The Art of Living: The Stoics on the Nature and Function of Philosophy

by John Sellars

It is a commonplace to say that in antiquity philosophy was conceived as a way of life or an art of living, but precisely what such claims amount to has remained unclear. If ancient philosophers did think that philosophy should transform an individual's way of life, then what conception of philosophy stands behind this claim? John Sellars explores this question via a detailed account of ancient Stoic ideas about the nature and function of philosophy. He considers the Socratic background to Stoic thinking about philosophy and Sceptical objections raised by Sextus Empiricus, and offers readings of late Stoic texts by Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Sellars argues that the conception of philosophy as an 'art of living', inaugurated by Socrates and developed by the Stoics, has persisted since antiquity and remains a living alternative to modern attempts to assimilate philosophy to the natural sciences. It also enables us to rethink the relationship between an individual's philosophy and their biography. The book appears here in paperback for the first time with a new preface by the author.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

Reviews

[Harrison K Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very much introductory, despite the constant use of Greek (there is a glossary in the back, so don’t let that deter you) and despite the fact that he sometimes over complicated things. Some chapters were extremely repetitive. How many different ways can you restate the point that philosophical practice is like shoemaking or medical practice? Read this book and find out. The comparison was a good one, it just wasn’t hard to grasp and yet he kept restating it over and over again. The comparison was that philosophy, like shoemaking & medicine, requires knowledge of principles first, but that knowledge is only the foundation of the most important aspect of philosophy, which is the practice or exercise of a philosophical life - the art of living - the pursuit of wisdom. The overarching point of the book, that philosophy was / should be conceived as a way of life rather than the sophisticated and highly technical form of argumentation it has devolved into, is an important one, and I wholeheartedly agree. However, I think Pierre Hadot’s work is a better place to go and get that idea. Even as a translation, Hadot is much more enjoyable to read, and I find that there is much more wisdom and insight in his books.

[Jef Gerets · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sellars presents a great introduction to Stoic philosophy by presenting it as an art of living. While doing so, Sellars also tries to revitalize this conception in modern days. Sellars presents a distinct and concise introduction for those interested in stoic philosophy but do not want to be hammered by numerous self-help mumbo jumbo. It is quite academic which can make it hard to read at times, but this is mainly because of Sellars's insistence of using the ancient Greek words for many concepts. Even though this gives the text a certain academic aura, it limits the ease of reading it. Still, I would recommend the book for those interested in Stoic philosophy. The chapters on the Handbook by Epictetus and the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius can come in handy for those who want to delve into those books.

[C. Çevik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sellars iyi ve üretken bir Stoa felsefesi uzmanı, bu çalışması gibi her çalışması faydalı.
Academia.edu'da makalelerini de paylaşıyor, oradan da takip etmenizi öneririm.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too academic.

[Heather Pagano · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great introduction to Stoicism, and a really valuable thesis on how philosophy can be so much more than theory, it can help us live better lives. I came to this book after reading another introduction to Stoicism, and was hoping this book would delve a bit deeper into the details of the exercises and aphorisms. I wanted even more on the nitty gritty of how to practice Stoicism.

[Anthony Sanchez]

A very complete analysis of Stoicism seen as an error, where the subject of said art is one's own life.
But it is a bit dry and academic for my taste.

[Ross Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sellers makes a convincing case to reestablish the importance of studying philosophy as a way of living alongside studying philosophy as a way of thinking.