Serendipity once again rode
to my rescue in a chaotic Indian bookstore (actually, the pretty good Modern
Book Centre here in Trivandrum). I spied Philosophy
for Life, by an author unknown to me. A quick perusal of the TOC revealed
that it addressed Stoicism, Epicureanism, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Skepticism,
Cynicism, Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and of course, the godfather of them all,
Socrates. One can surmise from the all-star cast that it couldn’t help but to
prove worthwhile. It did.
Evans tells an interesting
story. His book isn’t just an exposition of ancient wisdom (for wisdom is the
purpose of these philosophies and philosophers), but it relates each tradition
to our world through his own story and those of others. Evans reports that as a
young man he was plagued with anxiety and depression until he discovered Cognitive
Behavior Therapy (CBT), developed by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck. Put simply,
CBT attacks “stinkin’ thinkin’” (a term of art I borrow from elsewhere).
Indeed, CBT, as Evans discovered, draws from the tradition of Stoicism. Stoicism
addresses the veracity of our beliefs and the fundamental choices that we have
about our emotional reactions to those beliefs (and the events that trigger those beliefs). The help that Evans received
from CBT drew him into the world of ancient philosophy and an exploration of
the way in which philosophy can become a way of life. Each chapter address a
particular thinker or tradition, weaving together contemporary practitioners
within that tradition with the original, helping to bring to life the value of
each.
Evans not only provides very
sound expositions of the basic tenants of each tradition and the contemporary
manifestations of each, but he also provides sound critiques. Indeed, after
going through this buffet of a book (and based on some earlier reading that I’ll
detail below), one might want to treat each of these traditions as a course at
a meal: each dish appropriate to a particular moment in life. Stoicism helps
arm us against life’s tribulations, defeats, and losses. But should we remain a
Stoic all of the time? It seems too harsh. Even the warriors who often draw
upon it must need some break from its implicit asceticism. Epicureanism, on the
other hand, with its appreciation of pleasure and desire to avoid pain and
anxiety, seems the attitude to take when enjoying a glass of wine and a fine
meal--savoring the moment, as Evans dubs it. It also counsels us not to worry
about that which we cannot control.
Heraclitus teaches us to
appreciate the flux of life; Protagoras the benefit of reminding ourselves of
ideals through memorization and incantation. Skeptics teach us to question and
doubt—what I might call the Missouri method: “Show me. I’m not buyin’ until you
do.” Diogenes and the Cynics, surely the most far out of the traditions, teach
us the value of street theatre and radical questioning.
Evans moves on to the Big
Three of Ancient Philosophy: Plato, his student Aristotle, and the master of
the whole tradition (and Plato’s teacher), Socrates. Plato compels us to
consider justice and the proper order of things, while his more earthy student
Aristotle teaches us about friendship, politics, and all manner of earthly (and
metaphysical) concerns. Aristotle serves as an antidote the Epicurean and Stoic
tendency to retreat from the public space. Finally, Socrates teaches us about
the value of questioning and facing death.
This book serves as an
excellent introduction to this ancient tradition. Evans’ critiques are
thoughtful and balanced. He looks to take the fruit of that lies within rather
than rejecting the whole because of any surface imperfection. Evans touches
upon the tradition’s relationship with Buddhism and the Chinese traditions,
something, especially concerning Buddhism, that I’d like to see further
developed. (The similarities between Buddhism and Stoicism seem to me almost
patent. Nassim Taleb touches on the issue in a footnote in Antifragile: “For those readers who wonder about the difference
between Buddhism and Stoicism, I have a simple answer: A Stoic is a Buddhist
with attitude, one who says “f*** you” to fate”. (153). I think that this is a
bit too simple, but it’s making the connection.)
Evans gratefully
acknowledges those scholars whose work he draws upon for his examination of the
ancient traditions. Some of them I’ve read and can recommend if you want to dig deeper: Pierre Hadot’s Philosophy as a Way of Life (and
anything else by Hadot); Martha Nussbaum’s The
Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics and Upheavals of Thought: The Intelligence of
the Emotions (her effort at an improved and expanded appreciation of the
Stoic view of the emotions); Alain de Botton’s Consolations of the Philosophy (not limited to the ancients); and
Richard Sorabji’s Gifford Lectures, Emotion
and Peace of Mind: From Stoic Agitation to Christian Temptation.
