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The Myth of the Tranquil Sage
A dialogue on whether philosophy can make you happy
This is a dialogue I had with , about whether philosophizing conflicts with happiness, so that the more enlightened you are, the dimmer the prospects for your contentment with the state of the world, notwithstanding the stereotype of the tranquil sage.
Pierz
Philosophy, etymologically speaking, is the “love of wisdom”. It’s questionable, however, to what extent that description really continues to apply to the modern practice of that discipline. Analytically oriented philosophers, in particular, would probably scoff at the mere mention of anything as “soft” and antiquated as the notion of wisdom. At best, they might redefine “philosophy” in the most deflationary terms as “rational precision”. I imagine they would consider that philosophy — at least as they practice it — long since detached from the pursuit of any such fuzzy and imprecise goal as the pursuit of wisdom.
The continental tradition, which I see you personally as much more aligned with in spirit, Ben, despite your geographic location, retains traces of such concerns — think of the existentialists’ search for authenticity. But there again, the focus is not on, say, personal, interpersonal or environmental wisdom, but rather a sometimes romanticised…
