Taking Philosophy Seriously

Description

Taking Philosophy Seriously initiates a meta-philosophical dialogue that challenges the division between academic and practical philosophy. In contradistinction to the perfectionist tradition of philosophy, it offers a melioristic view of philosophy that rethinks the approach to philosophy, reinvigorates its academic teaching and secures the respectability of its practitioners outside the academe. It addresses the neglected topic of philosophers education through a subtle analysis of the mentor-apprentice relationship and the remedies philosophers have found to its tensions. It reveals the problems inherent in emulating past practical philosophies from Alexandrian times, the Enlightenment or the 19th century, and the necessity of reevaluating the tools, reconsidering the means, and rethinking the methods of the contemporary practice of philosophy. To that purpose, it problematizes the notions of dialogue, self-knowledge, and self-transformation, and questions the feasibility of autonomy and self-integration as well as the differentiation between philosophy and psychology. It offers original solutions to the problems it highlights and points to unique benefits in the practice of philosophy that contribute to resolving the contemporary crisis of philosophy. This book combines high academic standards and an accessible style, and will engage academic and practical philosophers alike, professionals in education and the helping professions, and the general public. Dedication Table of Contents Permissions and Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Taking Philosophy Seriously Part I. Philosophers as Mentors and Apprentices 2 The Need for a Teacher 3 Teaching Self-Education Part II. Practical Philosophers—Some Antecedents 4 Hellenistic Philosophies as Problematic Antecedents 5 Shaftesbury as a Practical Philosopher 6 Kierkegaard as a Model for Practicing Philosophy Part III. Unduly Neglected Topics 7 Reviving Spinoza’s Ethics 8 The Human Condition: Humor, Humiliation, and Humility 9 Spirituality and Self-Integrity: Educating the Will 10 Sexuality and the Practice of Philosophy Part IV. Reconsidering Philosophical Practice’s Means 11 Self-Knowledge 12 Intra-Personal Dialogue 13 Inter-Personal Dialogue Part V. Rethinking Philosophical Practice’s Tools 14 A Method: More Philosophy, Less Counseling 15 Attaining the Good Life: Self-Change Part VI. Problems and Benefits 16 Questionable Assumptions 17 Philosophy’s Gain Concluding Remarks Index of Names Index of Subjects