Thesis advisor: Stephen F. Brown / The study of Thomas Aquinas generally focuses on theological questions in his work, and ignores certain aspects of what might be called his "spiritual life." Though there are exceptions to this rule, there are numerous themes in the writings of Thomas Aquinas which have not been given their due. In light of this fact, this dissertation seeks to provide an extended treatment of two components of the work of Thomas Aquinas which receive little attention: the role of spiritual exercises in his writing, and the form of reflexivity--one's understanding of and relation to one's self--he recommends. As a way of approaching these issues, I draw from the work of two historical philosophers, Pierre Hadot and Michel Foucault, using the methodological questions they employ in their writings on the classical world. Both Hadot and Foucault argued that there was something different about the way philosophy was accomplished in the antique world, something which was lost as philosophy shifted in the modern period. Hadot's work focuses, in particular, on the use of spiritual exercises in the formation of the person--that is, how a person becomes the ideal form they ought to be. Foucault, on the other hand, focused on the alternative form of reflexivity as found in the work of classical philosophers, and used it for fruitful comparison and critique of the contemporary forms of reflexivity found in the modern world. Both of these thinkers, however, never included in their study the medieval period, or at least not in an extended and meaningful way. Their questions, however, are particularly relevant to the work of Thomas Aquinas, as he offers both an extended treatment of spiritual exercises, as well as a form of reflexivity similar in many ways to classical forms. As a way of highlighting these two topics in Thomas Aquinas, I first provide an overview of the work of Pierre Hadot and Michel Foucault as it relates to these topics. I then move onto a discussion of the current state of scholarship on "spirituality" in Thomas Aquinas, and suggest the ways in which this dissertation can improve on this current state. In the subsequent chapters, I begin a discussion of the concept of virtue as found in Thomas Aquinas, and its relation to both spiritual exercises and reflexivity, the description of which in Thomas forms the basis for the next two chapters. Finally, I turn to an in depth application of these methodological questions by turning to two different works of Thomas; first, I turn to his De perfectione spiritualis vitae, a short and rarely read work in which Thomas explains the practices which accompany the formation of a person in charity. Second, I turn to the Summa Theologiae and the cardinal virtues, drawing attention to the presence of spiritual exercises in a work typically treated as merely expositional. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

À partir de l’usage croisé des perspectives philosophiques de Michel Foucault, Pierre Hadot et Stanley Cavell, cette thèse vise à inaugurer un champ de recherche en éthique et en philosophie politique jusqu’à maintenant presque inexploré. Elle a trois objectifs principaux : (1) Explorer le rapport qui existe entre éthique et politique, ou plus précisément entre philosophie morale et philosophie politique, à travers la redéfinition de leurs objets, de leurs méthodes et de leurs buts respectifs par le biais d’un usage spécifique de la pensée de Michel Foucault et de Ludwig Wittgenstein. Élaborer par conséquent une « philosophie analytique de la politique » qui se propose de rendre visible l’existence et le fonctionnement concret du pouvoir dans ses ramifications ordinaires et son impact assujettissant-subjectivant sur la vie quotidienne des individus. (2) Mettre en lumière la valeur des techniques de soi et des exercices spirituels, ou mieux de ce que l’on suggère d’appeler « techniques de l’ordinaire », grâce à la comparaison, mais aussi à la mise « en tension », des travaux du dernier Michel Foucault, de Pierre Hadot et de Stanley Cavell (notamment ceux qui abordent le « perfectionnisme moral »), ainsi que, entre autres, de Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Stuart Mill, Henry David Thoreau, Iris Murdoch et Cora Diamond. (3) Poser le problème du statut de la vérité à l’intérieur d’une telle perspective éthico-politique, en défendant la nécessité d’élaborer une conception non-épistémologique de la vérité et en s’interrogeant sur le rôle que cette conception joue par rapport aux techniques de l’ordinaire. / Starting from a crossed use of Michel Foucault, Pierre Hadot and Stanley Cavell’s philosophical perspectives, this dissertation aims to open a new field of research in ethics and political philosophy. It has three main objectives: (1) Exploring the relationship between ethics and politics, or more precisely between moral and political philosophy, through a redefinition of their objects, methods and goals via a specific use of Michel Foucault and Ludwig Wittgenstein’s thought. Developing, as a consequence, an “analytic philosophy of politics” aiming to make visible the existence and concrete functioning of power in its ordinary ramifications and its effects of subjection-subjectivation on the everyday life of the individuals. (2) Highlighting the value of the techniques of the self and the spiritual exercises, or better of what can be called the “techniques of the ordinary”, thanks to the comparison, but also the confrontation, between the works of Michel Foucault, Pierre Hadot and Stanley Cavell (especially his writings on “moral perfectionism”), as well as, among others, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Stuart Mill, Henry David Thoreau, Iris Murdoch and Cora Diamond. (3) Raising the problem of the meaning of the notion of truth within such an ethico-political context, defending the necessity to elaborate a non-epistemological conception of truth and exploring its role in relation to the techniques of the ordinary.

