Welcome to Philosophy

An Excerpt from

How Philosophy can Save your Life*

By

Marietta McCarty

 

"What is the good life?" For more than twenty years I have been asking philosophers of all ages and in every imaginable setting this question. The answer so poignantly given by Joe, one of my fatigued and bedraggled college students, sums up the most common response as well as my motivation to write How Philosophy Can Save Your Life. "Good living for me means having the time to actually think and make my ideas coherent, instead of feeling forced to react on impulse -- quickly and not very intelligently -- to everything in my life."

Wherever my philosophical travels take me, I sense a similar eagerness, So many of us are longing for richer, more vibrant emotional and mental lives. We're tired of running in circles, flitting from one barely finished task to another in the pursuit of things that likely don't matte all that much. And the worst part of it is, while we're busy spinning, curiosity and awe are cast aside. All too often, we do not take the time to think and therefore have little idea what it is that we need for the good life.

Ideas are the building blocks of our lives --  they help us find our way and know what really matters. The good news is that the prospect of slowing down to discover the lasting benefits of clear thinking, quiet introspection and, of course, good conversation is drawing more and more new philosophers together in living rooms, on back porches, around picnic tables and at libraries and community centers every day. This book is an invitation to join them.

In thinking about writing How Philosophy Can Save Your Life, my first question was: in a world literally brimming with ideas where shall I even start? I decided to try and narrow it down to ten ideas that, if clearly understood and integrated into daily life, could weave together all the threads for good living. Of course, choosing these said ten most important ideas in life was no simple affair! I walked with human and canine friends, talked and pondered, and walked some more. Out of all the possible ideas to consider, which ones are absolutely essential for us to understand? In the end, questions, the calling cards of philosophy, served as my trusted guide. I teach philosophy to college students and I also interact a great deal with children, parents, and educators with regard to the "Philosophy in the Third Grade" educational program I designed for schools across the country. I also spend any spare moment I have philosophizing with friends be it casually or in a more organized fashion in the Philosophy Clubs of which I am a member. I recalled some of the concerns that surface year after year with all of these fellow philosophers. What simple pleasures in life am I neglecting? Why is honest communication so hard for me? When will I learn not to give in to the crowd? Where did I lose my youthful spontaneity? How can I flow better with changing circumstances? At last, I was satisfied; I picked my top ten.

Philosophy, the art of clear thinking, is not, at least at first, a call to action. It is a wakeup call to think. Philosophy announces that it is spring cleaning time for our mental and emotional houses.

Intimidated by the expertise of professional "experts," we often, unnecessarily and unfortunately, lose the confidence that we can . . . recite a poem and then interpret it in our own way, listen to classical music and appreciate it just as it sounds to us, talk about a landscape painting without the correct terminology. . . . Be bold and up for adventure! The ability to "philosophize" may seem the most daunting of intellectual pursuits. The truth: it's not. If you can simply carve out the time and space, philosophy is yours for the asking.

Much good comes from private reflection and cultivating one's sense of wonder in solitude. But there is something uniquely energizing in launching a lunchtime conversation about Camus's belief in human solidarity, or reciting an intriguing lyric from a Led Zeppelin tune to instigate casual musings at a party that can light the spark of philosophy. Dialogue is central to the practice of philosophy. We rely on each other to challenge our assumptions; we grow as we share our discoveries. This said, while the solitary reader can dig deep into the ten ideas and benefit from introspection through reading How Philosophy Can Save Your Life, this book is perfect for group philosophizing. So gather round. It's time to enter the real chat room and reap the rewards of minds and hearts opened and expanded by asking good questions, by sharing personal experiences, and ultimately by using your findings day by day. One aspect of philosophizing that many find refreshing and appealing is that it does not lay blame, tell you what to do, nor make demands. In this spirit, How Philosophy Can Save Your Life spreads before you a banquet of ideas and approaches, ancient and modern, eastern and western, and leaves you with all the necessary utensils to sample every dish. Where you return for a second helping, what you want to take home with you, and which new tastes were hard to swallow -- it's up to you. Are you one of the prisoners in Plato's cave? Do you accept Simone de Beauvoir's challenge to map out the future you desire? Have you intentionally manufactured drama and difficulty in your life as Charlotte Joko Beck hints? See what fits and wear it well.

I know full well what's in store for you because it is what happened happily for me while writing How Philosophy Can Save Your Life. What a pleasure it was to talk through ideas at a leisurely pace and share with my friends some ways that we might put our new insights to good use. I re-read favorite books and dove into ones that had been waiting on the shelf. I scavenged for much-loved poems and was pleased all over again, reading them aloud in return for friends' recitation of their treasured verses. Oh, and the fun we had listening to music of all kinds and chatting about its unique way of imparting soulful wisdom.

Certain themes recurred with insistent force throughout the book. The sheer beauty of the natural world, the silliness of self-importance, the danger of unchecked materialism, the priority of self-improvement, the necessity for gratitude, the hunger for relationship, the desire for a less fearful life. . . . Lifelong and first-time philosophers concur: we know some things to be true. And if we trade in our mental and emotional baggage for clear thinking, we can earn more loving and more fulfilling days.

As I've said, the good life is yours for the asking. When asked by my mother what he had learned in my philosophy classes, another one of my college students, Mick, smiled and then worded his answer with care: "It's the sort of thing that doesn't hit you right away. Then you realize it's working big-time." I hope it hits you sooner! I want for you what philosophy continues to feed me: A mind full of ideas that light the path to good living.

Using The Book

This book consists of ten chapters, one for each of the ten ideas (simplicity, communication, perspective, flexibility, empathy, individuality, belonging, serenity, possibility, and joy). In every chapter , we first explore the given topic and its significance and then we meet two philosophers whose work lends itself especially well to an investigation of the concept. Discussion questions follow -- what I hope to be a lifetime's supply! -- guaranteed to stimulate immediate conversation. Next, you dive, well-prepared into the fun of "homework assignments" unlike any you endured in school. These quite enjoyable activities include samplings of engaging prose , poetry, music, and film that will continue and broaden your conversation about the concept in a new way. Suggestions for individual and group activities and a list of resources complete the chapter.

Enjoy the book alone in your favorite curling-up spot if you choose -- my guess is that you will soon be talking about the ideas contained in this book with whoever you encounter. But again, because I can attest to the merriment and the ongoing benefits of membership in a Philosophy Club, I urge you to create one. Whether on your own or with your philosophical mates, decide how to use the book to best suit your interests. You can move along with me in the order in which I present the material but feel free to vary at will. For example, mix in some of your personal favorites in music, film, and written works with special relevance to the topic at hand. If yours is a group particularly drawn to poetry or music, or a book club focused on prose works, you can devote the evening to philosophizing through that one genre. Start anywhere in the chapter: watching a documentary and fielding discussion questions; creating an artistic work suggested in the activities; adding your stories to those told in the opening section; reflecting on one quote from each of the two philosophers. . . . This paperback bends easily.

Make or purchase your very own philosophy journal. Bring it to group gatherings and use it to record your private reflections, sketch a drawing, create a poem, compose spontaneous lyrics, write a letter. As years pass, these tattered notebooks appreciate in value.

 

*This excerpt provided courtesy of the publisher, Tarcher/Penguin. Copyright c 2009 Marietta McCarty

 

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