But of course, everyone has their own problems and are dealing with the difficulties of life in some way or another. This guide includes the best philosophy books from throughout history. Not only the views are different but also the stakes and worries. The alchemist by paulo coelho, mans search for meaning by viktor e. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of stoic philosophy, one of. If you go into a bookshop now there would be a whole bookcase of introductory books, but 20 years ago there were surprisingly few philosophy books designed for the general reader. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient rome, and shows how its. Today, this hedonistic conception of the good life is arguably dominant in western culture. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of stoic philosophy, one of the. In a guide to the good life, irvine offers a refreshing presentation of stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. In ancient times, plato and aristotle and other philosophers did deal with theoretical problems, but the greeks and the romans understood philosophy as something that people had and used in everyday life, and there were competing schools of philosophy. I didnt know anything about philosophy before i read this book. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful. This book provided a thorough overview into the philosophy and importantly the actual practice of stoicism.
But good life for a child, for a young person or for an old person are not the same philosophy. When i was teaching a level high school philosophy students and undergraduates, i was aware that there were no books to help people make the transition from an interest in philosophy to being able to read some of the classics. The philosophy of the good life the gifford lectures. Irvine explains the stoic philosophy in such a way which makes it meaningful in the 21st century and dispels with a lot of myths associated with it. A grand goal in living is the first component of a philosophy of life. The irony is this is actually what ancient philosophy was intended to ameliorate. Essentially a selfhelp workbook on creativity, this lifechanging book coaxes readers along a spiritual, artistic path. The ancient art of stoic joy, william irvine makes this very explicit. Buy a discounted hardcover of a guide to the good life online from australias leading online bookstore.
The best books on philosophy and everyday living five. Irvines book excels as a guide for practicing stoics or for individuals seeking to. In the philosophy of the good life, gore examines the concept of the good life as it is entertained by the famous moral leaders of humankindzarathustra, the buddha, confucius, muhammad, socrates, plato and the stoics, the jewish prophets and, finally, jesus christ. One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. The best philosophy books of all time updated for 2020. It is a solid book and will be a good read for somebody who heard about. Even in everyday speech, if we say someone is living the good life, we probably mean that they enjoying lots of recreational pleasures. The collision of stone and computer ages was shortlived, but the deeprooted themes of this book remain.
The best introductions to philosophy five books expert. I believe that good life concepts of plato and aristotle combined with buddhist teachings can show us the path of perfect good life. A guide to the good life, the ancient art of stoic joy by william b. Reading the best philosophy books gives us the opportunity to look into those hidden depths and understand our own thinking and behavior at a deeper level, helping us eliminate behavior we dont like. Very few people wake up and think i need philosophy. In one of the books ive chosen, the guide to the good life. Read this book and be prepared to change your life. Philosophy draws indiscriminately from all fields knowledge, in a never ending questioning. I have read a number of books on philosophy many about concepts that i still find. With tasks to complete at the end of each chapter, reading this book is a dynamic affair.
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