In this stirring introduction to Marcus Aurelius's Meditations , noted French philosopher Pierre Hadot offers proof of the way in which the Roman emperor's thoughts form part of a tradition of spiritual exercise that spans the period between the ancient Greek philosophers to Michel Foucault. This treatise analyzes Meditations as the work of a man of action who sought serenity primarily because it was an essential precondition for efficiency. Hadot examines the possible applications of Aurelius's views on governance--an ...
Read More
In this stirring introduction to Marcus Aurelius's Meditations , noted French philosopher Pierre Hadot offers proof of the way in which the Roman emperor's thoughts form part of a tradition of spiritual exercise that spans the period between the ancient Greek philosophers to Michel Foucault. This treatise analyzes Meditations as the work of a man of action who sought serenity primarily because it was an essential precondition for efficiency. Hadot examines the possible applications of Aurelius's views on governance--an approach in which the city was a symbol of the ruler's own soul, and thus intimately tied to his spiritual praxis--to modern society, posing questions and offering proposals to readers who, at a time of tremendous economic uncertainty, might look to philosophy for a more fulfilling way of life. Ultimately, the book argues that true philosophy isn't merely the practice of addressing abstract problems and issues, but a concrete way of bettering our way of life.
Read Less