Ce mémoire cherche à mieux comprendre le phénomène de la conversion philosophique dans l'Antiquité, plus particulièrement dans le stoïcisme impérial (Sénèque, Épictète, Marc Aurèle). Après une analyse conceptuelle de la conversion qui s'appuie sur des sources contemporaines, ce mémoire fait l'étude des interprétations de la conversion stoïcienne par Pierre Hadot et Michel Foucault. Cette étude se conclut sur le constat de problèmes importants dans ces deux interprétations. Ce mémoire poursuit avec une analyse lexicologique des termes grec (epistrophè) et latin (conversio) pouvant désigner la conversion dans le corpus stoïcien. Cette analyse se termine sur un autre constat d'échec, rejetant ces termes comme des traductions du concept de conversion. Le dernier chapitre de ce mémoire montre qu'en inscrivant le stoïcisme et Épictète en particulier dans la tradition protreptique socratique on peut mieux comprendre la conversion stoïcienne.

Thesis advisor: Brian D. Robinette / This project attempts to respond to Charles Taylor's invitation, made in A Secular Age, for "new and unprecedented itineraries" capable of guiding seekers toward an encounter with God. Today, many Westerners find belief in God difficult if not impossible. This essay begins with an overview of Taylor's secularization narrative and explores the causes and pressures that have made belief in the Transcendent problematic. To respond to Taylor's summons for new itineraries, I turn in Chapters 2-4 to the work of philosopher William Desmond. After introducing readers to Desmond and locating him on a landscape dominated by phenomenologists, I introduce Desmond's metaphysical philosophy and argue that this his thought can be approached as a form of spiritual exercise capable of reawakening a sense of the Transcendent. In Chapters 3 and 4 I engage the work of Pierre Hadot to show how Desmond's philosophy can work to transform the way one perceives the world. Read within this framework, I believe Desmond's metaxological metaphysics provides a series of spiritual exercises needed in an increasingly secular age. Read in this light, metaxology becomes less a philosophy about which one must be informed than a philosophy capable of forming readers to perceive reality anew. In Chapter 5, I draw out some of the theological implications for this interpretation of Desmond's work. In the conclusion, I survey the project and indicate what I consider to be the theological achievement of Desmond's project and potential openings for future engagement with his work. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Submitted by JÚLIO HEBER SILVA (julioheber@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-12-13T18:07:41Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Simone de Magalhães Vieira Barcelos - 2017.pdf: 2379413 bytes, checksum: 0d1d6e71309b33cdae85ca9d6f827c9a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-12-14T10:18:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Simone de Magalhães Vieira Barcelos - 2017.pdf: 2379413 bytes, checksum: 0d1d6e71309b33cdae85ca9d6f827c9a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-14T10:18:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Simone de Magalhães Vieira Barcelos - 2017.pdf: 2379413 bytes, checksum: 0d1d6e71309b33cdae85ca9d6f827c9a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-30 / Este estudo insere-se na Linha de Pesquisa Fundamentos da Educação e Processos Educativos do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação, da Universidade Federal de Goiás. Por reconhecer que os homens são contingentes, imperfeitos e mutáveis, a Antiguidade clássica criou um movimento espiritual de busca da excelência humana, de confirmação da humanidade do homem. Essa tese se propõe a investigar a dimensão formativa da tradição da Antiguidade clássica, à luz da contribuição de obras de alguns autores e de estudiosos dessa cultura e, ao fazê-lo, pensar a relação entre a filosofia e a formação, os estudos de Pierre Hadot sobre a filosofia antiga como maneira de viver e exercício espiritual. Esses trabalhos, que abriram novos horizontes e caminhos de investigação, sem dúvida pressupõem, ampliam e aprofundam determinados conceitos e compreensão da existência humana, da filosofia, da educação e da formação como paideía. Compreender a origem, o desenvolvimento e a realização da filosofia na Antiguidade como forma de pensar, que se dedica à busca da verdade das coisas humanas e divinas, à compreensão da natureza do homem, de seu destino e finalidade, constitui a centralidade de nossos esforços. A filosofia e a formação são fenômenos distintos, mas indissociáveis no movimento de sua realização. Ao mostrar que a filosofia é maneira de viver, Pierre Hadot estuda os exercícios espirituais como um modo de realização da formação do homem, de sua transformação interior com vistas na excelência moral. Em sua esteira reconhecemos as figuras do sábio, de Sócrates e do imperador romano Marco Aurélio como fundamentais no movimento de elevação espiritual e de atenção a si mesmo. Estudamos o sentido e a importância dos exercícios espirituais na mobilização das capacidades que, inerentes à natureza da alma, fazem com que o homem, no sentido de ánthropos, em grego, e homo, em latim, possa alcançar a