Pierre Hadot, Philosophy as Way of Life | Spiritual Exercises & Philosophy | Core Concepts
Summary
TLDRDr. Gregory Sadler, a philosophy professor and founder of Reason IO, introduces a series of short videos focusing on core philosophical concepts. In this segment, he discusses 'spiritual exercises' from Pierre Hadot's 'Philosophy as a Way of Life,' emphasizing their role in transforming thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Hadot argues that philosophy is an art of living, involving cognitive, ethical, and metaphysical aspects, aiming for self-realization and autonomy. The video bridges ancient philosophies with modern existentialism and pragmatism, highlighting the continuous practice of spiritual exercises for personal growth.
Takeaways
- 🎓 Dr. Gregory Sadler is a philosophy professor and founder of Reason IO, an educational consulting company that applies philosophy to real-life situations.
- 📚 He has over 20 years of experience in studying and teaching philosophy, aiming to make classic philosophical texts more accessible.
- 📹 Dr. Sadler produces lecture videos for YouTube, with a new series focusing on explaining core concepts from significant philosophical texts in shorter formats.
- 🧘♂️ The concept of 'spiritual exercises' from Pierre Hadot's 'Philosophy as a Way of Life' is central to understanding the application of philosophy in daily life.
- 📖 'Spiritual exercises' is a term that might be off-putting to modern readers due to its connotations, but it is necessary to convey the holistic nature of the practices.
- 🤔 Hadot argues that terms like 'psychic', 'moral', 'ethical', or 'intellectual' do not fully capture the essence of these exercises, which involve thought, imagination, and sensibility.
- 🌟 Spiritual exercises are not just about intellectual development but also about transforming one's vision of the world and personality.
- 🔍 Hadot connects the concept back to ancient philosophical traditions, showing that philosophy was seen as an 'art of living' rather than abstract theory.
- 🧠 The practices involve techniques of persuasion, mastering inner dialogue, and mental concentration, aiming for self-realization and improvement.
- 🌱 Ancient philosophies, despite their diversity, share a profound unity in the means and ends of spiritual exercises, focusing on self-formation and living in accordance with human nature.
- 🕊️ Freedom of the will, as discussed by Hadot, implies the ability to modify, improve, and realize our potential through the practice of spiritual exercises.
Q & A
Who is Dr. Gregory Sadler?
-Dr. Gregory Sadler is a professor of philosophy and the president and founder of an educational consulting company called Reason IO.
What is the purpose of Reason IO?
-Reason IO aims to put philosophy into practice, helping students and lifelong learners by making philosophical concepts more accessible.
What is the focus of the video series mentioned in the script?
-The video series focuses on explaining one core concept from an important philosophical text in each short video.
What is the title of the book by Pierre Hadot that is discussed in the script?
-The title of the book is 'Philosophy as a Way of Life'.
What does the term 'spiritual exercises' refer to in the context of Hadot's work?
-In Hadot's work, 'spiritual exercises' refers to practices that engage the whole of one's existence to transform one's vision of the world and one's personality.
Why does Hadot choose to use the term 'spiritual exercises' despite it being disconcerting for contemporary readers?
-Hadot chooses to use the term 'spiritual exercises' because it best captures the cognitive, ethical, and metaphysical aspects of the practices he describes.
How does Hadot differentiate 'spiritual exercises' from 'intellectual exercises'?
-Hadot differentiates 'spiritual exercises' from 'intellectual exercises' by emphasizing the role of imagination and sensibility, which are not solely intellectual.
What is the connection between 'spiritual exercises' and ancient philosophy according to Hadot?
-According to Hadot, 'spiritual exercises' are central to ancient philosophy, which was not just about abstract theory but also about the art of living and self-realization.
How does Hadot view the relationship between 'spiritual exercises' and the concept of freedom?
-Hadot views 'spiritual exercises' as a means to realize the freedom of the will, allowing individuals to modify, improve, and realize themselves.
