Arquivo de philosophy | Page 108 of 116

The Intellectual Life, by A. D. Sertillanges

The Intellectual Life, by Antonin-Dalmace Sertillanges is, above all, a practical book: a manual intended for all those who seek to structure a life that exceeds everyday banality. I say for my part: when, by my twenties, I came across this work, I found precisely what I needed: the motivation and the means to architect a plan of long-term studies, recognizing the importance of habits, the selection of readings, the solitude, in short: the organization of life to intellectual progress. And I remember the pleasure in breathing those beautiful pages of Sertillanges, gifted with contagious serenity, justifying, elevating and ennonoking intellectual work. No doubt it’s book to close inspired, grateful and motivated.

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Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness can only be the purpose of life in futile natures. First, because of its impossibility; second, for its smallness.What harm does it do to accept life in full? It is a vigorous attitude to greet the bad times, and more: to value them as formers of meaning.

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Human Corruption

According to Pascal, man is corrupted to such an extent that even knowledge is not immune from forgery. If we take such a statement seriously, it will be necessary that we adopt a humble stance towards everything: we will have to doubt each of our words and be extremely cautious about anything that appears to us as “conviction”. We will treat ourselves with a certain contempt, and self-esteem will be an impossible word. We will be likely to avoid contact and our independence, if it manifests itself, will do so in a measured manner. In short, we will be exactly the opposite of the men of this century.

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Convictions

Convictions never cease to amaze me. I mean: I have been studying, studying and studying for a long time, and I still cannot formulate a single certainty. In all that I think I always find exceptions… Nothing, I have never found anything absolute and irrefutable, even though I look like an obsessive sicked. Then come to me, on all sides, resolutions on life, convinced answers to the most complicated questions, which most escape any kind of reason, irrefutable definitions about what goes beyond all limits… all this wrapped in amazing simplicity. I cannot help but notice that every conviction statement carries a presumption that is unbearable to me. That is why I definitely do not identify with anyone who thinks have “answers” of any kind. To me, reflection only proves the impossibility of obtaining them definitively. I do not disregard, perhaps, my own lack of capacity… But I find the phenomena more interesting if not summarized in half a dozen sentences.

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