The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers

Journalist Weiner (The Geography of Bliss) makes a convincing and winningly presented case for the practical applications of philosophy to everyday existence in the 21st century. With humor and thoughtfulness, he distills the wisdom of thinkers from throughout history—from Confucius, to Socrates, to Rousseau, to Gandhi, to de Beauvoir—into ways to slow down, ask questions, and pay attention. In his cogent exploration of “How to Listen like Schopenhauer,” he relates the German philosopher’s idea of the dark force of an insatiable “Will” in all living things to the addictive appeal of the internet, and recognizes that today, especially, “we confuse data with information, information with knowledge, and knowledge with wisdom.” Meanwhile, in Epicurus, Weiner finds a guide to achieving pleasure in the age of online retail, where “so many tantalizing options lie only a click away,” but, as Epicurus himself advised, “not what we have, but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.” Weiner travels physically as well as intellectually around the world, exploring the slower, more reflective transportation methods of traveling by train and walking. His book offers an appealing way to cope with the din of modern life and look at the world with attentive eyes and ears. (Aug.)