Meaning and the good life

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Bioethics Civic life Cultural diversity Ethics Fairness and equality Human rights and justice Meaning and the good life Nature and the environment Neurodiversity Progress and the future Race and ethnicity Values and beliefs Virtues and vices Wisdom

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A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.

Thinkers and theories

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Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan

Black-and-white photo of three men smiling and holding a large inflatable globe in a small room with shelves.

Creativity

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A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived

Like the fertile soil of a well-kept garden, a life of splendid, utter uselessness yields abundance beyond our immediate aims

by Joseph M Keegin

A painting of a man sitting at a table with his head resting on his hand, looking at a skull placed on books. A curtain is in the background.

Death and dying

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How to not fear your death

You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude

by Sam Dresser

A sailboat on a calm lake at dusk with snow-capped mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.

Meaning and the good life

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A boatbuilder above the Arctic Circle works hard at his epicurean life

Directed by Vern Cummins & Jamie Gallant

Ancient marble relief sculpture of a young girl holding two birds, with intricate detailing of her hair and clothing.

Habits and routines

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Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines

Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing

by Joel Owen

A man sits on a vine-covered balcony surrounded by potted plants, absorbed in thought, against a backdrop of lush green foliage.

Thinkers and theories

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For Nietzsche, nihilism goes deeper than ‘life is pointless’

For Friedrich Nietzsche, nihilism is a terrible psychological problem – a coping mechanism with deadly consequences

by Kaitlyn Creasy

Abstract painting with concentric circles and colourful segments in red, blue, green, yellow and pink, creating a visually dynamic composition.

Work and vocation

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How to craft a harmonious life

Forget the ideal of work/life balance – your needs and interests are much richer than that, and your life can be too

by Jessica de Bloom & Merly Kosenkranius

Abstract orange background with two stick figures amidst geometric shapes and lines.

Progress and the future

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Stick figures meet existential angst in this acclaimed, darkly comedic short

Directed by Don Hertzfeldt

Hands sculpting a small, rough clay figure of a person’s head and torso against a blurred background.

The self

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When Nietzsche said ‘become who you are’, this is what he meant

Behind the philosopher’s cryptic phrase is an invocation to sculpt your ideal self out of the hard stone of your psyche

by Ryan A Bush

Person kneeling on barren land under a cloudy sky, facing away with arms crossed. Sparse vegetation visible in the background.

Spirituality and religion

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Religion gives life meaning. Can anything else take its place?

Religious faith promotes a sense of meaning in life – and it might take more than ‘social glue’ to duplicate the effect

by Michael M Prinzing

Painting of a man sitting on a rock thinking, by a dirt path in the countryside with a horse carriage in the background.

Meaning and the good life

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How to cope with an existential crisis

Has the world gone grey? Are you wondering what life is for? Kierkegaard’s philosophy could help you rediscover your zing

by Skye C Cleary

Man playing violin in stunning marble hallway with arched ceiling, elevators on both sides, plant in centre, reflections in glass.

Meaning and the good life

film

Art and altruism inhabit every moment for a polymath New York concierge

Directed by Lydia Cornett