Philosophy: Guide to Happiness

Philosophy: Guide to Happiness

2000, Philosophy  -    -  Playlist 356 Comments
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We tend to accept that people in authority must be right. It's this assumption that Socrates wanted us to challenge by urging us to think logically about the nonsense they often come out with, rather than being struck dumb by their aura of importance and air of suave certainty. This six part series on philosophy is presented by popular British philosopher Alain de Botton, featuring six thinkers who have influenced history, and their ideas about the pursuit of the happy life.

Socrates on Self-Confidence (Part 1) - Why do so many people go along with the crowd and fail to stand up for what they truly believe? Partly because they are too easily swayed by other people's opinions and partly because they don't know when to have confidence in their own.

Epicurus on Happiness (Part 2) - British philosopher Alain De Botton discusses the personal implications of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270BCE) who was no epicurean glutton or wanton consumerist, but an advocate of "friends, freedom and thought" as the path to happiness.

Seneca on Anger (Part 3) - Roman philosopher Lucious Annaeus Seneca (4BCE-65CE), the most famous and popular philosopher of his day, took the subject of anger seriously enough to dedicate a whole book to the subject. Seneca refused to see anger as an irrational outburst over which we have no control. Instead he saw it as a philosophical problem and amenable to treatment by philosophical argument.

Montaigne on Self-Esteem (Part 4) - Looks at the problem of self-esteem from the perspective of Michel de Montaigne (16th Century), the French philosopher who singled out three main reasons for feeling bad about oneself - sexual inadequecy, failure to live up to social norms, and intellectual inferiority - and then offered practical solutions for overcoming them.

Schopenhauer on Love (Part 5) - Alain De Botton surveys the 19th Century German thinker Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) who believed that love was the most important thing in life because of its powerful impulse towards 'the will-to-life'.

Nietzsche on Hardship (Part 6) - British philosopher Alain De Botton explores Friedrich Nietzsche's (1844-1900) dictum that any worthwhile achievements in life come from the experience of overcoming hardship. For him, any existence that is too comfortable is worthless, as are the twin refugees of drink or religion.

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Sanamau
Sanamau
6 years ago

Prophets may advise a step above philosophers. "Spiritual happiness is life eternal. This is a light which is not followed by darkness. This is an honour which is not followed by shame. This is a life that is not followed by death. This is an existence that is not followed by annihilation. This great blessing and precious gift is obtained by man only through the guidance of God." ~Abdu’l-Baha

Q
Q
6 years ago

I found it. All one under the sun, and water if fuel. Hydrogen....Wake up people.

Shantavia Mills
Shantavia Mills
8 years ago

I neeeeverrrr knew that pretty much EVERYONE called Socrates ugly.....including his friends 0.o

bluetortilla
bluetortilla
9 years ago

I've been enjoying this series a lot, but episode 5 is just plain stupid. I don't care if Schopenhauer came a century before Darwin; I will never be deceived into believing that our experiences are mechanistic- love or any other. Life is like a deep well in which all the distinct echoes eventually reach resonance; at that point the end no long matters and the clarity is brilliant. The end of mystery.

David Mowers
David Mowers
9 years ago

I want to die by lightning.

I want Zeus to end my life.

I want his reasons to prevail because that would be easier than thus..

bluetortilla
bluetortilla
9 years ago

Wow that was great but too short! I want more. I was just thinking of moving to an uninhabited island before I watched this. :D
I see there are 6 parts now, but still I'm going to look up more on Socrates.

elirijaaa
elirijaaa
9 years ago

SO helpful, thank you for providing insight. These documentaries are invaluable, and if you can even take 5% of the lessons and adapt them to your own life, you start your journey on leading a more introspective and happier life.

Fred
Fred
9 years ago

This series are really helpful. This being said the part on love is a big short cut on the matter and does not develop essential components such as the psychological patterns of human beings, their social status and position in the society. Say that love is essentially based on physical appearance as it is in the animal world is very restricting since human being have other much more complex social and psychological characteristics - characteristic that they are (that we all are) seeking in our partners.

Moncy Varghese
Moncy Varghese
10 years ago

Thanks for your valuable information about philosophy

Sofal
Sofal
10 years ago

Sufism-Check it out-These are very low earthly thinking processes.Like baby steps in the evolution of thinking.We deserve better.Find the truth.And learn to die before you die.Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Contemplate Now
Contemplate Now
10 years ago

Unfortunately, only Western philosophers are presented here. All of which are flawed and unawake.

