Pursuits of Wisdom: Six Ways of Life in Ancient Philosophy from Socrates to Plotinus

by John M. Cooper

This is a major reinterpretation of ancient philosophy that recovers the long Greek and Roman tradition of philosophy as a complete way of life--and not simply an intellectual discipline. Distinguished philosopher John Cooper traces how, for many ancient thinkers, philosophy was not just to be studied or even used to solve particular practical problems. Rather, philosophy--not just ethics but even logic and physical theory--was literally to be lived. Yet there was great disagreement about how to live philosophically: philosophy was not one but many, mutually opposed, ways of life. Examining this tradition from its establishment by Socrates in the fifth century BCE through Plotinus in the third century CE and the eclipse of pagan philosophy by Christianity, Pursuits of Wisdom examines six central philosophies of living--Socratic, Aristotelian, Stoic, Epicurean, Skeptic, and the Platonist life of late antiquity.


The book describes the shared assumptions that allowed these thinkers to conceive of their philosophies as ways of life, as well as the distinctive ideas that led them to widely different conclusions about the best human life. Clearing up many common misperceptions and simplifications, Cooper explains in detail the Socratic devotion to philosophical discussion about human nature, human life, and human good; the Aristotelian focus on the true place of humans within the total system of the natural world; the Stoic commitment to dutifully accepting Zeus's plans; the Epicurean pursuit of pleasure through tranquil activities that exercise perception, thought, and feeling; the Skeptical eschewal of all critical reasoning in forming their beliefs; and, finally, the late Platonist emphasis on spiritual concerns and the eternal realm of Being.



Pursuits of Wisdom is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding what the great philosophers of antiquity thought was the true purpose of philosophy--and of life.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Ancient History

456 pages, Hardcover

First published May 21, 2012

About the author

John Madison Cooper is the Emeritus Henry Putnam University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University and an expert on ancient philosophy.

Reviews

[Mark Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does the author explain the subject matter clearly? Yes, and sufficiently so that the reader requires only limited prior knowledge to underpin the explanations (though a little prior knowledge probably is very helpful). The subsections within each chapter are progressively laid out, and the footnotes illustrate or add colour quite effectively.
However, it is a book in desperate need of an assertive editor. Professor Cooper has a perfectly clear style of exposition, thus repeating the same points ends up a distraction rather than an enhancement. Opening the book on a random page, there is a high probability of seeing some version of "As I will explain...." or "As I have said...". Initially, this is puzzling, and my instinct was to wonder whether I was missing something (the points seldom seeming overly challenging) that needed this going over, but by page 300, one gets the feeling that the author has simply been trained to follow the journalist's maxim "This is what I'm going to say, this is what I'm saying, this is what I have just said".

[Primoz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skip this and read Hadot's What is Ancient Philosophy instead. He offers a more complete, inclusive, but also far better written picture of the same idea. While it's true Hadot overdoes it on the spiritual exercises and does seem to play down the role of theory a little too much, he at least doesn't dismiss what doesn't fit his narrow view but tries to integrate it. Cooper, on the other hand, basically ignores key dramatic, poetic, mythical, and metaphysical components of Plato just because he's convinced Socrates must have been doing some brand of analytic philosophy. For the same reason, he off-handedly denies the philosophical status of Cynicism because they don't fit his emphasis of argumentation in philosophy. Quite ironic given he starts by noting Hadot's thesis is too heavy-handed.

[Jason L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written and extremely repetitive.

[Mills College Library]

180 C7775 2012