The best life is the examined life

Emotions and the Good Life

For the past several years, I’ve been thinking about what role emotions play in our lives. Are they merely irrational bodily reactions to external stimuli? Can they be modified or changed? Can a person change their disposition to be angry at the slightest provocation? Do they just get in way of our rational deliberations? Or are emotions necessary for properly…Continue Reading

Live the Questions

One of my favorite little books is Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet.” I’ve read it many times and regard it as one of the best books on inner reflection, creativity and love. Here’s one of my favorite quotes. Writing to the disquieted young student Franz Xaver Kappus he writes: “I would like to…Continue Reading

The Art of Living

“I did nothing today”–“What? Did you not live? That is not only the most fundamental but the most illustrious of your occupations.” Montaigne, Essays, III, 13, “On Experience” For Montaigne, living is an art and living well is not a task that should be left for our two week vacations or right before we turn out the light at…Continue Reading

University Education

I just finished re-reading Alain de Botton’s book, “Religion for Atheists”. His discussion of secular education has confirmed my own suspicions concerning university education. He rightly points out that historically, society has charged universities with two important tasks. One task is give students the jobs skills they need to get a good paying job and to secure a successful career. The…Continue Reading