The Consolations of Philosophy

Taking a short break from my required correspondence course reading, I have just finished The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton. The title is borrowed from a medieval work by Boethius, and in this book de Botton introduces the reader to the lives and ideas of several important philosophers. He highlights how such philosophy can speak to our deepest needs and uncertainties today.

Consolation for Unpopularity: Socrates

Socrates knew that prevalent cultural norms and opinions were not always based in reality and common sense. Truth is not decided by majority opinion, but ought to be the result of logic. Just because your idea is uncommon does not mean that it is wrong. Even when Socrates was condemned to death by the court of Athens (on charges of failing to worship the gods and corrupting the city's youth), he refused to renounce his philosophy though doing so probably could have saved his life. He held his beliefs, even when they made him unpopular. In contrast, de Botton puts words to the way we often feel: "In conversations, my priority was to be liked, rather than to speak the truth" (7).

Consolation for Not Having Enough Money: Epicurus

Epicurus defined the goal of life to be pleasure. However, the things that bring us the most pleasure do not require a great deal of money: friendship, freedom, and reflection. With these elements a person can be happy with our without wealth; without them a person will be unhappy despite any amount of money. The requisites of pleasure are simple and inexpensive.

Consolation for Frustration: Seneca

We are frustrated when reality does not conform to our desires. Seneca recommends with pessimism that we expect the worst so that it cannot surprise us, and lower our idea of what we are entitled to. If we seriously consider our fears, we may discover that their realization wouldn't be as bad as we imagine. In addition, we ought to recognize that disasters are indiscriminate and not take them personally.

Seneca provides an interesting explanation of the interaction between freedom and fate: a dog tied to a cart travelling in one direction has the choice to gladly trot in the same direction, or to attempt to rebel and be forced along. We will follow the road of fate regardless, but the experience will be easier and more pleasurable if we submit tranquilly to circumstances that we cannot change. "It is in our spontaneous acceptance of necessity that we find our distinctive freedom" (109).

Consolation for Inadequacy: Michel de Montaigne

Montaigne noticed that a great deal of philosophy and appropriate social conversation deny a great deal of the natural human condition. In his writings, he sought to be honest about himself as an entire person - mind and body. It is okay to accept our frailties, because we all share in the human condition (125)."What we see evidence for in others, we will attend to within, what others are silent about, we may stay blind to or experience only in shame" (129); thus Montaigne even wrote about experiences that could seem embarrassing or uncouth. By understanding the experiences of others we can be more gracious with ourselves.

Montaigne also defines the difference between learning (book knowledge and trivia) and wisdom (keys to living well), emphasizing the preeminent value of wisdom.

I don't think I had heard of this philosopher before, but reading about him made me interested in looking into his writing further.

Consolation for a Broken Heart: Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer believes that love is an expression of the "will-to-life," a subconscious drive to continue the human species by creating viable offspring. When we fall in love with someone, we are simply (unconsciously) recognizing that their genes will fit well with ours. When we fall out of love with someone, we are simply realizing that our first impression of genetic suitability was wrong - it's nothing personal. This can even be a relief, because the person we choose as a likely mate for healthy, attractive children is not necessarily an appropriate companion who will make us happy (but our will-to-life does not allow us to recognize this, and subjugates our happiness to the furtherance of the human race). It also helps to know that everyone else has at one time or another experienced the same thing.

Consolation for Difficulties: Nietzsche

The core of Nietzsche's philosophy (at least what is presented here) is the idea that pain and pleasure are intimately connected. Reducing one's pain in turn reduces one's capacity for pleasure because they go hand in hand. "Fulfilment was to be reached not by avoiding pain, but by recognizing its role as a natural, inevitable step on the way to reaching anything good" (210). Suffering spurs us on to greater achievement. Nietzsche warns us against low expectations and against anything that numbs or accustoms us to our pain and encourages us to settle.

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

I finished reading this book a while ago but haven't gotten a chance to write about it until now. It was a fascinating look at anthropology set in the exotic world of fiction. Interestingly the author is quite the anthropologist herself and has won many awards for her research and fiction. I suppose fiction is a safe place to put  her findings since they remain largely unable to prove or disprove them.
The story catches you immediately. A little girl naked and frightened goes off in search of help after her whole world is devoured by a nasty earthquake. She's too young to make it on her own and ends up in the path of a wandering tribe who has been forced out of their cave by the same disaster. The girl being one of what the tribe would call "the others" might have been left to die except for the kindness of an old medicine woman who's maternal instinct would not allow the child be left behind. She carries the frightened child to what becomes her new world inside the clan. Instantly this child becomes a problem for the leader because she is different and he is frightened that she will change the delicate fabric that is their society. The girl represents humanity as it is now and the clan represents the cave man who's kind was eventually wiped out to make way for natures second shot at creating humanity that could last. Only near the end does the medicine woman's kindly brother Mog-Ur the clans magic man figure this out. There is a lot of drama around this girl as she tries desperately to become one of the clan and fights to survive. She quickly gains a terrible enemy in the leaders son Broud who has no compassion for the outsider and is jealous of the attention she gets.
It was interesting reading about the differences between the two types of humans and the girls coming of age story was fascinating but the author tended to spend inordinate amounts of time on discriptions which could discourage some readers. Altogether I don't see this series having the same potential as "The Outlander" but it is interesting and I will continue to read it.
The idea of a further evolved race emerging and causing a dilemma for the survival of the other race came up this week in the new X-Men movie. The mutants are not freaks as many humans would assume but really a more advanced version of them. The X-Men have chosen to work with humans to create peace between the two whereas the other mutants have chosen genocide. They see the earth only being able to populate one of the two evolved races and they intend to make sure they are the winners.