How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most

Discover how great philosophers can help you live a more purposeful and peaceful life.

This inspiring new book from the bestselling author of Little Big Minds reveals how the heartbeats of philosophy- clear thinking, quiet reflection, and good conversation- are essential ingredients in a well-lived life. Full of great discussion ideas and activities you can do with a group, How Philosophy Can Save Your Life is framed around ten ＂big ideas＂-themes that, according to McCarty, are necessary to grasp if one wants to live a truly fulfilling life. They are:

1. Simplicity (philosophers include Epicurus and Charlotte Joko Beck)
2. Communication (philosophers include bell hooks and Karl Jaspers)
3. Perspective (philosophers include Bertrand Russell and Mary Wollstonecraft)
4. Flexibility (philosophers include Socrates, Plato and Alan Watts)
5. Empathy (philosophers include the Dalai Lama and Martin Luther King, Jr.)
6. Individuality (philosophers include Jean-Paul Sartre and Elizabeth Spelman)
7. Belonging (philosophers include Albert Camus and Rita Manning)
8. Serenity (philosophers include Epictetus and Lao Tzu)
9. Possibility (philosophers include John Stuart Mill and Simone de Beauvoir)
10. Joy (philosophers include Shunryu Suzuki and Jane Addams)

So join the greatest thinkers of all time to discover the ideas that will help you live a happier, healthier life!

Teacher and educational consultant Marietta McCarty as been introducing philosophy to children, and guiding parents and educators in doing the same, for more than fifteen years. She has toured rural, suburban, and urban schools across the country, demonstrating her one-of-a-kind program. McCarty has a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia and currently teaches philosophy at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, and Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville.