The Value of Adversity We all want good fortune in our life. Who would wish for adversity for ourselves or anyone? We work to avoid bad things happening to us. Yet perhaps adversity is valuable, even necessary, for living well. Perhaps we should welcome it when it occurs.US Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts gave a commencement address making this case. Now the commencement speakers will typically also wish you good…

How to respond to wrongdoing “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill The Moral Problem I have found moral reasoning most challenging when responding to wrongdoing --…

Lessons from the Stoics The Stoics provide useful and practical principles and behaviors for living. Stoicism is an ancient philosophy created by the Greeks and Romans. Many of the original Stoic writers were not philosophers by profession but people who looked to philosophy as a means for becoming better people and living a good life. Perhaps the most famous Stoic, Marcus Aurelius, was a Roman emperor. His perennially popular book,…

What I Learned from Studying Emanuel Kant I knew little about Kant about except that he was important. I was introduced to his writings in a university philosophy class I audited in my 60s. There is a reason I knew little about him. His ideas are complicated, and his writing is hard to understand. After reading several of his important books and then reading books about Kant and his philosophy…

What i learned from Reading aristotle Aristotle is essential to any study of moral philosophy. He provides so much and there are many books examining his writings and contributions. I focus here on a couple concepts that influence my thinking and help me learn how to live. Happiness (eudaimonia/thriving) is the overriding good Aristotle argues that happiness is life’s purpose. The idea is powerful. Millennia later it became a founding…

Hierarchy, Status, and Pride Hierarchies are central to the human social environment. Consequently, status—our position within a hierarchy—is crucial. In human society there are many different hierarchies. Hierarchies form based on factors such as geography (e.g., neighborhood, city, state) and subject (e.g., economic, political, social, professional, recreational). The types of hierarchies likely have expanded as humans progressed from living in small tribes to living in large, complex nations. Look closely,…

Human Nature We have created a Star Wars civilization, with Stone Age emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technology.” ― Edward O. Wilson, The Social Conquest of Earth Human nature is a powerful force. A wise person understands human nature because it affects their ability to make and carry out good decisions. Assumptions about human nature guide our actions. Different beliefs can lead to different results. Therefore, insight into human nature…

What does it mean to thrive? To thrive as a human being has become my purpose -- the overriding goal that other subsidiary life goals should align with. I should be able to judge the value of other life goals by asking whether they further thriving or not.What does thriving mean? The term sounds positive but vague. But the term is rich in meaning and can be interpreted in practical…

On having a purpose or goal in life Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. 'Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. 'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,'…

Introduction to Essays on How to Live These essays have a theme – how to live. They address the timeless questions of our purpose in life, the values to live by, acquiring knowledge, becoming wiser, and making good decisions. These essays are my perspective on a few selected subjects I found particularly helpful and powerful.We all want to live a "good" life, whatever that means. Living well is hard. Everyone…