When I’ve asked clients what they think Philosophy is, these are some of their answers:
- Thinking about thinking
- The pursuit of Truth
- Examining life
- Ethics – exploring what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’
- Rules to live by
- How everything ‘fits together’
- Knowledge and Wisdom
- Questions about life, the universe and everything
- Reflecting on Life
These answers are not far from the truth. For Pythagoras, a philosopher was a ‘lover of wisdom.’ Certainly, the earliest philosophers inquired about how the world worked. While some were interested in the composition of the universe, Socrates moved attention to human beings. For example, how we lived, our values, and what it meant to live a good life, were his concerns. Just like today, thinkers would discuss topics like love, suffering, emotions and ethics. Furthermore, they developed theories about how to deal with life’s misfortunes, such as lost loves, anger, disappointment, grief and death. Philosophers talked about ‘healing the soul’ and ‘living well.’
Philosophy Today
Since those ancient times, Philosophy has developed in various ways. On the one hand, some areas are obscure and hard to understand, locked in the academic cupboards of jargon. On the other, Philosophy’s concern for ‘healing the soul’ is evident in many approaches to mental health. Its methodology is foundational to all forms of counselling, psychiatry and psychology.
In recent times, Philosophy has been reclaimed to enhance the lives of ordinary people. Besides being an academic study, it is present in healing, work and education. For example, programs such as Philosophy for Children and Philosophy Cafes promote discussion and reflective thinking skills. Philosophical Counsellors have revived Philosophy’s ancient art of healing, using it to relieve suffering and distress.
See: Philosophy for Beginners Course 2023 for details of this year’s course and to enrol
See also downloadable PDFs:
About Philosophy 2023
About Philosophy for Beginners 2023
Socrates and the Examined Life 2019
I look forward to receiving your enrolment for this year’s course.
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