William B. Irvine
8 key ideas, each explained in our own words.
A Guide to the Good Life
- IDEA 1
Everyone needs a philosophy of life
Irvine argues that most people lack a clear philosophy of life: an idea of what is worth pursuing and how to pursue it. Without one, he says, people risk wasting their lives chasing things that will not make them happy.
- IDEA 2
Imagine losing what you have
Irvine describes negative visualisation, imagining losing the things and people we value. This practice helps us appreciate them more and protects us from taking life for granted. Gratitude grows. Loss stings less.
- IDEA 3
Some things we partly control
Irvine adapts the Stoic dichotomy of control into a trichotomy: things we control fully, things we do not control at all and things we control partly. He suggests focusing effort where we have influence.
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