Pierre Hadot: Living

Pierre Hadot was French historian and philosopher. Explore interesting quotes on living.

Pierre Hadot: 44 quotes0 likes

“From the preceding examples, we may get some idea of the change in perspective that may occur in our reading and interpretation of the philosophical works of antiquity when we consider them from the point of view of the practice of spiritual exercises. Philosophy then appears in its original aspect: not as a theoretical construct, but as a method for training people to live and to look at the world in a new way. It is an attempt to transform mankind. Contemporary historians of philosophy are today scarcely inclined to pay attention to this aspect, although it is an essential one. The reason for this is that, in conformity with a tradition inherited from the Middle Ages … they consider philosophy to be purely abstract-theoretical activity.”

trans. Michael Chase (1995), p. 107
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre (2001)

“Here we come upon one of the most profound reasons for Socratic irony: direct language is not adequate for communicating the experience of existing, the authentic consciousness of being, the seriousness of life as we live it, or the solitude of decision making.”

trans. Michael Chase (1995), p. 156
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre (2001)

“Socrates had no system to teach. Throughout, his philosophy was a spiritual exercise, an invitation to a new way of life, active reflection, and living consciousness.”

trans. Michael Chase, p. 157
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre (2001)

“Ancient philosophy proposed to mankind an art of living. By contrast, modern philosophy appears above all as the construction of a technical jargon reserved for specialists.”

trans. Michael Chase, p. 272
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre (2001)

“One could say that what differentiates ancient from modern philosophy is the fact that, in ancient philosophy, it was not only Chrysippus or Epicurus who, just because they had developed a philosophical discourse, were considered philosophers. Rather, every person who lived according to the precepts of Chrysippus or Epicurus was every bit as much a philosopher as they.”

trans. Michael Chase, p. 272
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre (2001)