consciência de si e dedicar-se à confirmação de sua humanidade. Procuramos mostrar que o pensamento dos gregos e latinos da Antiguidade se constitui num longo e rigoroso trabalho intelectual, autêntico exercício espiritual, expressivo de uma intenção educativa que se revela no agir, no movimento de tornar-se humano, de fazer-se homem. / Este estudo insere-se na Linha de Pesquisa Fundamentos da Educação e Processos Educativos do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação, da Universidade Federal de Goiás. Por reconhecer que os homens são contingentes, imperfeitos e mutáveis, a Antiguidade clássica criou um movimento espiritual de busca da excelência humana, de confirmação da humanidade do homem. Essa tese se propõe a investigar a dimensão formativa da tradição da Antiguidade clássica, à luz da contribuição de obras de alguns autores e de estudiosos dessa cultura e, ao fazê-lo, pensar a relação entre a filosofia e a formação, os estudos de Pierre Hadot sobre a filosofia antiga como maneira de viver e exercício espiritual. Esses trabalhos, que abriram novos horizontes e caminhos de investigação, sem dúvida pressupõem, ampliam e aprofundam determinados conceitos e compreensão da existência humana, da filosofia, da educação e da formação como paideía. Compreender a origem, o desenvolvimento e a realização da filosofia na Antiguidade como forma de pensar, que se dedica à busca da verdade das coisas humanas e divinas, à compreensão da natureza do homem, de seu destino e finalidade, constitui a centralidade de nossos esforços. A filosofia e a formação são fenômenos distintos, mas indissociáveis no movimento de sua realização. Ao mostrar que a filosofia é maneira de viver, Pierre Hadot estuda os exercícios espirituais como um modo de realização da formação do homem, de sua transformação interior com vistas na excelência moral. Em sua esteira reconhecemos as figuras do sábio, de Sócrates e do imperador romano Marco Aurélio como fundamentais no movimento de elevação espiritual e de atenção a si mesmo. Estudamos o sentido e a importância dos exercícios espirituais na mobilização das capacidades que, inerentes à natureza da alma, fazem com que o homem, no sentido de ánthropos, em grego, e homo, em latim, possa alcançar a consciência de si e dedicar-se à confirmação de sua humanidade. Procuramos mostrar que o pensamento dos gregos e latinos da Antiguidade se constitui num longo e rigoroso trabalho intelectual, autêntico exercício espiritual, expressivo de uma intenção educativa que se revela no agir, no movimento de tornar-se humano, de fazer-se homem.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2017-06-05T14:04:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliana Conceição Moreira_.pdf: 787652 bytes, checksum: 21cedfedf4f710a4389370439cedb880 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-05T14:04:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliana Conceição Moreira_.pdf: 787652 bytes, checksum: 21cedfedf4f710a4389370439cedb880 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-30 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares / O objetivo desta dissertação consiste em apresentar a Filosofia como exercício para viver bem no diálogo Fédon de Platão, portanto, apresentamos a figura de Sócrates. Nossa proposta de [re] leitura da obra possibilita-nos identificar a forma como deve viver o filósofo, sobretudo pela postura convincente socrática - ao contrário do que sugere a leitura clássica de “provar” a imortalidade da alma. Nesta perspectiva, a filosofia consiste em postura, em cuidado consigo mesmo e um modo de viver, onde discurso e ação estão em consonância. No Fédon, Sócrates afirma que a filosofia consiste em um exercício para a morte, considerando esta afirmação, a nossa investigação propõe que boa vida e exercício para a morte podem significar o mesmo no diálogo, ou seja: a tarefa da filosofia. Sendo assim, apresentamos no primeiro capítulo o Fédon, sua temática e seus aspectos essenciais, evidenciando a postura frente à morte de Sócrates e a forma como viveu. No segundo capítulo justificamos as contribuições de Pierre Hadot, cuja tese aproxima-se de nossa proposta, a filosofia grega de acordo com ele é considerada além de um discurso teórico, um modo de viver, possibilitando o sujeito [re] criar e modificar sua forma de agir. No terceiro e último capítulo, abordamos a interpretação de Hans Georg Gadamer exclusivamente sobre o diálogo, a [re] leitura do filósofo aponta alguns elementos importantes, tal como o contexto histórico, a relevância do mito e análise sobre os argumentos acerca da alma. Por fim, nossa hipótese procura justificar através destes autore a Filosofia como um exercício para viver bem, onde o sujeito, pautado pela sua consciência de finitude, procura tornar-se melhor, aperfeiçoando sua conduta e postura em vida. / The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce Philosophy as an exercise to live well in Plato's Phaedo dialogue, so we present the figure of Socrates. Our proposal for a re-reading of the work enables us to identify how the philosopher should live, especially in the Socratic conviction - contrary to the classic reading of "proving" the immortality of the soul. In this perspective, philosophy consists of posture, self-care