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Clarke, LD 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5108-8645,
2024.
Troubling analogies: Pierre Hadot and the reconceptualization of philosophy.
PhD, Nottingham Trent University.
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Abstract
The principal aim of the thesis is to redefine what the discipline of philosophy is. The thesis argues that with the advancement of globalisation, philosophy as it is currently practiced is losing legitimacy and relevance. In many parts of the so-called ‘Western world’, philosophy is not applicable to many peoples’ lives and consists almost exclusively of the study of the ideas of Europeans and those of European descent, which, whilst more than worthy of the high regard in which they are held, negates the philosophical achievements of the non-West. Due to this, a reconceptualization of philosophy is required, and the framework within which to update the discipline can be found in the work of Pierre Hadot (1922 – 2010).
Hadot rediscovered that ancient philosophy was practiced as a way of life that encompassed the whole person, not just studied as an intellectual discipline. The goal of ancient philosophical thought was to reach a state of inner mental unperturbedness known as ataraxia, through physio-intellectual exercises that Hadot termed ‘spiritual exercises.’ Through a comparison of the Hellenistic Schools (principally Stoicism) and Buddhism, it is argued that this set of ideas brought to light by Hadot, termed the ‘Hadot Paradigm’ can be found in both the West and East in near identical forms.
The Hadot Paradigm can, with some elaboration of its own ideas, specifically regarding the place of poetry and the poetic, thus act as a suitable foundation upon which a bridge between Asian and Western philosophy can be constructed and sustained, acting as a ‘paradigm shift’ for philosophy. The contribution of this thesis to the discipline is a valid path towards a modernised, inclusive, and above all enriched formulation of philosophy that will be able to continue addressing the problems of the human condition in a globalised, interconnected world and maintain the title it has held for millennia of ‘Queen of the Sciences’.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Clarke, L.D. |
| Contributors: | Name Role NTU ID ORCID |
| Date: | August 2024 |
| Rights: | The copyright in this work is held by the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed to the author. |
| Divisions: | Schools > School of Arts and Humanities |
| Record created by: | Melissa Cornwell |
| Date Added: | 30 Jun 2025 10:30 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jun 2025 10:30 |
| URI: | https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53850 |
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