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Retreat Sparks The Essays
- Michel de Montaigne retired from public life to reflect and wrote the Essays which became an instant bestseller.
- His retreat from duties after inheriting his estate triggered a lifelong practice of reflective writing.
Near-Death Changed His View Of Death
- Montaigne survived a severe fall from a horse and described the near-death state as almost pleasant and dreamlike.
- The experience led him to reassess fear of death and inspired his essay on learning to die.
Experience Trumps Pure Theory
- Montaigne privileged personal experience as the main source of philosophical wisdom over abstract theorizing.
- He valued learning from one's own life and from reading others rather than imposing grand systems.