and a way of living, where discus and action are in harmony. In the Phaedo, Socrates affirms that philosophy consists in an exercise for death, considering this affirmation, our investigation proposes that good life and exercise for death can mean the same in the dialogue, that is: the task of philosophy. Thus, we present in the first chapterthe Phaedo, its theme and its essential aspects, showing the attitude towards the death of Socrates and the way he lived. In the second chapter we justify the contributions of Pierre Hadot, whose thesis is close to our proposal, the Greek philosophy according to it is considered beyond a theoretical discourse, a way of living, enabling the subject [re] to create and modify its form to act. In the third and last chapter, we address Hans Georg Gadamer's interpretation exclusively on the dialect, the philosopher's [re] reading points out some important elements, such as the historical context, the relevance of the myth and analysis on the arguments about the soul. Finally, our hypothesis seeks to justify through these authors that Philosophy as and exercise to live well, where the subject, ruled by his consistency of finitude, seeks to become better, perfecting his conduct and posture in life.

No description available.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, 2010 / Bibliografia: f. 112-118 / Entre as principais contribuições do estoicismo imperial para a produção filosófica posterior está a noção de ascese, nome dado aos mais variados tipos de exercícios físicos e práticas intelectuais como as abstinências, as práticas de resistência à dor e / Parmi les principales contributions du stoïcisme impérial pour la production philosophique postérieur se trouve la notion philosophique de l'ascèse, nom donné à plusieurs types d'exercices physiques et pratiques intellectuelles comme les abstinences, les

There are three central orientations, or modes, forming a “tripod” as it were, that grounds philosophy as a cultural activity. The two commonly known modes are, first philosophical geniuses who make models of reality in their “solitary burrows” (such as a Kant and Peirce); and, second, philosophical wanderers who have an embodied praxis, performing wisdom wherever they travel (such as Diogenes of Sinope and Takuan Soho). There is however another primary and largely neglected mode of philosophy which is mutually reinforced ethical praxis rooting in a shared cosmopolitan place. In this dissertation, I characterize and defend the neglected mode of philosophy, that I call “philosophical community,” by describing the constellation of metaethical principles — general, axiological, cultural, and dialectical — that articulate and promote its values. My philosophical methodology is radically empirical philosophy of culture. The principles will be drawn from an interpretation of the whole of philosophical communal experience, considered diachronically, or globally and historically. These principles are then organized as a synchronic (present focused) coordinate whole. By “principle,” at the very least, I mean a hypothetical ground presupposed in successful inquiry. I take “community” in the broad, Roycean spirit of those relationships that build an increasing determinacy of meaning in the universe, (i.e. a community of interpretation). A philosophical community, then, is not reducible to a collection of people but can be thought of as made of a special kind of community of interpretation, as it shares some sort of place. Taken together, this constellation of principles can help us refine for ourselves a vision of the best of philosophical community life, which should also help us frame a new “brocard” for this mode of philosophy in the twenty-first century.

This essay compares three contemporary interpretations of Stoic philosophy with an academic account of Stoicism provided by Pierre Hadot. The comparison is made by performing a discourse analytical reading of three books about contemporary Stoicism, focusing on the presentation of Stoicism from two perspectives: Stoicism as a philosophy of life, and the metaphysical constituents of Stoic practices and principles. This is then compared with Pierre Hadot’s theory, Philosophy as a Way of Life, and his account of Stoic practices and principles underlying metaphysical constituents. This study is situated within an area of research that links philosophy and the study of religion. The study discovered that the contemporary interpretations of Stoicism differ in their relationship to Pierre Hadot's academic account of Stoicism. One book does not relate to Hadot's account of Stoic metaphysics at all, nor to his theory Philosophy as a Way of life, due to a lack of general discussion of Stoic theory. The other two books relate to Hadot’s academic account, but to varying degrees. This study's structure includes a summary of the current field of research, followed by a theoretical discussion of Stoic philosophy, metaphysics, and Pierre Hadot's theory. Thereafter follows a description of the method used in the study and the following analysis demonstrates how the interpretation of the texts was conducted. The study concludes with the results of the analysis and a discussion of the findings' implications for this area of research.