Life's Philosophy: Reason and Feeling in a Deeper World by Arne Naess is a book about the philosophy of Arne Naess, ecosophy. Ecosophy is the philosophy of living within the context and appreciation of all life on earth (I'm paraphrasing, I don't remember verbatim). Naess, considered by some to be the greatest philosopher of our time wrote his ideas on the nature of humanity and his understanding of what it means to live, in this book. Having a deep interest in philosophy and what it all means, I decided to read this book in the hopes of coming away with a better understanding of life.
Arne Naess, describes life in terms of natural essence and discusses his ideas on finding an equilibrium with nature. Essentially always planning for long term gain and keeping happiness in mind should always lead to true expression of human nature as it is intended. While negativity and pessimism lead to the suppression of human natures true essence, the key to living is exploring your positive side and overcoming your emotional negativity.
His many examples and thorough explanations, while confusing at times, lead to a better understanding of his philosophy, which is hard to disagree with. I think that if we were all emotionally mature, the world would certainly be a much better place. The best we can do is constantly strive to reach that maturity and share in those gains with our friends, family, cohabitants and environment. This book is well worth reading if not for the profound lessons, then at least for a different perspective on life.
No comments:
Post a Comment