UNDERSTANDING

PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE
CE 30
1.B.1
FROM PHILOSOPHY FOR LIFE AND OTHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BY JULES EVANS
 BASIC IDEAS OF PHILOSOPHY

1) We can know ourselves.

2) We can change ourselves.
3) We can create new habits of thinking, feeling and acting.
4) We can use philosophy to create better lives.

• What, then, is a ‘better’ life?

 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO CONTROL
YOUR EMOTIONS INSTEAD OF BEING
CONTROLLED BY THEM?
Usually we presume that the way people act is a result of events
in their lives.
•event –> Person -> reaction
 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO CONTROL
YOUR EMOTIONS INSTEAD OF BEING
CONTROLLED BY THEM?
• Epictetus: ‘Men are disturbed not by events, but by their
opinions about events’.
• In other words, our interpretation of events creates an emotion
(disturbance) out of which we act. Our interpretations are
shaped by our beliefs.
 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE
FALSE BELIEFS?

• We interpret events wrongly, we feel in ways which don’t

match the situation, we react inappropriately.
• Change our beliefs, we change our interpretation, which
changes our emotions, which changes our actions.
 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE FALSE
BELIEFS?

For example, if I say hello to someone and they do not say hello
back:
If I do not examine my beliefs, I might be rude to them the next
time I see them.
 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE FALSE
BELIEFS?

• If I do examine my beliefs, I might see the following:

• They did not say hello -> I believe they do not like me -> I
interpret their action as a rejection of me -> I feel hurt and
angry -> I react rudely.
 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE FALSE
BELIEFS?

• I might look at my belief and realize I have no reason to

believe they do not like me – instead, there are more likely
possibilities: they did not recognize me, I did not speak loudly
enough, they were preoccupied with some concern of theirs.
• Now, my belief is that the person likes me, but something else
prevented them from returning my hello – perhaps something
difficult and consuming.
• Same event, now interpreted as a signal something is wrong,
making me feel curious and compassionate, prompting me to
go back and ask how they are doing
 WHAT IF YOU WERE FREE TO ENJOY
EVERY MOMENT?
Epicurus looked around and noticed a few things about life.
•we actually don't need that much to survive and experience
pleasure
•if we focus on what gives pleasure without also causing pain, we
can easily be happy
•instead, though, we hold false beliefs that keep us from pursuing
pleasure
 WHAT IF YOU WERE FREE TO ENJOY
EVERY MOMENT?
• So we should discover what gave the most pleasure without
also giving pain. Then do it.

• Epicurius saw that, while wine gave momentary pleasure, it

gave even greater pain the next morning. 
• So wisdom was about identifying what pleasures were really
"worth it“.
 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SHAPE
YOUR UNCONSCIOUS MIND?
• We like to think our minds are rational – yet the vast majority
of choices we make unconsciously, and even irrationally.
• That is, we make choices without thinking, and even when we
think, our thinking is not logical.
 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SHAPE
YOUR UNCONSCIOUS MIND?
• One thing we do is tell ourselves things we believe – now we
call it ‘self-talk’
• “I’m no good at that.” “I could never do that.” “They would
never like me.”
• These are examples of negative self-talk.
 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SHAPE
YOUR UNCONSCIOUS MIND?
• What Pythorgas (the triangle guy!) taught was that our minds
listen to everything we think and say.
• So if we think and say negative things, we become negative; if
we think positively, we become positive.
• Therefore, Pythogoras taught his students to memorize
maxims.
 SOME MAXIMS:

• “Know yourself”
• “No one can harm you without your permission.”
• “Nothing to excess.”

I know it sounds like a cat poster,

but it’s true.
 WHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SHAPE
YOUR UNCONSCIOUS MIND?
• Modern research has confirmed Pythagoras’s insight: when we
think in certain ways, we become what we think.
• “Power Phrases” or “Affirmations” are other words for these
“maxims”
 WHAT IF YOU COULD TOUCH
PERFECTION?
• Plato believed in the reality of absolute Truth, Beauty and
Justice, and thought the world we see only palely imitated true
reality.
• If we put things in their proper order, including developing our
minds to control our desires and emotions, we could
experience true reality.
WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOUR PURPOSE?

• Aristotle believed our minds could shape our desires and

emotions, towards virtue: the ability to do the right thing at the
right time.

• He believed humans find happiness in fulfilling the purpose

they are designed for. While human purpose is distinct from
tree purpose, every person in every moment has unique
purpose.
What if you could touch What if you knew your
perfection? purpose?