Tag: Friendship

• June 25, 2012

  There is no ‘double life’ in philosophical life

  One concern has been raised many times by many conversation partners in many quarters. It is that philosophical friendships and erotic lovers are rare. Yet if most of our lives are spent in the world among those of a non-philosophical persuasion, how are we to make sense of this “double life,” a life both apart from the…
• April 14, 2012

  The mirthful canopies of spring

  My friend was at the front door at half past 9. Joan yelled down, “Who is it?” I was already sitting near the door and admiring the spring morning when the doorbell sounded. “Who is it?” she tries again. “A friend, Joan, it’s a friend,” I yell up. “Huh? Who is it?” “Don’t worry, it’s…
• March 20, 2012

  Ramble re: rest

  Auto-reply on: March 18 to March 19. Subject Line: Ramble I’m spending the day upstate. Rousseau would call this a reverie. Attending to the natural world seems to me a necessary feature of leading a philosophical life. I should be back in town by the evening; I’ll reply by Tuesday at the latest. Kindly, Andrew…
• September 2, 2011

  ‘What makes a place beautiful is the humanity that dwells there’

  For Confucius human intercourse is the life element. “The superior man does not neglect his neighbors.” But in our association with men, we encounter both good and bad. “Have no friend who is not your equal,” says Confucius, but rejects the maxim: “Associate with those who are worthy of it; as for those who are…