What are the most popular schools of philosophy? Which philosophy do you want to live by?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With so many ideologies that have developed throughout history, it\u2019s hard to keep up with who believes what. To make things easier, we\u2019ve made a comprehensive list of the top seven schools of philosophy and what their beliefs are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To get a better understanding of these seven schools of philosophy, keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
In his definitive philosophical essay The Myth of Sisyphus<\/em><\/a>, Albert Camus argues that human existence is fundamentally absurd since the human drive for purpose and meaning is at odds with the reality that death is inevitable and humanity is cosmically insignificant. Despite this absurdity and the anguish that many people feel when confronted with it, Camus believes that life is still worth living and that going through life with full knowledge of the absurd is the only way to live honestly<\/a>. This makes up the school of philosophy known as Absurdism<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Absurdists believe the universe and death are unknowable. Theories of existence\u2014such as the belief that God provides life and an afterlife, that there\u2019s a cosmic purpose to human existence which we may realize through our actions, or that death is the end of consciousness and life has no inherent meaning\u2014are just theories, unprovable within the limits of human experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Camus, there are three possible responses to being confronted with the absurd. <\/strong>The first is to deny it by seeking philosophical or religious justifications for living that promise either an afterlife or a sense of purpose<\/a>; Camus considers this philosophical rejection to be self-delusion. The second response is to commit suicide, escaping the suffering of an absurd existence by rejecting life itself. The third response, which is the only one Camus supports, is to commit to living an absurd life.<\/strong> This means continuing to live even with the pain of knowing that life is finite and possibly meaningless. Camus describes this as both living without hope and living in a state of permanent rebellion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nihilism<\/em><\/strong> is the belief that life is meaningless. The nihilism people suffer from is a personal, private one that each individual suffers alone. After all, there can be little camaraderie in the idea that everything\u2019s meaningless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People generally get existentially frustrated in three different ways, according to Viktor E. Frankl\u2019s book Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you fall into one of those frustrations, you can start to feel empty, distant, and aimless, and it gets harder to pull yourself out of this emotional place<\/strong>. Frankl refers to this place as an existential vacuum.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Confucius is one of the most famous philosophers in history. The Analects<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is a collection of Confucius\u2019s teachings compiled into twenty chapters by his most devoted students, and it\u2019s one of the foundational books of Confucianism<\/em><\/strong>, a popular school of philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In keeping with traditional Zhou values, Confucius places great value on respecting others, especially your parents. He says that respect for your parents is the foundation of being a good person:<\/strong> If you learn proper respect for your parents as a child, you\u2019ll continue to respect and obey your superiors, meaning that you\u2019ll become a good worker and won\u2019t cause any trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Confucius generally encourages students to think and learn for themselves, but he offers more direct advice about morality. He says that a single word can guide everything you do: the Chinese word shu<\/a><\/em>, which means don\u2019t do to others what you wouldn’t want to be done to you. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Confucius adds that causing no harm isn\u2019t enough to be a truly good person. Rather, a good person is someone respectful, honest, hardworking, and kind. In other words, to be a good person, you must do your best to make the world a better place<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stoicism<\/em><\/strong> is a philosophy that emphasizes logic and quiet contemplation. It teaches that the best way to live well is to understand the laws of nature and how you, personally, fit into the universe.<\/strong> By accepting things as they are<\/a>, recognizing your own relative unimportance and powerlessness in the grand scheme of things, and fulfilling your life\u2019s purpose to the best of your abilities, you can live a happy and virtuous life<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Epictetus is considered one of history\u2019s most influential Stoic philosophers, alongside the likes of Marcus Aurelius (Meditations<\/em><\/a>) and Seneca. The Discourses of Epictetus<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is the definitive collection of Epictetus\u2019s teachings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Stoic philosophy, your purpose<\/a> is to live a happy and virtuous life by acting under Nature\u2014which, in this context, means both your own human nature and the nature of the universe. You\u2019re expected to achieve this lifestyle through the constant and disciplined use of reason. In other words, you should think rationally about every situation you encounter and always choose the best response possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, Stoicism teaches that your reason is the only <\/em>important thing in your life. This is because your reasoning interprets everything that you experience, and it also determines what you do in response to those experiences. In other words, the quality of your reasoning determines the quality of your life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tao Te Ching<\/em><\/a> <\/em>by Lao Tzu<\/a> <\/em>is one of the foundational texts of Taoism<\/em><\/strong>, a school of philosophy, written between the 4th and 6th centuries. Older than any deity, the Tao<\/a> is the natural order of the universe. It\u2019s the guiding energy that lives within us and connects us to everything around us. Also known as the \u201cGreat Mother,\u201d it paradoxically creates nothing while offering infinite energy to all beings, nurturing and caring for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an omnipresent entity, the Tao is eternal and infinite. It was never born or created, and, therefore, it can never die or be destroyed. The Tao has no biases, being unconditionally available to all beings who want to live according to its teachings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because it’s beyond the comprehension of human beings, the workings of the Tao can\u2019t be described or understood, only experienced.<\/strong> The more that you try to understand the workings of the Tao, the less you\u2019ll be able to engage with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A master of Taoist practices<\/a> only concerns themselves with the Tao.<\/strong> By focusing solely on the objective truths of the universe, they avoid falling victim to their own prejudices. Conversely, the average person often engages with more shallow levels of faith, using shows of faith to bolster their own biased view of the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A master is powerful because they don\u2019t seek power. <\/strong>By not searching for more <\/em>power, they can use the strength that the universe has given them effectively. Conversely, the average person is never powerful because they\u2019re always seeking power, blinding them to the strength the universe has already given them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A master never leaves anything incomplete because they never do anything without the universe\u2019s prompting. <\/strong>In being selective with their actions in this way, they never take on more than they can accomplish. Conversely, the average person frequently leaves things incomplete because they take on more than they can accomplish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Art of Happiness<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>the Dalai Lama and psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler outline the Dalai Lama and Buddhism<\/em><\/strong>\u2019s beliefs on how to achieve<\/a> greater happiness in life\u2014by training<\/em> yourself to be happier. Often thought of as a religion, some regard Buddhism as a philosophy, as it\u2019s non-theistic. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet and a Bodhisattva\u2014someone who\u2019s achieved enlightenment and lives to help others do the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Dalai Lama believes that your purpose as a human is to seek happiness<\/a><\/strong>. He defines happiness as not merely an emotional state, but a mental and intellectual one. It\u2019s about being content with your life on all levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cutler adds that some Westerners see striving for personal happiness as a selfish act. But the Dalai Lama argues the opposite is the case: Unhappy people are more self-absorbed than happy people, who are compassionate, helpful, and generous. Therefore, seeking happiness<\/a> brings more good into the world<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Dalai Lama believes that we\u2019re naturally inclined<\/em> to be happy, he doesn\u2019t believe that humans naturally know<\/em> how<\/em> to be happy. However, he says, you can realize happiness through training<\/strong>. There are four types of happiness training that Buddhism encourages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marxism<\/em><\/strong> is a school of philosophy based on Karl Marx\u2019s critiques of capitalism<\/a> and his argument that a communist system would be a better solution than a capitalist one. Although focused primarily on Communism, The Communist Manifesto<\/em><\/a> by Marx and Frederick Engels lays the groundwork for Marxist beliefs about social and economic classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Nihilism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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3. Confucianism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Stoicism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Taoism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Buddhism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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7. Marxism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n