Philosophers Wanted, Dead Or Alive

A dead philosopher is better than no philosopher, especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic when the desperate clutch at any metaphysical straw they can to keep themselves afloat in a sea of loneliness, despair and frustration. But then, a physically dead philosopher is not really ‘dead,’ for her thoughts and teachings live on, long after.

Therefore, we have the privilege of engaging with philosophers and poets like Akka Mahadevi, Lalleshwari, Anandmayi Ma, Avvaiyar, Queen Chudala, Ubhaya Bharati, Andal and more enlightened women, whose legacy of wisdom is so compelling, absorbing and inspirational, that one does not miss their physical presence.

Yes, we are blessed with as many, if not more, male philosophers whose works tend to get quoted oftener, as they are more visible and exalted. Socrates is the hot favourite among western philosophers and writers, who lean heavily on metaphysical wisdom spouted by patriarchal figures. Which is why we are familiar with Pythagoras but not his guru, Priestess Themistoclea of Delphi, who taught him ethics, geometry and numerals; nor Pythagoras’s wife Theano, who is credited with formulating the Theorems of the Golden Mean and of the Harmony of Numbers.

Socrates is said to have sought the company of Aspasia, renowned for her intellectual debates and discourses. His own teacher was Diotima, who, Plato claimed, deferred the coming of the plague to Athens by a decade by issuing instructions to Athenians that were followed to great benefit.

Why are ancient philosophers who are long dead, coming into vogue? For one, the frequent lockdowns, isolation and liberation from long commutes and outdoor distractions have given us space to pause and reflect. And to aid this, we reach for tried and tested wisdom teachings, now available as translations, at the flick of a button.

So we have writers and readers debating the relevance of Socrates (not Diotima), especially with the release of a new book by Eric Weiner: ‘The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons From Dead Philosophers’. Says Weiner: “If you believe what Socrates said, that all philosophy begins with wonder, what are you doing with your life? It shakes us out of our routine.” You start questioning your assumptions, and may begin to echo what Socrates said,  “At least I know what I don't know!”

Weiner says, “Here comes this virus that no one has ever seen before. We have to acknowledge we don't know; even the medical profession does not know. We do know that wearing masks will reduce spread of it. Yet there are people who do not wear it.”

Stoic philosopher Seneca spoke of premeditation of adversity – imagining the worst that could happen, and get motivated to be prepared for future crisis. Weiner says that the Stoics thought the best way to deal with inchoate anxiety is to articulate it. Think of all the terrible things that could happen in your life. Then you find that firstly, things are really not so bad, and secondly, we have no control over outside events; we can only control our reaction to them.

With so much information available, we need wisdom desperately, ancient and modern. We may know more than the ancients did, but we are neither wiser nor happier. For knowledge and wisdom are two different things. And thanks to the pandemic, we are beginning to know the difference.