The esteemed French philosopher Pierre Hadot’s final work, now available in English.
With a foreword by Arnold I. Davidson and Daniele Lorenzini.
In his final book, renowned philosopher Pierre Hadot explores Goethe’s relationship with ancient spiritual exercises—transformative acts of intellect, imagination, or will. Goethe sought both an intense experience of the present moment as well as a kind of cosmic consciousness, both of which are rooted in ancient philosophical practices. These practices shaped Goethe’s audacious contrast to the traditional maxim memento mori (Don’t forget that you will die) with the aim of transforming our ordinary consciousness. Ultimately, Hadot reveals how Goethe cultivated a deep love for life that brings to the forefront a new maxim: Don’t forget to live.
By:
Pierre Hadot
Foreword by:
Arnold I. Davidson,
Daniele Lorenzini
Translated by:
Michael Chase
Imprint: Chicago University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: 1
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 140mm,
Spine: 15mm
ISBN: 9780226497167
ISBN 10: 022649716X
Series: The France Chicago Collection
Pages: 200
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Translator’s Introduction Preface 1. “The Present Is the Only Goddess I Adore” Faust and Helen The Present, the Trivial, and the Ideal Idyllic Arcadia Unconscious Health or Conquered Serenity? The Philosophical Experience of the Present The Tradition of Ancient Philosophy in Goethe The Present, the Instant, and Being-There in Goethe 2. The View from Above and the Cosmic Journey The Instant and the View from Above The View from Above in Antiquity: Peaks and Flight of the Imagination The Philosophical Meaning of the View from Above among Ancient Philosophers The Medieval and Modern Tradition The Various Forms of the View from Above in Goethe The View from Above after Goethe Aeronauts and Cosmonauts 3. The Wings of Hope: The Urworte Daimôn, Tukhê Daimôn, Tukhê, Eros, Anankê, and Elpis Human Destiny Autobiographical Aspects? The Caduceus Elpis, Hope 4. The Yes to Life and the World Great Is the Joy of Being-There (Freude des Daseins) Greater Still Is the Joy One Feels in Existence Itself (Freude am Dasein) The Yes to Becoming and the Terrifying Goethe and Nietzsche Conclusion Translator’s Note Notes Bibliography Index
Pierre Hadot (1922–2010) was professor of the history of Hellenistic and Roman thought at the Collège de France. He was the author of many books, including Plotinus, or The Simplicity of Vision. Michael Chase is a senior researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Centre Jean Pépin and adjunct professor of Greek and Roman studies at the University of Victoria. Arnold I. Davidson is Distinguished Professor of Humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as well as the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago. Daniele Lorenzini is associate professor of philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Reviews for Don't Forget to Live: Goethe and the Tradition of Spiritual Exercises
To read Pierre Hadot sparks enormous joy. * Charlie Hebdo, on the French edition * No one is more qualified to describe this spiritual line of descent than Pierre Hadot * Le Figaro, on the French edition * A very beautiful book that celebrates action, the duty to serve, and joy. * Valeurs Actuelles, on the French edition * This deeply personal work, by one of the greatest of French classical philosophers, featuring one of his major inspirations, the great German author and philosopher Goethe, excellently translated by Michael Chase, might just change your life. It is the culmination of Hadot's long-term concern with 'philosophy as a way of life,' and constitutes a significant expansion and deepening of this theme. -- John Dillon, Trinity College Dublin Renowned for reviving the classical idea of philosophy as an art of living, Pierre Hadot combines his expertise in Greco-Roman thought with an extensive study of Goethe to produce a fascinating book, rich in both erudition and relevance for the conduct of life-reinterpreting, with compelling nuance and philosophical sophistication, the deeper, more mindful meaning of the Horatian maxim carpe diem. What you learn from this book can change your life. -- Richard Shusterman, Florida Atlantic University
