challenge our thinking. Conclusion: Therefore, reading books is thought-provoking and valuable. Now, you might argue that many books are poorly written and not thought-provoking. But I would argue thatContinue reading An Argument for Reading
The eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher David Hume said that when we think about art, we should take care not to confuse the question, “Do I like it?” with the question, “Is it good?” This idea is worth considering when you judge the next book that you read. After all, what makes a book good? How doContinue reading Is Your Book Any Good?
Yes, you’re a biased reader. You can’t help it. “Often, the factors that make someone biased about a topic are also the factors that make them knowledgeable about it” (Huemer p.37). The more you know about something, the more you tend to defend it. And if you’re emotional about it, your bias compounds. Let’s analyzeContinue reading Are You a Biased Reader?
I came across a wonderful thought puzzle for people interested in reading philosophy. Let’s close our eyes and envision a Greek hero named Theseus, a man known for sailing around the Mediterranean Sea doing hero-like things. He slays evil creatures, saves villages from destruction, on so on. While on one of his many adventures, heContinue reading The Ship of Theseus (A Puzzle)