How to live a happy life, with Seneca. What makes for a happy life? That depends on what sort of living organism one is. For a cactus, a happy life consists in access to the right set of soil and air nutrients, plenty of light, and a bit of water. Oh, and staying away from parasites and predators (hence the spines). For a human being things are a bit more complicated. Combined biology and culture make for an incredibly varied mix of wants, needs, hopes, and fears. Nevertheless, the general principles are the same, and so a list of ideas put forth by the Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BCE-65 CE) is a good starting point for reflection. Let’s take a look into that mirror. The happiness list is found in Section 20 of his aptly titled On the Happy Life. I will quote a few excerpts covering the principal points. For instance: “I will look upon death or upon a comedy with the same expression of countenance; I will submit to labors, however great they may be, supporting the strength of my body by that of my mind.” Strength of mind is crucial in life because it is our attitude toward things, and especially towards setbacks, that determines how we’re going to react to them. … (Philosophy Now)
Homo sapiens is #9. Who were the eight other human species? We like to think humans are special. Certainly, our species has some impressive accomplishments compared to those of our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees and bonobos. Yes, these species fight, communicate, and use tools. But none developed a formal language, traveled space, altered the course of a planet’s climate, painted the Mona Lisa, composed Für Elise, conceived of the Internet, or invented Velcro. It seems odd that our closest living relatives have such little ambition. (Though arguably, they have more peace — well, except for the Gombe Chimpanzee War.) Have you ever wondered why there is not another species like us? One line of reasoning suggests that we would not be so unique had we not killed off some of our relatives. … (Big Think)
Metaphysical skepticism. Metaphysics can be thought of as an investigation into the ultimate or fundamental nature of reality. In other words, it is the attempt to reveal and describe how and what things really are at some foundational level.The most popular kind of metaphysics seems focused on determining whether the world is best described as fundamentally physical, mental, neutral, or some combination of these. I have no quarrel with many of the questions that metaphysics seeks to investigate. Here I am concerned with the metaphysical doctrines which make grand claims, such as ‘everything is physical’ or ‘everything is mental’. Popular examples of these doctrines include physicalism and idealism. Less mainstream positions which are gaining in popularity include neutral monism and panpsychism. I will settle for brief descriptions of the two more popular positions. Physicalism refers to the thesis that everything which exists is physical, including thoughts, numbers, minds, and consciousness (if these things exist, of course). Idealism, in contrast, is the thesis that everything which exists is in some sense mental or a product of consciousness, including seemingly non-mental physical objects such as rocks, chairs, and planets. I am neither a physicalist nor an idealist. This isn’t because I take some other metaphysical theory as true, but because I am extremely skeptical of any position that makes grand sweeping generalizations regarding the fundamental nature of reality. Let me tell you why. … (Philosophy Now)
How to get more comfortable with death. Are you troubled by the thought that life is just too short? Would you feel deeply uncomfortable walking through a cemetery? Have you ever experienced a jolt of panic upon realising a celebrity has died? Does the thought of death itself often cause you significant distress? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, you are not alone. Having negative feelings in response to thoughts and reminders of death is something all humans must grapple with from a young age – and it is more intense for some people than for others. The term ‘death anxiety’ is commonly used to refer to the negative emotions one might have about death. It includes anxious feelings, of course, but these might coexist with feelings of dread, sadness or anger. Just as people’s emotions about death can vary, so too does the specific focus of those emotions. For example, some people might be worried about their own death, while others are far more concerned about the eventual death of a loved one. One person might fear the concept of non-existence, whereas another might be terrified that dying will be painful. All of these different responses to death can be considered examples of death anxiety. … (Psyche)
How to live a happy life, from a leading atheist. For more than 50 years, Daniel C. Dennett has been right in the thick of some of humankind’s most meaningful arguments: the nature and function of consciousness and religion, the development and dangers of artificial intelligence and the relationship between science and philosophy, to name a few. For Dennett, an éminence grise of American philosophy who is nonetheless perhaps best known as one of the “four horsemen” of modern atheism alongside Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, there are no metaphysical mysteries at the heart of human existence, no magic nor God that makes us who we are. Instead, it’s science and Darwinian evolution all the way down. In his new memoir, “I’ve Been Thinking,” Dennett, a professor emeritus at Tufts University and author of multiple books for popular audiences, traces the development of his worldview, which he is keen to point out is no less full of awe or gratitude than that of those more inclined to the supernatural. “I want people to see what a meaningful, happy life I’ve had with these beliefs,” says Dennett, who is 81. “I don’t need mystery.” … (New York Times)
Great reads! The one about the different human species was very interesting. It’s wild to imagine a modern world where different human species exists. The death anxiety article was helpful too--I realized I’ve always had a bit of that, and I thought it was funny when it pointed out it’s more common in young adults and agnostics (I am both)!
I don’t think it interferes in my daily life per se, but I often have morbid thoughts like “how sad would it be if I got into a car crash on my way to visit my girlfriend” or “what would I do if my girlfriend died?” and other such things. While my study of philosophy has benefited me a lot, perhaps it’s also given me more pressure to try to live a good life, and so the fear of it being cut short is now scarier.
The Dennett interview was very nice and I'm looking forward to his autobiography.
In fact, since reading "Consciousness explained", I've read and enjoyed several of his books. "Intuition pumps" is a favourite.
Puzzle for all of you: Among the four horsemen of Atheism, Dennett's the only one to have survived with his reputation intact. How would that have happened?
Sam Harris went down a rabbit hole of rabid anti-Islam ranting , IQ-fetishism and conspiracy theories, Christopher Hitchens, who was as far left as could be, went anti-Muslim post 2001, pro-Iraq invasion etc (but, credit due, stood up to some of its excesses notably by reporting on waterboarding and undergoing that himself - voluntarily!), and Richard Dawkins, who wrote the great "Selfish Gene" and several sequels but says some bat-shit crazy misogynic (and more) nonsense.