Philosophy as a Way of Life: Between Theory and Transformation

Abstract John Cooper contends that ancient philosophers shared certain fundamental assumptions about the “motivating power” of truth and knowledge that have been abandoned by post-Renaissance philosophers. Consequently, he claims that those seeking philosophy as a guide to the good life can only find it in the works of ancient philosophers. I challenge that conclusion by arguing that philosophy as a way of life has not disappeared but has evolved. A key indicator of this continuity is the enduring presence of “professional” philosophers who, like their ancient counterparts, remain concerned with what used to be called “the state of one’s soul.”