This book presents a history of spiritual exercises from Socrates to early Christianity, an account of their decline in modern philosophy, and a discussion of the different conceptions of philosophy that have accompanied the trajectory and fate of the theory and practice of spiritual exercises. Hadot's book demonstrates the extent to which philosophy has been, and still is, above all else a way of seeing and of being in the world.
Translator's Note. Introduction.
Part I: Method: .
1. Forms of Life and Forms of Discourse in Ancient Philosophy.
2. Philosophy, Exegesis and Creative Mistakes.
Part II: Spiritual Exercise: .
3. Spiritual Exercise.
4. Ancient Spirituality and 'Christian Philosophy.'.
Part III: Figures: .
5. Figure of Socrates.
6. Marcus Aurelius.
7. Reflections of the Idea of the 'Cultivation of the Self'.
Part IV: Themes:.
8. Only the Present is our Happiness.
9. The View From Above.
10. The Sage and the World.
11. Philosophy as a Way of Life.
Postscript.
Bibliography.
Index.