What does Hadot suggest is the role of philosophy in relation to spiritual exercises?
-Hadot suggests that philosophy, when practiced as a way of life through spiritual exercises, involves a transformation of one's vision, lifestyle, and behavior.
What is the ultimate goal of practicing spiritual exercises according to Hadot?
-The ultimate goal of practicing spiritual exercises, according to Hadot, is to live in conformity with human nature, achieve self-realization, and attain happiness through independence, freedom, and autonomy.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Spiritual Exercises in Philosophy
Dr. Gregory Sadler introduces himself as a philosophy professor and founder of Reason IO, an educational consulting company. He discusses the challenges people face when reading classic philosophical texts and his approach to making these concepts more accessible. Sadler mentions his YouTube lectures and introduces a new series of videos focusing on core concepts from philosophical texts. He begins with a discussion on 'spiritual exercises' from Pierre Hadot's 'Philosophy as a Way of Life,' explaining why Hadot chose this term and its significance in philosophy. Sadler elaborates on the broader meaning of 'spiritual' in French compared to English, highlighting the cognitive aspect involved. Hadot's view of spiritual exercises as thought exercises that involve the whole psyche is discussed, along with the exercises' role in transforming one's vision of the world and personality.
🏛️ The Role of Spiritual Exercises in Ancient Philosophy
Dr. Sadler delves into Hadot's exploration of spiritual exercises in the context of ancient Hellenistic and Roman philosophy, emphasizing their role as an art of living that engages the whole of existence. He contrasts this with modern interpretations and highlights the existential nature of these practices. Hadot's view is that philosophy was not just theoretical but a concrete lifestyle, which resonates with existentialist and pragmatic philosophies. The discussion includes the transformative nature of spiritual exercises, which are not merely intellectual but also ethical and metaphysical, aiming to change how we perceive and interact with the world. Sadler also touches on the unity of ancient philosophies as ways of life, despite their diverse practices, and the importance of techniques like persuasion, dialectics, and rhetoric in these exercises.
🧘♂️ Spiritual Practices for Self-Realization and Happiness
This section focuses on the purpose of spiritual exercises in ancient philosophy, which is self-realization and happiness. Dr. Sadler explains that these practices are not trivial but are meant to change one's life by aligning with human nature rather than societal conventions. The discussion includes the idea that much of human unhappiness stems from being enslaved to passions, and true happiness comes from independence and autonomy. Hadot argues that the philosophical schools of ancient times believed in the freedom of the will, not in the sense of arbitrary choice, but in the ability to modify and improve oneself. The philosopher's life is described as an intermediate state, not that of a sage but one of constant transformation and practice of spiritual exercises, which is a continuous process with potential for both progress and regression.
🌟 Spiritual Exercises as Essential to Philosophy as an Art of Living
Dr. Sadler concludes by emphasizing that for ancient philosophy, the practice of spiritual exercises is essential to living a philosophical life. He suggests that without these practices, there can be no true philosophy as an art of living. The discussion highlights that while not all modern philosophy fits this mold, ancient Western philosophy and other wisdom traditions do emphasize the importance of spiritual practices. The key takeaway is that philosophy is not just an academic discipline but a way of life that involves continuous self-improvement and alignment with one's true nature.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Spiritual Exercises
💡Philosophy as a Way of Life
💡Pierre Hadot
💡Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Aspects
💡Freedom of the Will
💡Ancient Philosophy
💡Self-Formation
💡Enslavement to the Passions
💡Inner Dialogue
💡Conformity with Human Nature
Highlights
Dr. Gregory Sadler introduces himself as a philosophy professor and founder of ReasonIO, an educational consulting company.
Sadler discusses the difficulty many face in reading classic philosophical texts and his role in making these concepts more accessible.
He mentions his YouTube channel and the new series of short videos focusing on core philosophical concepts.
The video focuses on Chapter 3 of Pierre Hadot's 'Philosophy as a Way of Life', discussing 'spiritual exercises'.
