Hadot's "Philosophy as a Way of Life" Part 3: Figures

New York Mosaic - 2013 - Laura Anderson

Chapter 5:  The Figure of Socrates

• Socrates has always been used as a mask by those who have spoke about him.  By speaking through Socrates, the responsibility of the argument is displaced, allowing for the true philosopher to explore without risk of failure.(149)
• Socrates tells how he practices the same trade as his mother, that of midwifery.  Instead of birthing babies however, he births minds.  He does not engender ideas himself, he helps other to work out their own thoughts. (15, from Theatetus)
• In Socratic Eros, we find the same basic structure as in Socratic irony: a divided consciousness, passionately aware that it is not what it ought to be.  It is from this feeling of separation and lack that love is born. . . . Just like ironical Socrates, Eros teaches nothing for he is ignorant.  He to is maieutic: he helps souls to engender themselves." (163)

Chapter 6:  Marcus Aurelius

• Intention is to prepare us to accept life such as it is, filth and all. (189)
• This realistic outlook is not intended to deny the immanence of reason in the world, but to persuade us to search for the reason where it can be found in its purest state: in the daimon or inner genius, that guiding principle within man, source of freedom and principle of the moral life. (189)
• By reinforcing the somber tones of disgust and repulsion, such definitions are intended to provide a contrast with the splendid illumination which transfigures all things when we consider them from the perspective of universal reason. (189)
• Epictetus: On this level, we are no longer concerned with the theory of correct reasoning, rather we are concerned not to let ourselves be deceived in our everyday lives by false representations. Epictetus urges us to criticize each representation as it presents itself to us. and to give our assent only to that which is "objective"(192,193)
• "People are not troubled by things, but by their judgements about things." (193)

Chapter 7:  Reflections on the Idea of "Cultivation of the Self"

• Stoics saw a distinct difference between pleasure and joy. 
• Joy can be found in "perfect reason" (divine reason, a reason which is part of the universal reason)
• The goal of Stoic exercises is to go beyond the self, and think and act in unison with universal reason. (207)
• The point is not to forge oneself a spiritual identity by writing but rather to liberate oneself from one's individuality in order to raise oneself up to universality (210)

Works Cited: 
Hadot, Pierre. Philosophy as a Way of Life.  trans. Michael Chase. ed Arnold I. Davidson. Malden: Blackwell. 1995. 145- 215. Print.