Contemplation

‘An antidote to the maxing mindset and all its attendant ills. I never knew philosophy could be so tender’ BRANDON TAYLOR

‘A passionate defense of the value of thinking, and reading’
C. THI NGUYEN

A powerful argument that a life of the mind is essential to our humanity.

Why does modern life leave us feeling so restless? Relentlessly busy and overstimulated, we are, counterintuitively, bored. The ancient philosophers would tell us that we’re neglecting the intellectual labours so vital to our humanity. The way out of this low-grade existential despair and into a life characterized by wonder and fulfillment is simple. But it’s not easy.
Drawing on wisdom from thinkers both ancient and modern, Jared Henderson’s The Work of Philosophy offers a path back to our minds in this frantic twenty-first century. The good news – you need not join a monastery or go off into the desert to nurture a rich interior life; anyone can do it with a little discipline and a few hours a day.
Henderson’s prescription draws on examples from Aristotle, Montaigne, Wendell Berry, Hannah Arendt, C. S. Lewis and more to teach you to create a physical space for doing focused work, to read deeply, write with intention and to establish a community that will offer support for all your artistic and creative endeavors. The result is an essential and vital guide to living an intellectual life in an age of distractions.