Hadot's use of 'spiritual exercises' is explained, emphasizing its necessity despite being out of fashion.
The term 'spiritual' is contrasted between its French and English meanings, highlighting a broader sense in French.
Hadot argues that 'spiritual exercises' is the most fitting term despite alternatives like 'psychic', 'moral', or 'intellectual'.
The exercises are described as thought taking itself as subject matter to modify itself.
Hadot's view on the inadequacy of 'intellectual exercises' due to the importance of imagination and sensibility is shared.
The term 'spiritual' is justified as it encompasses more than just thought but the individual's entire psychism.
Hadot differentiates his concept of 'spiritual exercises' from Ignatius of Loyola's Christian version.
The goal is to reconnect with ancient philosophical practices, not just those of Ignatius of Loyola.
Ancient philosophy is presented as an 'art of living', engaging the whole of existence, not just abstract theory.
Hadot's view that philosophy involves a transformation of vision, lifestyle, and behavior is discussed.
The means and ends of ancient philosophies are explored, including techniques of persuasion and mastering inner dialogue.
The pursuit of self-realization and self-formation through spiritual exercises is emphasized.
Hadot's assertion that happiness comes from independence, freedom, and autonomy is highlighted.
The importance of living in conformity with human nature, not social conventions, is discussed.
The philosopher's intermediate state between the non-philosophical and philosophical life is described.
Hadot's view that without spiritual practices, there is no real philosophy as an art of living, is summarized.
Transcripts
hi this is dr gregory sadler
i'm a professor of philosophy and the
president and founder of an educational
consulting company called reason i o
where we put philosophy into practice
i've studied and taught philosophy for
over 20 years
and i find that many people run into
difficulties reading classic
philosophical texts
sometimes it's the way things are said
or how the text is structured
but the concepts themselves are not
always that complicated and that's where
i come in
to help students and lifelong learners
i've been producing longer lecture
videos and posting them to youtube
many viewers say they find them useful
what you're currently watching is part
of a new series of shorter videos
each of them focused on one core concept
from an important philosophical text
i hope you find it useful as well
chapter three of pier addo's book
philosophy as a way of life
is entitled spiritual exercises and this
is a
concept that is absolutely central to
adobe's work both in this book
and in the larger corpus and so he it's
it's worth
sketching out what does he actually mean
by spiritual exercises why is he using
that term and what is its connection to
philosophy and he begins that chapter
by you know giving you an example of a
spiritual exercise and talking about
that
and then he says spiritual exercises the
expression
is a bit disconcerting for the
contemporary reader
and he gives a few reasons for this he
wants to explain
why he's using this term in the first
place it's no longer quite fashionable
to use the word
spiritual but it's nevertheless
necessary to use this term
because none of the other adjectives we
could use
covers all the aspects of the reality we
want to
describe we should point out that that
spiritual in in french and in english
there's a you could say wider range of
meaning in french than there is
in english where it's a bit more
restricted in part because esprit
means not just spirit but also
mind right so there's there's a a more
cognitive sense involved here and ado
explores this and he says
you know we could try psychic moral
ethical intellectual
of thought of the soul none of these are
actually going to work
as well as we'd like he says in these
exercises it is
thought which is which as it were takes
itself as its own subject matter and
seeks to
modify itself so you know we could talk
about thought exercises but the word
thought does not indicate clearly enough
that imagination and sensibility play a
very important role in these exercises
for the same reason we cannot be
satisfied with intellectual exercises
although the intellect such intellectual
factors
as definition division ratio
nation reading investigation and
rhetorical amplification play a large
role in them
so you know we've got there sort of like
the cognitive intellectual
side that works but there's more going
on
what if we switch gears and we talk
about them as being
ethical exercises he says well this is
tempting because the
exercises in question contribute in a
powerful way to the therapeutics of the
passions
and have to do with the conduct of life
but
they also lead to a transformation of
our vision of the world and a
metamorphosis
of our personality so spiritual is apt
to make us understand that these
exercises are the result
