Accepting the inevitability of death is essential for achieving peace of mind and embracing the limitations of our own nature.
Montaigne valued personal experience over intellectualizing and searching for universal truths, embracing the wisdom gained from lived experiences.
Deep dives
Overcoming the Fear of Death
Michel de Montaigne, plagued by a fear of death for a large portion of his life, reflects that fear of death is ingrained in humans as a survival mechanism. However, with the advancement of civilization and increased security, he argues that appeasing that fear should be the goal. Montaigne's personal near-death experience shifted his perspective on death, as he realized that the actual experience might not be as terrible as feared. He emphasizes the importance of personal experience in coming to terms with death and questions the value of trying to arrive at all-encompassing rules or truths.
Montaigne's Approach to Philosophy
Montaigne's philosophy, expressed through his essays, is a unique blend of stoicism, skepticism, epicureanism, cynicism, and more. Unlike other philosophers, he did not aim to present a systematic approach or lay out a grand message. Montaigne's essays are an attempt at exploring various aspects of human life and experiences. He believed in valuing personal experience over intellectualizing and searching for universal truths. Montaigne's skepticism underlies his philosophy, allowing him to embrace the limitations of human understanding and focus on practical, relatable topics rather than metaphysical speculation.
Accepting the Inevitability of Death
Montaigne asserts that accepting the inevitability of death is essential for achieving peace of mind. He rejects the glorification of death or the obsession with worldly pleasures as futile approaches. Instead, he advocates for recognizing and embracing the limitations of our own nature. By removing needless anxieties and detaching ourselves from the opinions of others, we can find tranquility. Montaigne values personal introspection, solitude in action, and the wisdom gained from lived experiences as valuable tools for navigating the complexities of life and coming to terms with our mortality.
On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Michel de Montaigne. We first discuss how a case of 16th century road rage led to a near-death experience which ironically helped Montaigne overcome his fear of dying. Next, we learn why Montaigne valued personal experience above all other evidence, and how his philosophy drew from the four dominant schools of thought of the Hellenistic age. Finally, we find out why Montaigne thought that “to philosophize is to learn how to die,” and how he believed this idea could be put into practice. All this and more on the latest episode of Philosophize This!
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