Tudor
Tudor
10 years ago

Total bulls*it, attraction and love are not necesarelly the same thing, don't buy everything shoppenhauer says, there's been some progress since then...

Miroslav Malesevic
Miroslav Malesevic
10 years ago

In Schopenhauer's (and later Nietzsche's) words, the guy who made this documentary is a mere "man of learning". And what a dumb man of learning he is!

Miroslav Malesevic
Miroslav Malesevic
10 years ago

By the way, his understanding of Nietzsche is idiotic. Nietzsche is saying quite the opposite: that success comes naturally, easily to people. Has he never read about Nietzsche's "light feet"?

jaberwokky
jaberwokky
10 years ago

I like this guys approach. He makes the various philosophies a lot less abstract and a bit more practical. Also there's a rather good book out there from him called "How to think more about sex" that does a fantastic job of getting at the things that drive us and where they take us when it comes to sex. Highly recommended.

sharon stone
sharon stone
10 years ago

I like to say question authority. especially, your own.

James Smith
James Smith
10 years ago

My main philosophy has always been, "Question authority." If you start out from the premise that authorities know nothing more than anyone else and their main purpose it to protect their authority, you will rarely be wrong or disappointed.

Juci Shockwave
Juci Shockwave
10 years ago

I love to know what Mr. Arthur Schopenhauer has to say about people who fall in love but can't reproduce or "will to life" bulls*it. >_> My man and I have been together for over 9yrs yet we don't have a horde of children as most other couples within our range group in our neighborhood. There is at times a deeper connection between people that goes beyond the "will to life" crap Mr. Arthur Schopenhauer tells us. I love some of Mr. Schopenhauers' philosophies about people, especially on the notion that peoples' opinions of others are superficial and such, but his view on love is limited and bias, and definitely only set up for some people. He over looks a lot on other forms of relationships, people who are infertile (either born that way or by disease or by physical trauma) and people who opt for sterilization (temporary such as IUD or permanent like tubal ligation). The "will to life" for me is utter bulls*it nonsense in our modern world. >_> Clearly Mr. Schopenhauer never heard of abortions, condoms or genital removal, which all would have occurred and existed in his time since they were created and done so many years ago.

Paul Gloor
Paul Gloor
10 years ago

Philosophy, not about convincing other people you're right, but about convincing other people they could be wrong.

Moza
Moza
10 years ago

How do people know about philosophers who are dead? by status?

Moza
Moza
10 years ago

He mentioned that human and sheeps are related. How they are related?

bumpercrop
bumpercrop
10 years ago

This montage of advice from Alain de Button's favorite philosophers is sure to bring useful insight for all humans. Why isn't philosophy
more popular than religion? short approximately 25 minute segments
on six world renown philosophers, excellent

pa doh
pa doh
10 years ago

What did the main philosophy say about being happy?

Alan LFC
Alan LFC
11 years ago

just watch on 4OD if ur in the UK

cristinacristina
cristinacristina
11 years ago

Very nice series.. I founded very light-presented, although the subject was about philosophy.. The first thing I did after watching was to google for Montaigne essays.. and to be a bit critical.. did he really have to wear the same shirt on every journey??

Nk Gh
Nk Gh
11 years ago

what is comment policy ? it will be difficult to comment any documentary without seeing fully, the web browser prevents me seeing all incredibly.

Rianne Siuhtloow
Rianne Siuhtloow
11 years ago

That dude is anoying???

That dude is Alain De Botton, he is one of our time's best authors of philosophy.

Jayanth Narayanan
Jayanth Narayanan
11 years ago

This is a fantastic series from one of my favourite contemporary philosophers - Alain De Botton. Happy watching!

Nicola-Jane Wiseman
Nicola-Jane Wiseman
11 years ago

I'd bite his arse bad if I were that dog he was dragging along behind his bike.

Danish Riaz
Danish Riaz
11 years ago

I can't see nothing! The videos no longer exist, I think.
Does any knows any other link to watch these? any help will be very much appreciated. Thanks

Eerer
Eerer
11 years ago

its blocked now :((

Your Momma
Your Momma
11 years ago

The host is extremely ugly and annoying, I am very interested in the subject, but the dude is just too terrible.

Creativmind 07
Creativmind 07
11 years ago

Ahave the videos been taken down?

Alexandru Matei
Alexandru Matei
11 years ago

One of the best documentaries, I've seen all of them.

zxqky
zxqky
11 years ago

Enjoyed the series - especially the one on Montaigne.

Zhonglong
Zhonglong
11 years ago

1 against 11!? 12 angry men in real life!

