Books
To write Or not to write“To write or not to write” explores the philosophy and practice of writing, addressing why individuals write and the complexities involved in the process. It discusses the motivations behind writing, not merely as a technical skill, but as a deep act of self-expression and self-exploration. Drawing on insights from Rainer Maria Rilke, the text emphasizes that writing should come from an internal necessity rather than a desire for success or approval. It examines the role of solitude and vulnerability in fostering creativity and developing an authentic voice. Writing is presented as a means of self-discovery, allowing individuals to confront inner fears and explore their thoughts and emotions. It highlights love’s role in writing, be it love for humanity, the craft itself, and even self-love, each enriching the writer’s experience and connecting them to others. It encourages regular practice and how to face challenges like writer’s block, distractions, and the fear of the blank page. Overall, the text portrays writing as a transformative practice that nurtures personal growth, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of connection with the broader human experience. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonThe Party SpiritThe Party Spirit explores the cultural and psychological aspects of parties and festive gatherings, examining why people often desire for these events to continue indefinitely. It discusses the appeal of parties as temporary escapes from the responsibilities, routines, and banality of daily life. Parties are environments that foster joy, connection, and a sense of timelessness, which can evoke a “taste of the infinite.” This desire to indefinitely prolong the party implies a reluctance to return to ordinary life, and an urge to experience the sense of unity and exhilaration that parties provide. As well, parties stimulate a feeling of transcendence, where individuals momentarily feel part of something greater, evoking a religious-like sense of connection and transformation. Influences such as music, alcohol, and free social interaction lower inhibitions, facilitating the formation of emotional connections and fostering a spirit of togetherness. This “party spirit” contrasts with daily life, since parties satisfy a deep-seated need for freedom and emotional expression, that structured, rational society often suppresses. Of course, we can critique this fascination with the party spirit, as the desire for endless festivity can be a form of escapism, or a “bad infinite,” lacking fulfillment and leading to a cycle of dependency. This contrasts with a “true infinite,” which embodies meaningful and enduring pursuits. This highlights the tension between the temporary highs of the party spirit and the stability and structure provided by everyday reality and rational thought. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonBeing and CircumstancesThe human being undergoes a permanent fracture, between him and the world, between what he is and what he pretends to be, between reality and his expectations. And as we are obsessed by the concept of infinity, under various forms such as perfection, immortality or the absolute, we are brutally sent back to our own finitude, which makes existence even more difficult. Most of the time, these issues unfold unconsciously, which lead to painful consequences, generating a feeling of dissatisfaction and impotence. But if we make it the object of a deliberate reflection, despite the negative dimension of the content, we have access to ourselves, we engage in a true experience of being, free and joyful. The imposture is imposture only if we ignore its content and its presence, but by becoming a conscious object of reflection, the imposture takes the form of a regulating ideal. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonPhilosophizing with Zhuangzi part 2Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BC. He is credited with writing – at least in part – an opus known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the foundational texts of Taoism. It is composed of many strange little stories, written in order to make the reader think. Its primary function is to make us reflect on the illusory and even ridiculous aspects of our life, by criticizing numerous preoccupations, social and moral obligations, which are the cause of our psychological and cognitive misery. Our work consists of a selection of stories, accompanied with a philosophical analysis, organized around the key concepts of each story, including some background on Chinese culture. A series of questions is provided, in order for the reader to meditate on the content of the text. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonPhilosophizing with Zhuangzi part 1Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BC. He is credited with writing – at least in part – an opus known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the foundational texts of Taoism. It is composed of many strange little stories, written in order to make the reader think. Its primary function is to make us reflect on the illusory and even ridiculous aspects of our life, by criticizing numerous preoccupations, social and moral obligations, which are the cause of our psychological and cognitive misery. Our work consists of a selection of stories, accompanied with a philosophical analysis, organized around the key concepts of each story, including some background on Chinese culture. A series of questions is provided, in order for the reader to meditate on the content of the text. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonDay after Day II – Daily AphorismsOne can philosophize through lengthy explanations and towering treaties. But there is another tradition: that of the aphorism, the art of the fragment. To make the reader think through one or a few brief sentences, a digest of thought that tries to capture in few words a vivid problematic, in a striking form. Often critical, ironic or mocking, this laconic form of philosophical expression is generous because it is trusting: the reader will understand mere implicit meaning, he will read between the lines. And when will be highlighted the sordid of the human soul, he will not be sad but joyful, for consciousness makes us free. The issue is to reconcile with our own finitude, to accept our own humanity, for better and for worse. PDF DownloadPhilosophical ConsultationWho am I? Where am I going? What is my vision of the world? How could I think differently? All these fundamental questions that must always be ignored, because we are caught up in the daily routine and obligations. The philosophical consultation is a thinking exercise, where the philosophical practitioner invites his interlocutor to settle down momentarily, in order to examine those fundamental questions. In this book, the author mentions different facets of this practice, describing its issues, its skills and difficulties. Various theoretical elements are presented, as well as the description and analysis of a session of consultation.
