583. Philosophy and Wisdom

Remember Why you are studying Philosophy. Philosophy is defined as the Love of  Wisdom. You are studying to be Wise. Make sure that every day you grow a little wiser. To do this is to ensure that your life is not wasted. A wise man will always be bigger than his problems. To a wise man, problems are simply situations that require his attention. Because of who you are as a man, by definition you are far greater than any situation. Keep learning and growing so that you will always be greater than any problem.


Do not set out to cause yourself problems; always try to circumvent them where you can. Problems are inevitable. There will always be problems. Learn to be bigger than the problems.


It can be very useful to re-frame (re-name) the word "Problem" as "Challenge" or "Situation Requiring My Attention" (SRMA) . This re-framing puts a distance between you and the event and gives you a better perspective on it. This also robs the word of its power to obstruct you. So long as you see something as a problem, then you have to wrestle with it. When you call it a challenge then you simply rise to meet and defeat it. A thing called a problem keeps you stuck, called a challenge, the same thing makes you take action. Seek the company of problem solvers and learn their techniques.

564. Philosophy and the Scientific Method

"It appears to me that those who, in proof of any assertion, rely simply on the weight of authority without adducing any argument in support of it act very absurdly. I, on the contrary, wish to be allowed freely to question and freely to answer you without any sort of adulation, as well becomes those who are in search of the Truth." - Vincenzio Gallilei, father of Gallileo Gallilei. The lesson here is to verify everything by experiment rather than simply accepting the conclusions of the so-called experts. In life, philosophical, material, scientific and financial you should follow the rule never to accept or reject blindly any proposition given but to attemtpt to put it into practice for yourself and see what the actual effects are.

543. Study, but What to Study ?

All of your life, study Life, Love, Philosophy, Politics, Martial Arts, and Business. Keep abreast of Technology. After that, you should study what you please.

244. Advice from Marcus Aurelius

Here are 10 things Marcus Aurelius advises :

1. Always be courteous and serene of temper.

2. Be manly without ostentation.

3. Be pious and generous. Avoid uncharitableness in thought word and action. Hold also a simplicity of life.

4. No expense should be spared for the sake of good masters (teachers).

5. Do not be partisan. Seek the bigger picture. Fear not hard work. Be sparing in your wants. Attend to your own needs. Mind your own business.Do not listen to gossip.

6. Do not be absorbed in trivial pursuits. Be sceptical of wizards and wonder workers with their tales of the supernatural.Eschew cock-fighting and other barbaric distractions. Do not resent outspokenness. Compose essays.

7. Learn Philosophy, Law and Wrestling. Remember that your character needs training and care daily.

8. Whenever someone falls out with you through ill temper and is willing to make peace again, be willing to meet him halfway.

9. Be accurate in your readings. Do not be content with a mere general idea of what is meant. Do not be too quickly convinced by a glib tongue.

10. You need to make decisions for yourself and do not depend on the hazzards of chance. Never for a moment, leave Reason out of sight.

208. The Study of Philosophy

Philosophy is defined as the love of Wisdom.

Let no-one be slow to seek Wisdom when he is young, nor weary in the search of it when he has grown old, for no age is too early or late for the benefits of Philosophy.

She (Wisdom) is more precious than rubies and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her.