The best life is the examined life

About Me

My name is Jason Skirry and Philosophical Living has its origins in my own life circumstances and my life long quest to live a purposeful life. I have always been deeply interested in questions that all of us have asked at one point in our lives: Who am I? Is there a purpose to my life? How can I live a full, meaningful life? My desire to answer these questions led me to study philosophy as a practice for living.

Philosophy has helped me to explore the depths of my character and to figure out who I am and who I want to be. It has given me the skills to decide what goals I should be pursuing and the ability to see and resolve difficulties in my life, which has reduced my stress and anxiety. It has also helped me to find the guiding principles and values of my life and how to act on those principles in my everyday life. Literature, art, myth, and poetry are mediums through which important philosophical questions are asked and explored, and all have provided me with a deep reservoir of wisdom that I have dipped into throughout my life. Integrating philosophical discourse and the arts has given me the power to live a rich meaningful life. It can do the same for you.

My passion for philosophy as a practice for living has moved me away from academic philosophy to helping people use philosophy to better their lives. This is the goal of Philosophical Living.

I graduated with a BA in History and a BA in Philosophy with distinction from the University of Washington, and earned my Masters and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. I am an adjunct member and certified philosophical counselor with the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA). I have a private practice and teach philosophy and business ethics at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and I also teach at the Center for Ethics in Practice.

See my profile on Psychology Today