The Philosophy Cure: Lessons on Living from the Great Philosophers

by Laurence Devillairs

Overview

The wisdom of famous philosophers distilled into practical takeaways for modern readers


For centuries, philosophers have considered the “big questions” of human life, mulling over everything from ethics to the definition of reality. Their ideas and insights are powerful and innovative, but often inaccessible and far too academic for most readers. In The Philosophy Cure: Lessons on Living from the Great Philosophers, scholar and expert on Cartesian philosophy, Laurence Devillairs has stripped away the convoluted language, translating the core ideas and wisdom of some of the most prominent philosophers into simple concepts for modern readers. She skillfully reveals that far from being impractical or distantly academic, philosophy is, at its heart, a deeply useful discipline ultimately concerned with what it means to live a good and fulfilling life.

Perfect for readers who are intrigued with philosophy, but who are uninterested in reading dense academic texts, The Philosophy Cure reveals the true wisdom of the best-known philosophers—from Socrates to Kant and Descartes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250237705
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/26/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	211
Sales rank:	348,847
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Graduate of the École Normale Supérieure, associate, doctor and lecturer in philosophy, Laurence Devillairs is a specialist in Descartes and philosophy of the seventeenth century. She is Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the ICP and in the author of The Philosophy Cure along with several other books published in French.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Use as Directed: Healing Your Life 4

Afflictions of the Body

Beautiful, Fat, Ugly, and Skinny 21

The Last Act Is Tragic 26

Nothing Is More Despicable Than Illness 31

Suffering 37

Aging 41

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Addiction 45

Hunger: The Dietetics of Pleasure 51

Afflictions of the Brain 56

Afflictions of the Soul

Living 65

Daily Life 69

Akrasia, or the Counterfeit Disease 74

Burnout 79

Good Company, Bad Company: "Man Is Wolf to Man" 84

Fear and Trembling 88

Love 93

Love at First Sight 99

Opium Smokers 102

Regrets and Remorse 106

The Worries of Everyday Life

Money 115

Neighborhood Problems 120

The Bore, the Pygmalion, and the Soliloquist 123

(Other People's) Children, Friends, and Family 126

Bosses and Colleagues 129

Getting Wet at the Pool, and Other Things You Can't Change 133

Afflictions of the Mind, Temporary and Chronic

Depression, Melancholy, Taedium Vitae, or Acedia 141

Envy, Jealousy, and Schadenfreude 145

Life's Little Accidents

Mistakes, Sins, and a Guilty Conscience 153

Failure, Defeat, and Bankruptcy 159

Borderline Cases

Identity Disorders: Shame and Narcissism 167

Madness 170

Solitude and Isolation 173

Suicide 175

Curious Theories

Sports Make You Antisocial 181

Gathering No Moss 184

Man Is a Hunting Dog Like Any Other 186

Growing Plants and Perfume 189

Pedantry and Donkey's Milk 191

Happiness in the Moment Is the Happiness of a Cow 193

The Transitional Object 195

Learning to Understand Love by Watching Comedies 197

Animal Philosophies 199

Acknowledgments 203

Notes 205

Index of Authors Cited 223

About the Author 225