William Leslie
William Leslie
11 years ago

I use de Botton's book, Consolations of Philosophy in my Ethics classes. Shows how reason can be used to cope with some of life's biggest problems. Interesting read with photos and graphics to illustrate points.

AntiTheist666
AntiTheist666
11 years ago

@dewflirt

Hello my deadly and dangerous foe, I smile, but what a way to go! Is this your PHiLOSOPHY by any chance?

The Careful One

Yusiley S
Yusiley S
11 years ago

Arthur Schopenhauer is full of himself. Will to life my @SS! Men don't go after women for that. They only care for sex and sex alone. They could careless for children or the consequence of it. When women start thinking of this and see that men can't truly love...it's only for sex because they are primitive sex maniacs incapable of true love... than the better off we women would be. At the end marriage and sh!T wouldn't occur and divorce would never happen either. We would all be truly happy because we finally accept the truth. I accept the truth. True love it only given to one through parents or from female partners but males outside of family are retards when it comes to romantic love or love to another human being outside of his family. If I want to experience romantic love ... true love... I get a wife not a husband. Women are more capable of giving that passionate deep love because their instinct to bond deeply to receive help with raising children. Men don't need this because they don't care for children...its only for sex, not the consequence. Now there are exceptions to men... but these men are deemed by society as effeminate thus these men ill behave to fit some BS mold or model of society deems as masculine. Thus why even these sensitive men ought to be viewed suspiciously so we women don't fall into depression from the typical male response. That's why I never cried over love or lost of it...its the conclusion that is expected. Crying only shows that the typical primitive male actions are shocking...they aren't. Again, the more women view men as primitive sh!the@ds the better they will be off.

BTW I've been with the same man for over 8yrs. I accept his genders' and sexs' primitive brain (men incapable of thinking/using their upper brain and rely solely their primitive brains) that's why our relationship is calm and resting. Luckily for me his brain is that of a penguin, faithful beyond words, at times shadowing and prefers that we do everything together (he is an extreme case of going against beyond the different direction of what men are in his area... he says such life style is too demanding & too much of a headache). Some women may find it annoying but I like how we feed each other and at times we do let the other take a break (he works on his car and I work on my look or art). Ultimately though we accept each others flaws and achievements (naturally or earned) equally that's why our relationship works .

JoGo Equipment
JoGo Equipment
11 years ago

Nice collection of ideas that shaped today's philosophy....Great Video....

RMax304823
RMax304823
11 years ago

Schopenhauer was a a little off on the reasons for choosing a mate but not too far off. Men look for a mate who can reproduce with ease -- youthful, a great rack, a wide pelvis, etc. Here's what psychologists have found that women look for.

"Women across all continents, all political systems (including socialist and communism), all racial groups, all religious groups, and all systems of mating (from intense polygyny to presumptive monogamy) place more value than men on good financial prospects." (Buss: "The Evolution of Desire.")

Schopenhauer was an older, wealthy, powerful celebrity. I don't know about chins but if he wanted to "propagate the species" he could simply have bought a suite of rooms in a fancy hotel in Las Vegas and been surrounded by young, blond sex slaves.

Liebewitz
Liebewitz
11 years ago

joking! I'm feigning hubris.

Liebewitz
Liebewitz
11 years ago

Veni, Vidi, ...Verbum sap or if you will allow, sapienti sat[is] est. Of course, I'm a clever Irish wolfhound.

Nothing one hasn't known before, in this series. Please move along now.

Tanya Coovadia
Tanya Coovadia
11 years ago

What a shame that Epicurus has come to be associated with elitist consumption. Epicurean delights? WTF?

Donald Edward Goodman
Donald Edward Goodman
11 years ago

Did anyone else notice, of all those he confronted with the question of Philosophy, it was a "Priest that ran from the truth?" Indeed, a "Priest" should-have been the the FIRST ONE, to give his stupid, uneducated, and self-pious beliefs on the subject, by whipping-out his Holy Bible. Just goes to PROVE, that the Priesthood, is exactly the WRONG place to go for the truth. It would be like seeking truth, by asking our Congress!

Laure Williams
Laure Williams
11 years ago

loved! especially the first few...

Becca Holt
Becca Holt
11 years ago

Great documentary series.

vertalingofferte
vertalingofferte
12 years ago

Now that's one worth seeing!

Kyle Johnson
Kyle Johnson
12 years ago

didn't dig on schopenhauer segment at all

Caitlyn Eagleson
Caitlyn Eagleson
12 years ago

I really like this! It opened my eyes to a lot of things, and its quite inspiring. :)