The consolations of philosophy
by Alain De Botton · first published 2000
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, practical tour of Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche and what their ideas mean for everyday life; a good starting point for readers new to philosophy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A good introduction to philosophy and the great philosophers for young people, with a short biographical note, and an analysis of how they approached the major issues of life. Chapter headings include Unpopularity, Not Having Enough Money, Frustration, Inadequacy, Broken Heart and Difficulties.The book is well annotated and lavishly illustrated. Partly a review of philosophy from Socrates to Nietzsche, and partly a self-help book.
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…reasons why those writers are still the foundation for philosophy today - they were right. [1] I would recommend something like "Philosophy For Life (And Other Dangerous Situations)" by Jules Evans or "Consolations of Philosophy" by Alain De Botton as a starting point.
on “Life is a game, this is your strategy guide” ↗I read over 40 nonfiction books this year. Here are some favorites. Life-changing: Why We Sleep Page-turner: How to Change Your Mind Most useful: The Consolations of Philosophy On startups: Troublemakers: Silicon Valley's Coming of Age Random but amazing: Shadow Divers (true story about deep sea diving - think Into Thin Air)
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗…wants from life than to just better one's craft. Of course if that is what you want in life, then indeed pursuing that makes sense. I'm also tempted to recommend "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse and "The Consolations of Philosophy" by Alain de Botton.
on “Ask HN: Books you should have read when you start a career in SE / CS?” ↗…It's like Alice in Wonderland in that it gets better with age and experience. Accelerando (Charles Stross -- our HN buddy) Mainly to remind myself how fucking awesome British sci-fi can be. It is. The Consolations of Philosophy (Alain de Botton) I'm a mathematician who should have studied philosophy. Alain writes superbly insightful, unpretentious, and accessible books on philosophy. Raising Venture Capital for the Serious…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading right now?” ↗Adding more: Siddhartha - Hermen Hesse Narcissus and Goldmund - Herman Hesse The Glass Bead Game - Herman Hesse The Consolations of Philosophy - Alain de Botton A Brief History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson Politics and The English Lanaguage (essay) - George Orwell A Modest Proposal (essay) - Jonathan Swift
on “Ask HN: What are some good books?” ↗I would really recommend reading "How to Live: A Life of Montaigne" by Sarah Bakewell, "The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living" by the Dalai Lama, and "The Consolations of Philosophy" by Alain De Botton. They're not about being a "powerful man." All three are about the philosophy of leading a life that makes you happy without compromising the way you live in order to fit in with…
on “Ask HN: How to become a more powerful man?” ↗The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain De Botton is a very approachable introduction to Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Shopenhauer, and Nietzsche and the practical takeaways from their teachings.
on ““Study Death Always”: Seneca’s advice for living centered on dying” ↗…Journey Around my Room - de Maistre * Anger, Mercy, and Revenge - Seneca * Schrödinger - What is Life? * Man's Search for Meaning - Frankl * Essays - Montaigne * Ethical Intuitionism - Huemer * The Consolations of Philosophy - de Botton * A Manual for Living - Epictetus * Meditations - Aurelius Psychology / Meaning / Purpose / Science: * Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace - Dik, Byrne & Steger * The Case Against Education…
on “Ask HN: What did you purchase that measurably improved your quality of life?” ↗Books Alain de Botton - The Consolations of Philosophy: https://indefenseofbatman.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/alain_... Web articles Maria Popova - 13 Life-Learnings from 13 Years of Brain Pickings: https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/10/23/13-learnings-13-yea...…
on “Ask HN: What book, video, paper, or essay do you keep revisiting over and over?” ↗For introductions, my favorite is Alain de Botton's The Consolations of Philosophy. It's a fascinating subject but be prepared to be utterly confused the deeper you dive. I've concluded, like philosopher Michael Huemer, that few philosophical principles can be uncontroversially concluded.…
on “Ask HN: Learning about philosophy” ↗I've been suicidal. Some things that helped me: 1. Reading ancient philosophers. I like Alain de Botton's book The Consolations of Philosophy as a start. He covers different types of philosophers throughout history and then you can pick the type that resonates and follow that rabbit hole. 2. Understanding/confronting childhood trauma. 3.…
on “Ask HN: Trauma has broken me. Nothing has worked. Alternatives to suicide?” ↗Once while looking for ‘On the consolation of Philosophy’, by Boethius I came across the near title ‘The Consolations of Philosophy’ by Alain de Botton. After having self studied philosophy for over a decade, Botton’s dash review of great thinkers is accessible and refreshing. Boethius is not for the newb. Find personalities, or…
on “Ask HN: How do I get started in philosophy” ↗I really enjoyed reading The Consolations of Philosophy by him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Consolations_of_Philosophy
on “TED Talk: A kinder, gentler philosophy of success” ↗…causation as Buddha Nature.) >such a cause must be infinitely good This is a mathematically proven fact, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gödel%27s_ontological_proof In general, I recommend Boethius's Consolations of Philosophy as a good primer on Neoplatonism and why the One and the Good must be identical. >Atheism is older than religion. No, not believing in specific gods is older than religion. Atheism is a specific doctrine…
on “The Last Question” ↗