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This year my goal is to do some self discovery. To understand my values, purpose, goals, and desires better. I think philosophy can help me with this. Where should I start? What reading would you recommend?

Derek Cutting
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  • If youre not too young (at least 35) I'd recommend Schopenhauer who bluntly and rather brutally sets the record straight on the human condition. If younger, Socrates who is rightly described as the source of all philosophy — Whitehead: All western philosophy is just footnotes to Plato. Nearer the other end of history is Nietzsche — he lived a hundred years ago but in many ways more than most others he seems a hundred years into the future – Rushi Jan 18 '24 at 17:24
  • Also to be mentioned: classic scriptural texts eg the Bible, the Buddha sutras,Upanishads etc have more real philosophy than is given credit by academic philosophers. Especially given you are focussed on values, purpose, goals, and desires – Rushi Jan 18 '24 at 17:32
  • @Rushi Looking at Schopenhauer's biography, I don't think it's useful to read him for "self-discovery". ;) And isn't his whole theory of the Will operating under the assumption that "self-discovery" in the Socratic sense is ultimately unintlelligible? Not an expert on Schopenhauer, just asking. –  Jan 18 '24 at 17:54
  • @abcga Well if the honest and brave road to self discovery shows that the "Will" really overrides intellect and everything else, it seems to me the Socratic thing to do would be to follow where it leads however unpleasant that thought may be. But as I warned Schopenhauer is dangerously pessimistic and should not be touched by people subject to depression. Perhaps I should add to my original suggestions: the Stoics, particularly Marcus Aurelius similar to Schopenhauer but without the pessimism – Rushi Jan 18 '24 at 18:00
  • @Rushi Sure, but I was referencing another aspect of Schopenhauer's thought, which is also present in the later Schelling, i.e. the ultimate ineffability of the "ground" of thought and reality, radical finitude of the human being etc. etc. Schopenhauer and Schelling sound sometimes almost religious in this aspect. In contrast, Hegel often mentions the Delphic maxim "Know thyself!" as he advances the claim of the ultimate intelligibility of reality. And both Schelling and Schopenhauer, unsurprisingly, criticize Hegel. –  Jan 18 '24 at 18:11
  • I dont know if you are asking me something @abcga. Schopenhauer was clearly and obviously religious: In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death. He said similar things about the Bhagavad Gita. And his whole philosophy is taken to be a Europeanized modernized Buddhism. He was just — like Nietzsche — against effete 19th century European Christianity – Rushi Jan 18 '24 at 18:22
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    @Rushi Yes, I was elaborating what I meant by "ultimate unintelligibility" of reality in my question. But I feel like it has been answered now - Schopenhauer's buddhism woulkd explain these "Schellingian" aspects of his thought. –  Jan 18 '24 at 18:27
  • Good heavens, Derek, you should certainly read any of my novels and "Bertrand Russell's Best", although reading the former might cause you to disagree with the title of the latter! – Marco Ocram Jan 18 '24 at 20:48
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    Perhaps, the true issue, is, "what books should I be reading on a journey to self destruction". – Joselin Jocklingson Jan 19 '24 at 02:48
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    I tell you this, because, for every choice you make whole reading something, there will be someone opposing that choice, and, eventually, if you start heading everyone, to avoid conflicts or attacks, you still eventually self destroy. – Joselin Jocklingson Jan 19 '24 at 02:51
  • This seems to be the grim view each peaceful leader must face. – Joselin Jocklingson Jan 19 '24 at 02:51
  • But, there is lots of space, for, this, to be wrong I am here to hear you. – Joselin Jocklingson Jan 19 '24 at 02:52
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    Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – user4894 Jan 19 '24 at 02:55
  • If you are desirous of self-discovery, you should stop all reading and avoid anything Philosophical at all costs. Go sit outside and do nothing for hours a day, and also use a valid meditation technique. Extra credit for staying in a hospital bed for more than a week with no TV or books or visitors. If you watch anything, restrict it to Lisa Cairns talks, 1 hour a day max. You could read "The Vision" by Tom Brown Jr, but might find it depressing at the end. "Be careful what you wish for", people 'discover' that they don't like existing, or that they never existed as such, if they are lucky. – Scott Rowe Feb 18 '24 at 13:30

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In the internet you find several philosophy reading lists, e.g., from Christ's college.

I have some personal ideas about a reading list. But this would be a rather subjective recommendation. And a shot in the dark, because I do not know your preferences, your specific aims and your presuppositions.

Hence my recommendation is to google in the internet the different reading lists from philosophy and to observe where they overlap. Start your reading with the text which arouses your curiosity. Then deepen your text understanding by studying secondary sources like wikipedia for an introduction and SEP for continuing.

Jo Wehler
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I would recommend you to read Buddhist Suttas. They provide exhaustive understanding on the nature of Self and can streamline your values , purpose, goals and desires. The Buddhist world view is totally against any kind of greed or aversion or delusions. Primary goal of Buddhism is to remove suffering.

SacrificialEquation
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These are my reccomendations:

  1. David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
  2. Immanuel Kant, An Answer to the Question: 'What is Enlightenment?'
  3. Immanuel Kant, What Does It Mean to Orient Oneself in Thinking?

This is a very non-exhaustive list, just some accesible texts that I've myself read. I don't usually read the more widely popular philosophers like Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, the Stoics etc., but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable in the topic will say something about them.