Everybody Does It: Guidebook of Arguments Not to Be UsedEvery day we commit logical fallacies in our speech, willingly or unwillingly, by accident or with a purpose. Argumentation mistakes constitute an important component of logical problems, what is often called informal logic. Many of these mistakes are popular, and rather visible if one pays any attention. In this text, we describe and analyze 27 of the most common fallacies encountered in daily life. Most of those mistakes, when underlined are easily understood. Intuitively, we recognize their nonsense, their weakness, their psychological implications. Rather than exposing subtle features, we will simply render the visible more visible. PDF DownloadLearning to Philosophize with Russian Folk TalesA common view is that folktales are for children. In general, this is not the case, let alone for Russian folktales. This becomes more obvious when we take a closer look at the rather violent content of these stories. Thus the challenge of this work is an attempt to reestablish the reality of these stories, intended primarily for the adult reader, by offering them accompanied by a philosophical analysis, as well as with questions inviting the amateur of tales to meditate further on the content of these narrations. Since one of the consequences of the infantilization of these stories is precisely that they tend to lose their function, which consists in making the listener reflect on the world, on humanity, on psychology, on himself etc. The allegories or metaphors they contain constitute in fact a kind of narrative philosophy, taking the form of fables or parables, all of which are meant to feed our thoughts. Of course, without excluding children. PDF DownloadBuy on AmazonThe Art of Philosophical PracticeThe emerging of new practices in the domain of philosophy, motivated by the desire to philosophize, which is expressed by the wider public since a few years, leads us to ponder the nature of this philosophizing, perhaps, in part, to answer those who question the legitimacy of this recent popularization of the philosophical impulse. In order to better capture its manifold manifestations, the present work will approach this new phenomenon from various angles: from the angle of the attitudes, as astonishment or radicality (fundamentalism), for example; also, from the angle of the skills involved therein, like analysis or argumentation, or again like problematization and conceptualization. But, we will also discuss about dialectic, intuition, philosophical consultation and so on. PDF DownloadWisdom of Sufi TalesIs life a test? Should we always tell the truth? Is old age a calamity? Is difference a problem? Do we love someone or do we love love? To address these issues, 20 stories from the Sufi tradition are proposed as a basis for reflection. Then come ten comprehension questions, in order to deepen the meaning of the various narratives and interpret their content. Ten more questions invite us to meditate on more general issues emanating from these texts. Through this anthology, the reader is invited to discover a spirituality that defines itself as “the heart” of the Muslim tradition, an inner path of Islam, just as a contemplative and poetic art of living. PDF DownloadWisdom of Zen TalesShould we learn to be bored? Do we thirst for infinity? Should we give up ourselves in order to be free? Does fear prevent us from living? Should perfection be sought? ? To address these questions, 20 stories from the Japanese tradition of Zen, or Chinese Chan, are proposed as a basis for reflection. Then come ten comprehension questions, in order to deepen the meaning of the various narratives and interpret their content. Ten more questions invite us to meditate on more general issues emanating from these texts. Through this anthology, the reader is invited to discover the meditative wisdom of this branch of Buddhism which particularly cultivates the luminous and liberating simplicity of the mind. PDF DownloadWisdom of Buddhist TalesShould we seek to know everything? Are we responsible for what is happening to us? Can we control our emotions? Should we suffer in order to realize ourselves? Is the essential urgent? To address these questions, 20 stories are proposed, which emanate from the Buddhist tradition, in India: tales, parables, or Jatakas that tell the many lives of the Buddha. Then come ten comprehension questions, in order to deepen the meaning of the various narratives and interpret their content. Ten more questions invite us to meditate on more general issues emanating from these texts. Through this anthology, the reader is invited to discover the depth and subtlety of original Buddhist thought. PDF Download |