Daily Times

Happiness is a great gift of God. There are very few of us who know the philosophy of a happy life. In this world of chaos and utter turmoil everyone wants to have happy moments but mostly all this seems to be as impossible to achieve as a dream. Those who are enjoying their lives fully seem to be aliens to the majority of us. Having a happy life is a desire everyone has but most are unable to attain such a thing. William B Irvine has taken responsibility for guiding people about trying to find a happy, good life.

William B Irvine is a professor of philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. His A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy is a thought provoking piece of work. The title of this book suggests that he is trying to give us the philosophy needed to lead a happy life. It is a description of modern, 21st century stoicism. Irvine’s use of language is clear and understandable, which is needed to give all kinds of readers true guidance towards a happy life. Philosophical points are presented in a lighter way so that common readers might not become frustrated with the philosophy. There are many daily life examples and practical implementation of the philosophy of good life.

The book is divided into four parts. First of all, he gives an introduction to stoicism, its history and its practical implementations. This first part talks about the birth of philosophy. Ancient philosophers helped ordinary people live better lives. The second and third parts deal with the practical usage of stoicism. Part four deals with the comparison of stoicism with other schools of thought. The author describes stoic psychology in light of modern scientific findings.

Throughout our lives everyone of us sets grand goals. We live with this fear that in the end we will be unable to achieve these goals and our lives will be wasted. According to Irvine, one of the simplest solutions is to enjoy what ones has and forget about what one does not have: “The easiest way for us to gain happiness is to learn how to want the things we already have.”

The writer’s interest is in the stoic philosophy of life: “The goal of the stoics was not to banish emotion from life but to banish negative emotions.” He discusses different schools of stoic philosophy from Greek to Roman traditions. The author of this book learned of stoicism from Tom Wolfe’s work A Man in Full. He is not only extending upon this idea but also discussing psychological insights and how one can practice stoicism. He also discusses the teachings of Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius in order to give his readers guidelines for a happy life.

The primary concern of stoics was with ethics. They were interested in having a virtuous and good life. Stoics believed that it was good to enjoy each and every moment life gave us but the manner of that enjoyment was the most important thing to keep in mind. Greek stoics emphasised on the attainment of virtue and Romans on the attainment of tranquility. This attainment of tranquility is the absence of negative emotions. This attainment of virtue and tranquility makes it easier for us to pursue virtue.

Stoic was interested in logic and this logic is the study of the proper use of reasoning. According to stoicism, those who live according to the rules of nature are the wise men or sages. This sage is to stoicism as Buddha is to Buddhism.

Philosophy questions about the life and world question the reality of this world and its creation. They question Gods and their existence. Before Socrates philosophers were interested in science. But Socrates, while studying science, focused on the conditions of man. Most schools of philosophy do not provide any kind of guide for a good life. However, religions do provide some guide. Though the writer of this book advocates stoicism, according to him that is not the only school of philosophy; there can be any other school that can provide a guide to a good, happy life.

Stoicism is not the only option of giving us a guide to life. There are many people who do not need any such guide. They themselves are more familiar with the concept that it is not important what they are lacking but it is important to know how much they have. The writer also agrees with Epictetus when he says that we have complete control over our opinions.

Irvine shows how stoic ethics and psychological theories can help us overcome negative emotions and determine what is truly important for living a fulfilling life. Willpower is another important technique in helping us get our goals. We can strengthen our willpower by practicing more and more: “If we seek social status, we give other people power over us. We have to do things in a calculated way to make them admire us and we have to refrain from doing things that will trigger their disfavour.”

This book not only provides the philosophy of a good life but it can also be a great companion in one’s life. It helps us avoid feelings of frustration and grief. It also guides us on how to avoid the cravings for fame and how to want what we already have.

The reviewer is a freelance columnist