[Essay]
Philosophy for Everyday Life
Finn Janning*
Abstract
The aim of this essay is two-sided. The first is to illustrate to what extent philosophy can contributeto our everyday living. The second is to illustrate how. The implicit thesis that I try to unfold in this
experimental essay is that these two sides—what and how—constantly intermingle. Although the
philosophical approach takes its inspiration from the French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and
Michel Serres, as well as from modern secular mindfulness, the main consideration in any
philosophy that contributes to our life must be the coherency of our approach to life. Philosophy is a
way of relating to life, which, among other things, requires awareness. This essay, therefore, does
not present a single way of living that is beneficial but instead advocates a form of life that is
philosophical.
You aren’t my teacher. I’ll give you this much: is it satire, as you’d say?
Is it poetry? It’s fantasy, always. —But, I beg you, don’t underline any
of this, either with pencil, or—at least not too much—with thought.
-- Arthur Rimbaud, Letters: The Artist as Critic
1. Introduction
What is a philosophy for everyday life? It is a practical philosophy that can
help us transform our images of thought. It is a movement from thinking about
life to letting thought be thought by life.
[continue reading]Philosophy for Every
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