not merely of thought but the
individual's entire psychism
and here's another point that he says
the word spiritual reveals the true
dimensions of these exercises
by means of them the individual raises
himself up to the life of objective
spirit and here he's got a capital s so
you can think of it in sort of a
hegelian
sense he says that is to say he replaces
himself
within the perspective of the whole
and then he considers one other issue
the reader might say that that's fine
we'll accept the expression spiritual
exercises
but are we talking about ignatius of
loyola's uh exercise spiritualia
spiritual exercises what relationship is
there between ignatian meditations the
founder you know the jesuits
and this program of you know spiritual
exercises in other places
and hadou says listen ignatius's
exercises are nothing but a christian
version
of a greco-roman tradition and you know
this this idea and terminology
are attested in early latin christianity
well before ignatius of loyola
they correspond to the greek christian
term escasis
in turn escasis which must be understood
not as asceticism but as the practice of
spiritual exercises
already existed in the philosophical
tradition
of antiquity so the goal for him
is to go back to ancient philosophy
particularly that of the hellenistic
and roman time although he does also
consider you know plato and
and aristotle as well and
show what was actually going on there
and show what's what's available for us
in the present so we just because
ignatius of loyola
you know used that term doesn't mean
that we're we're going back to him
as a matter of fact ignatius you could
say is successful precisely because he's
re-interpreting things within a
christian framework that other people
are doing
and that is escasis you can tolerate
asceticism if you want but you have to
understand that in the classical
meaning of discipline and
engaging in practices to change one's
self
so if we go on and we look
in some of the sections particularly
section 1
and section 4 we get a lot more fleshing
out of this
he tells us that in ancient philosophy
philosophy was not just teaching an
abstract theory
or just the exegesis of text but rather
this is a term you'll see used a lot the
art of living
a concrete attitude and determinative
lifestyle which engages the whole of
existence so this
actually sounds rather existential
doesn't it if you know about existential
philosophy
and ado is perfectly willing to say yes
indeed 19th and 20th century
existentialist philosophy is doing at
that time what they were doing back in
ancient philosophy it might also sound
to you like american pragmatism
or the transcendentalist it might also
sound to you
like you know a certain reading of what
rene descartes is doing
in his meditations which he said you
know don't breeze through and don't just
read in part
but i actually carry these out as
intellectual
and spiritual meditation so there's a
lot involved in this art of living and
adogo zanani says
that this is uh not just on the
cognitive level
but on that of the self and of being
right so there's he talks about
reversals
he talks about conversion he talks about
re orientation
and this is a very significant part of
philosophy carried out through spiritual
exercises they are supposed to
not just you know make us feel the same
thing as we all already do
or you know function as a index of
progress
they're supposed to change how we how we
see things
how we feel things how we behave how we
are and so there's a progress that he
talks about being made here and it is a
cognitive process
learning something right it's a cr he
says it's a progress which causes
us to be more fully and
makes us better so it's not
merely intellectual or cognitive but it
also has to do
with what kind of being
we enjoy and whether it's better or
worse
so there are moral or ethical and there
are
metaphysical or anthropological
aspects to this from the very start
that's what a lot of ancient philosophy
was engaged in
hadou argues quite quite persuasively
and so that's a key issue there later on
in the
fourth section there's a a great
discussion
this is the section where he's talking
about reading and
writing and all that sort of stuff
before he actually goes into that
um he tells us that there is a
profound unity to ancient philosophies
as ways of life even though the
exercises that they advocate seem to
vary
quite widely so beneath this diversity
there's a profound unity
he says both in the means employed and
the ends pursuit so
what are the means employed well that's
part of what he's talking about through
this entire
chapter spiritual exercises and
here he tells us that among those
or you could say overarching with those
are techniques of
persuasion dialectical and rhetorical
techniques of persuasion
attempts at mastering inner dialogue
that's one way that
ado reads what's going on with all of
these sort of
mental exercises and you know tell
yourself this
in this sort of situation and think
