What's comforting in philosophy?

October 13, 2017 9:10 PM

I'm in a bit of an unhappy place right now, a combination of political anxiety, loneliness, and general blah. I thought I would try something a little different from my usual escapist fiction, and have been wondering about philosophy with an emphasis on the uplifting or positive. I don't really know where to start, though.

I had an introductory philosophy course in college, but it's been years, and I don't remember much of what we read beyond the basics of Plato and Aristotle. I'm interested mostly in anything I could find in ebook form or online, ideally free or at least public domain.

I realize "comforting," is subjective as hell, but I'd hope some universals might apply. I'm honestly not sure why I'm in this particular frame of mind at the moment, I'm just feeling like I need some sort of positivity and fiction isn't really doing it for me.

posted by Alensin to Religion & Philosophy (17 answers total)

Best answer: Marcus Aurelius's Meditations are down to earth. For a Roman emperor and philosopher, he is surprisingly un-hoity toity. His approach to living a good life is very subjective and benign - it basically reads as a diary of his insights into being a good person. Loosely paraphrased, he believes that we are all in this together and has tips for dealing with the inevitable blips in the essentially peaceful concept of life. I won't link because there are different translations and you may like one more than the other.
posted by karmachameleon at 9:29 PM on October 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

The stoics aim to provide comfort of a sort. Here's the free ebooks ofEpictetus on Project Gutenberg.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:29 PM on October 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Most of Bertrand Russel's writing is actually pretty uplifting.
posted by yesster at 9:54 PM on October 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seconding Marcus Aurelius; I find the Mediations very comforting. (Part of that may have been the translation I read, which I liked quite a lot.)
posted by asterix at 10:03 PM on October 13, 2017

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love, like many a medieval work, is both a religious text and a philosophical one. I think it can be profitably read by nonbelievers.
posted by praemunire at 10:23 PM on October 13, 2017

I have found philosophy useful for developing an ethic for living in chaotic times. I have found religion more useful for getting closer to actually following through with it.

I'm big on _The Republic_.
posted by billjings at 10:54 PM on October 13, 2017

Side note based on the recommendations of Meditations: there have been two AskMes about translations of this work.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:26 AM on October 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

Nietzsche, The Gay Science:

"I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all and on the whole: some day I wish to be only a Yes-sayer."
posted by Beardman at 5:37 AM on October 14, 2017

I'm not sure philosophers, generally speaking, are the best source for uplifting reading - I found it quite hard to think of texts that are optimistic and/or comforting.

I'm certainly seconding Nietzsche, since he's one of the few modern/contemporary philosophers whose thinking is really life-affirming. I'll suggest Candide by Voltaire, which is an incredibly funny satire on Leibniz' idea that we live in the 'best of all possible worlds'. So it's actually a refutation of optimism, but reading it will leave you laughing, not crying. Another true classic is The Consolation of Philosophy. And finally, Plato's Symposium.

In the sense that an acknowledgment of the inevitability of suffering can also be comforting, try Schopenhauer or Kierkegaard. And because not all philosophers are dead men, maybe take a look at something by Martha Nussbaum (Upheavals of Thought?) or Hannah Arendt.

Happy reading!
posted by Desertshore at 6:06 AM on October 14, 2017

Glad to see Kierkegaard and Nietschze mentioned. They aren't what most people would immediately think of as uplifting, but there are definitely positive moments in each.

Aurelius and Epictetus are probably your best bets to make yourself feel better. I always recommend starting with Epictetus. The same ideas as Aurelius, just much shorter and more concise. If you like it, the Meditations develop the ideas further.

I know I suggest la Rochefoucauld a lot, but I find him comforting even though a lot of his ideas seem a little bitter. He's warm, funny, and eminently readable, which helps.

I think you might also find something in Pico della Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man.

For more lighthearted fare, I'm a big fan of G.K. Chesterton.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:35 AM on October 14, 2017

Alain de Botton's The Consolations of Philosophy (not to be confused with the similarly named work by Boethius referred to in Desertshore's answer) received decidedly mixed reviews, but was explicitly designed to introduce philosophic writing that the modern reader might find comforting. It might work as a sampler for you.
posted by Busy Old Fool at 7:46 AM on October 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seconding Alain de Botton's anything, and you may enjoy a project of his, the The Book of Life.
posted by SinAesthetic at 7:57 AM on October 14, 2017

Keeping costs low: Don't forget that many of these books are available at the library, too. The Toronto public library allows three renewals on most books, as long as there are no holds, so that's two months per book right there. Your library may have similar policies. Check out thrift shops and used book stores near universities if you get a thirst for one school or writer that you want to keep and re-read.

Recommendations: I would also recommend the Stoics. Are you open to popular interpretations of their views as well as the originals? There's The Antidote by (MeFi's own) Oliver Burkeman (previously). There's also Happy by British illusionist Derren Brown, which is more thorough and thoughtful than one might expect.
posted by maudlin at 7:58 AM on October 14, 2017

1. I'd say Alan Watts is perfect for this kind of thing. I often listen to the many podcasts of his talks when I need a lift. His books are excellent too.

He'll give you a mix of Eastern and Western philosophies, religions and ideas.

His voice is also very nice to listen to.

2. Another book I have always enjoyed - not hard philosophy, but another mix of Eastern and Western thought - is The Importance of Living, by Lin Yutang.

The Importance of Living is a wry, witty antidote to the dizzying pace of the modern world. Lin Yutang's prescription is the classic Chinese philosophy of life: Revere inaction as much as action, invoke humor to maintain a healthy attitude, and never forget that there will always be plenty of fools around who are willing-indeed, eager-to be busy, to make themselves useful, and to exercise power while you bask in the simple joy of existence.

posted by ecorrocio at 8:31 AM on October 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

As a complement to stoicism, there is also epicurean thought, which has received a modern reappraisal in Hiram Crespo's Tending the Epicurean Garden. Lucretius' On the Nature of Things is a prominent classical treatment of epicureanism.
posted by audi alteram partem at 9:20 AM on October 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Nthing the Stoics. One of the main points of Stoic philosophy is to learn to let go of the things around you cannot control and work on being the best person you can be, which is the one thing you can control. That's gross oversimplification, of course, but it's the nugget of Stoicism that has helped me the most, even under such trying times as these.
posted by lhauser at 4:29 PM on October 14, 2017

Response by poster: Thanks, all, for the advice. I've begun reading some of the Meditations, and ran through a copy of the Enchiridion of Epictetus. Both have proven a balm to the soul.

I will definitely be looking into further recommendations as time permits. Sadly, my public library doesn't have many/any? Braille books, but perhaps the local library for the blind will :)
posted by Alensin at 8:48 PM on October 14, 2017