American writer, historian, and philosopher Will Durant describes wisdom in his own intelligent and eloquent way.

Read the following excerpt of ‘What is Wisdom?’ by Durant:

“What is wisdom? I feel like a droplet of spray which proudly poised for a moment on the crest of a wave, undertakes to analyze the sea.

Ideally, wisdom is total perspective — seeing an object, event, or idea in all its pertinent relationships. Spinoza defined wisdom as seeing things sub specie eternitatis, in view of eternity; I suggest defining it as seeing things sub specie totius, in view of the whole.

Obviously we can only approach such total perspective; to possess it would be to be God. The first lesson of philosophy is that philosophy is the study of any part of experience in the light of our whole experience; the second lesson is that the philosopher is a very small part in a very large whole. Just as philosopher means not a “possessor” but a “lover” of wisdom, so we can only seek wisdom devotedly, like a lover fated, as on Keats’ Grecian urn, never to possess, but only to desire. Perhaps it is more blessed to desire than to possess.

Shall we have examples? Rain falls; you mourn that your tennis games must be postponed; you are not a philosopher. But you console yourself with the thought, “How grateful the parched earth will be for the rain!” You have seen the event in a larger perspective, and you are beginning to approach wisdom.”

Please read the rest of this fascinating article here.
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Arise my fellow humans and stand up for nature, humanity and self-knowledge!

Mr. Lif drops some wisdom in the following thought-provoking tune, as he advises humanity to reconnect with nature and our spiritual selves, and to turn away from divisive and destructive man-made machinations.

I have to agree with Lif  in regard the ubiquity and popularity of today’s technology (iPad anyone?), which has inexplicably all but disconnected our consciousness from nature and one another – as I have previously written about in the post Living Consciously in a Technological World.

We have also become ever more dependent on this technology to help us live our lives instead of relying on ourselves, which is setting a dangerous precedence, especially regarding us ever achieving the most important goal – and that is, self-knowledge.

Most worryingly, Man’s ignorant capability of being able to destroy this planet with his mechanical toys because of war is becoming increasingly possible in this present climate of uncertainty.

Unfortunately, the evidence of all this is plain to see within myself, as I sit here alone at an inanimate object typing this blog, instead of being outside with the people that I love whilst basking in the sunshine and absorbing all the wonders that nature has to offer.

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The great American poet Walt Whitman was a shining influence for Marty Rubin, who now produces great wisdom of his own in the form of aphorisms

My like-minded friend, Marty Rubin who is also known as nothingprofound on BlogCatalog, is a man of pure wisdom and creator of thought-provoking aphorisms which are, despite his alias, nothing but profound.

So without further ado, here I shall present you with a select few of Marty’s words of wisdom:

Whenever I do nothing I feel I’ve accomplished a lot.

What variety is to life, contradiction is to the mind.

The flea that doubts doesn’t jump nearly as high.

Water flows because it’s willing.

Looking in the mirror is seeing what other people see.

If it’s work you’re trying too hard.

To hate everything is to be wounded by everything.

The old philosophers knew so little; that’s why they were so wise.

The air lets the arrow pass right through.

In the wind, more leaves tremble than any theory can account for.

If the light’s not in you, you’re in the dark.

Someone told me the world is round, but I’m checking it out for myself.

Please take the time to visit Marty’s blogs Out Of Context: pieces of a life and Aphorism of the Day to sample more of his delightful aphorisms.

Are we all too quick to worship and follow men who we have labeled as great?

Why is it such a big surprise to us when men, who are widely regarded as great, turn out to be a hypocrite, charlatan, or have so many skeletons in the closet you can hear them rattling a mile away? Why are we so shocked? Aren’t they human too despite the flattering opinions we wish to lavish on these godlike figures?

Admittedly, we can all sometimes become mesmerised and then attached to these shining examples of humanity, which can inadvertently make us forget about our own important role to play in life.

These legendary men, who in most cases take the moral high ground, can sometimes be found guilty of not practicing what they preach.

In a series of six posts, I will try to pull down the veil of perfection that protects 6 great thinkers in history, as I reveal their own, and perhaps unflattering, mortal afflictions.
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Nietzcshe suggested for us to become like 'Supermen' by using hardship in life to strengthen our 'Will'

Watch the first video of a six part series: Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness (Part 1) – Socrates

This is the 6th and final post featuring a series of documentaries written and presented by popular British philosopher Alain de Botton.

This 6 part series is an entertaining, practical and psychobabble-free self-help course for the philosophically minded.

Here, de Botton, brings us six thinkers who have influenced history, and their ideas about the pursuit of the happy life. Here we have then:

• Socrates
• Epicurus
• Seneca
• Michel de Montaigne
• Arthur Schopenhauer
• Friedrich Nietzsche

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