about you know what could be the case
and
and all of that is mastering one's own
inner dialogue what we nowadays call
self-talk right
and then mental concentration this
consists partly
in attentiveness but it consists in
other things
as well these are not just you know you
could say spiritual practices these are
things that are running through
how we use spiritual practices and why
are we doing it
so some people might do spiritual
practices
just because they run across a text
they're like oh man i'm
i'm really bored i need to do something
let me try out these spiritual practices
there's actually if i remember right uh
jd salinger has somebody doing the jesus
prayer
originally just to do it right and
that's that's an example of a christian
spiritual
practice he talks about in one of his
stories
um but the ends pursued in ancient
philosophy are not so trivial as killing
time
or hanging out with cool people
and talking about stoicism or anything
like that it's to change
yourself self-realization he talks about
an
improvement he also talks about
self-formation or
pidea to teach us how to live
right so that's a a key thing you do
spiritual exercises not just for the
sake of doing them
or to get up on the leaderboards or to
level up or anything like that
you do it because it's going to change
your your life you're it's going to
change you
in the process and this brings us to
another point that
is kind of means and ends at the same
time he talks about living in conformity
with human nature not human prejudices
and social conventions
so this is also part of that that
transformation
we move away from just taking our cues
from our culture
or our gut feelings or something like
that and we learn to say
i'm i'm screwed up man i i need to fix
myself there's some things i need to get
straight about
and we have to have some sort of
conception of what a genuinely
good or realized or full human nature
would be because looking around
at the damaged beings that we we see
they're not it right uh another key
aspect that that a doe
says runs throughout there is a
realization that much of our unhappiness
stems from what he's calling here the
enslavement to the passions
or we could say the affects um he says
in other words people are unhappy
because they desire things they may not
be able to obtain
since they're alien exterior and
superfluous to them it follows
that happiness consists in independence
freedom and autonomy
the return to the essential that which
is truly ourselves right
and another thing that he says here that
i think is really quite interesting
and is bound to lead to some
misunderstandings with careless readers
or hearers is that every one of these
uh philosophical schools and approaches
presumes or as he says believed in the
freedom
of the will now that's that's a term
that
a lot of people use in in rather
equivocal ways
does it mean that you can like you know
in any situation
choose exactly what you want and make it
happen no but
that's not what most philosophers have
meant by that anyway
what does ado mean here he says that
freedom of the will in this sense means
that
we can modify improve
and realize ourselves we have that
possibility we can apply ourselves
parts of ourselves to ourselves to
to change things for ourselves so that
is uh
you know freedom of the will in some
some sense and then he also talks about
the
another key aspect and this again ties
in with means and perhaps with ends
we are not the sage if we're
philosophers we are not at the final
step right as a matter of fact there may
be in fact
no no sage out there it may be a pure
ideal
so he says the philosopher lives in an
intermediate state he is not a sage but
he is not a
non-sage either he's torn
between the non-philosophical and the
philosophical life between the domain of
the habitual
every day and the domain of
consciousness
and lucidity to the same extent that the
philosophical life
is equivalent to the practice of
spiritual exercises
it is a tearing away from everyday life
it is a conversion
a transformation of one's vision
lifestyle and
behavior but it's always something that
is in
process and there can not just be
progress
but also backsliding or dry periods or
whatever
we want to say but all of this ties in
with
why spiritual exercises are so
important for philosophy conceived of
as a way of living not just
as an academic discipline does this
apply to all philosophy
ado is perfectly willing to say no as a
matter of fact
a lot of what we call philosophy these
days or have called it for centuries
isn't this but we do see in ancient
philosophy
ancient western philosophy but we can
also talk about you know wisdom
traditions in
other places as well definitely does fit
into this and
and has a number of important aspects
centering around spiritual practices to
bring this to a close you might say
for ancient philosophy no spiritual
practices
put into effect then no real philosophy
as the art of living
you
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