The Shrink and the Sage : A Guide to Living

Description

Can infidelity be good for you? What does it mean to stay true to yourself? Must we fulfil our potential? Self-help with a distinctly cerebral edge, the shrink and the sage - aka Julian Baggini and Antonia Macaro - have been dispensing advice through their FT column since October 2010. Combining practical advice on personal dilemmas with meditations on the meaning of concepts like free will, spirituality and independence, this book - their first together - expands on these columns and adds much more. Through questions of existential unease, metaphysical trauma and - for instance - how much we should care about our appearance, intellectual agony uncle and aunt team Baggini and Macaro begin to piece together the answer that we'd all like to hear: what is the good life, and how we can live it? Cover Title Contents About the authors Introduction The way of Aristotle Practical wisdom The good life PART ONE Being the best you can The Shrink The Sage The problem with happiness The Sage The Shrink On goals The Shrink The Sage Being true to yourself The Shrink The Sage What should you do before you die? The Shrink The Sage Being torn The Sage The Shrink Dealing with emotions The Sage The Shrink What should you be proud of? The Sage The Shrink Gut feelings and intuitions The Shrink The Sage Contrary to appearances? The Shrink The Sage Will and resolution The Sage The Shrink The varieties of self-love worth having The Shrink The Sage On self-deception The Shrink The Sage The status of status The Sage The Shrink Are you responsible? The Sage The Shrink The happy pessimist The Shrink The Sage No regrets? The Sage The Shrink Meaning and spirituality The Shrink The Sage Thought and action The Sage The Shrink On paying attention The Sage The Shrink PART TWO Psychology for Philosophers Research suggests Philosophy for Psychotherapy Problems in living What can psychotherapy do for you? What can philosophy do for you? Conclusion: the serenity mantra Notes