The Art of Living: Socratic Reflections from Plato to Foucault (Volume 61) (Sather Classical Lectures)

For much of its history, philosophy was not merely a theoretical discipline but a way of life, an "art of living." This practical aspect of philosophy has been much less dominant in modernity than it was in ancient Greece and Rome, when philosophers of all stripes kept returning to Socrates as a model for living. The idea of philosophy as an art of living has survived in the works of such major modern authors as Montaigne, Nietzsche, and Foucault. Each of these writers has used philosophical discussion as a means of establishing what a person is and how a worthwhile life is to be lived. In this wide-ranging, brilliantly written account, Alexander Nehamas provides an incisive reevaluation of Socrates' place in the Western philosophical tradition and shows the importance of Socrates for Montaigne, Nietzsche, and Foucault. Why does each of these philosophers--each fundamentally concerned with his own originality--return to Socrates as a model? The answer lies in the irony that characterizes the Socrates we know from the Platonic dialogues. Socratic irony creates a mask that prevents a view of what lies behind. How Socrates led the life he did, what enabled or inspired him, is never made evident. No tenets are proposed. Socrates remains a silent and ambiguous character, forcing readers to come to their own conclusions about the art of life. This, Nehamas shows, is what allowed Montaigne, Nietzsche, and Foucault to return to Socrates as a model without thereby compelling them to imitate him. This highly readable, erudite study argues for the importance of the tradition within Western philosophy that is best described as "the art of living" and casts Montaigne, Nietzsche, and Foucault as the three major modern representatives of this tradition. Full of original ideas and challenging associations, this work will offer new ways of thinking about the philosophers Nehamas discusses and about the discipline of philosophy itself.

this Is An Amazingly Broad-ranging Book, Full Of Original Ideas And Associations That Make It Both A Pleasure And A Challenge To Read. . . . I Found That Many Of Nehamas's Ideas And Arguments Resonated In My Mind For Weeks After Reading This Book.—shadi Bartsch, Author Of ideology In Cold Blood

combining, As He Does, Philosophy, Literature, And Classical Studies, Nehamas Has Written An Exceptionally Fine Book—creative, Original, Readable, Stimulating, And Extremely Useful.—a.a. Long, University Of California, Berkeley

the Art Of Living Is Elegantly And Engagingly Written: It Is Both Scholarly And Personal, Lively And Yet Balanced. This Is A Brilliant And Outstanding Work.—mark Griffith, Coeditor Of cabinet Of The Muses

jonathan Lear

author And Subjects Have It In Common That They Turn Toward And Away From Socrates To Grapple With The Problem Of Their Own Individuality. If One Would Like To Be Introduced To These Thinkers, It Is Hard To Come Up With A Better Organizing Idea. -- the New York Times Book Review

In modern times, philosophy has been a theoretical discipline rather than a practice or mode of life. In antiquity, however, Greek and Roman philosophers of all stripes turned to Socrates as the model of what a truly philosophical life should be. The idea of a philosophical life, and of philosophy as the art of living, though it is now in neglect among professional philosophers, has survived in the works of such major modern authors as Montaigne, Nietzsche, and Foucault. Why does each of these philosophers, fundamentally concerned with their own originality, return, like their ancient predecessors, to Socrates as their model? Why do they need a model at all? And why is the Socrates of Plato's dialogues suitable as a model? Uniquely, Socrates shows by example the way toward establishing an individual mode of life, a way that will not force his followers to repeat the life of Socrates but will compel them to search for their own.