Philosophy

Worship is joyful submission and faithful surrender, not an organized atrophy or a social sedation; it taps our deepest spiritual energies. Joyful submission is not a "will to perish." It is witnessing eternal infinity. Faithful surrender is not a religious act, a doctrinal compliance, a defeat of autonomy, an acceptance of weakness, or a declaration of helplessness. Read More

Out of the mouths of babes!

A copy of my new book, How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most, lay in splendor on a table in my living room the week of its release in December. Happily, I sought frequent tactile assurance of its existence. Read More

A recent video by the creationist camp uses peanut butter jars to "prove" that evolutionary arguments are false...here's to make sure we're even speaking the same language. Read More

People want their romantic relationships to be stable; they want their profound love to remain constant at its initial profound level. However, people would also like their romantic love to be wild and unstable in the sense of unpredictable. They do not want to take each other for granted, like something inanimate that remains the same all the time; they want love to be wild and exciting. This may be termed "The paradox of stability." So do we want romantic stability or not? Read More

This week, I was in Philadelphia to talk about The Happiness Project, thanks to the kind efforts of the Joseph Fox Bookshop and the Hyatt at the Bellevue. The talk was in a beautiful space next to a glamorous bar complete with fireplace, views, and a Happiness Cocktail devised for the evening! Read More

As your lungs need pure air, your soul needs pure spirit. As your lungs need protection from air pollution, your soul needs protection from external pollution. For you to remain in good health, it is important that your lungs receive fresh air, not just be spared polluted air. Read More

This weekend, I read a wonderful book, Julia Child’s My Life in France. It describes her first move to France, when her husband was transferred there, how she fell in love with France and French food, and how she became utterly absorbed in learning about French cooking and in cookbook writing.

I must confess that I have very little interest in the ruling passion of Julia Child’s life. Food has never been very interesting to me. I love certain foods, of course, but I like very plain food best. I don’t get much of a kick from visiting new restaurants, or from eating a wonderfully cooked meal. Some people love exploring farmers’ markets or learning about how foods’ origins or cooking – not me. One of the sad aspects of a happiness project, for me, was to Be Gretchen and to admit to myself that this area of experience, so vibrant for so many people, leaves me cold. Read More

Once in a while, I learn a new word or phrase that allows me to see the world in a clearer way. In law school, I remember that after I learned the concept of “acting in reliance,” suddenly, I saw people acting in reliance all over the place. (For example, when my friend John signed a lease for a two-bedroom apartment because Michael promised to room with him, he’d “acted in reliance,” so when Michael wanted to move in with his girlfriend instead, John was entitled to hold him to his word.) Read More

Here's where I'll start explaining why I think people are stronger than they think, and we'll start with the natural person—Immanuel Kant.

Kant? Really? That guy? Read More