"You don't need a prescription
for this mind-opening, possibly life-altering book ... The
thinking person's guide to understanding yourself."
-- Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Plato, Not Prozac!
looks to become the bible of the philosophical counseling
movement."
-- Philadelphia Inquirer
Magazine
"The ancient thinkers often characterized
philosophy as 'medicine for the soul.' Marinoff provides
a generous dose throughout these lively pages. I highly
recommend it!"
-- Tom Morris, Ph.D., author
of If Aristotle Ran General Motors
There
was a time when philosophy meant something to ordinary people
and philosophers' ideas were put to good use. Socrates spent
his days debating vital issues in the marketplace, and Lao
Tzu applied his own advice on following btle path sonal
happiness and social harmony. Now, as a new
millennium dawns, a unique movement called Philosophical
Counseling has emerged to return philosophy to its classical
roots by combining wisdom and practice to help people solve
their most common everyday problems. Call it therapy for
the sane. As the leading proponent of this field, philosopher
Lou Marinoff, Ph.D., shows us that the road to a successful,
fulfilling life begin Plato,
Not Prozac!
When people come to see
Dr. Marinoff they do not get endless discussions about their
childhoods, quick prescriptions for antidepressants, or
tedious analyses of their behavior patterns. Instead they
learn how the ideas of the world's greatest thinkers can
shed light on the way they live, from Kierkegaard's thoughts
on coping with death and Kant's theory of obligation to
the I Ching's guidelines on adapting to change and Aristotle's
advice to pursue reason and moderation. Dr. Marinoff brings
philosophy out of the ivory tower and directly into our
lives and the dilemmas we all face. including handling love
relationships. living ethically, dealing with career changes,
being a good parent, coping meaning and purpose.
Plato, Not Prozac!
explains how insights from diverse wisdom traditions can
be used to help you help yourself to a better life. The
issue is not just how you live, but how well you live. With
the right philosophy at the right time, you can enhance
or regain that wellness. The book is filled with case studies
drawn from the experiences of leading philosophical counselors
that demonstrate the effectiveness of philosophy in helping
people feel better, think better, and live better. Dr. Marinoff's
signature five-step PEACE process shows you how to: identify
your problem (P), express your emotions constructively (E).
analyze your options (A), contemplate a philosophy that
helps you choose and live with your best option (nal equilibrium
(E).
A wonderful resource
tool, Plato, Not Prozac!
also offers an extensive list of philosophical practitioners
and organizations as well as a detailed hit parade featuring
sixty of the more important and influential philosophers.
Dr. Marinoff also gives you a glimpse of the rapid growth
of this movement in describing philosophers' cafés.
the coporate philosopher, and other ways in which philosophy--the
world's second-oldest profession--is making a global comeback
and influencing people everywhere. Intelligent, accessible,
and utterly persuasive, Plato, Not Prozac! is a groundbreaking
alternative to traditional therapies and an indispensable
guide to living a healthy, rewarding life. It's available
over the counter; no prescription necessary.
"Everyone has a
philosophy of life, but few of us have the privilege or
leisure to sit around and puzzle out the fine points.We
tend to make it up as we go along. Experience is a great
teacher, but we also need to reason about our experiences.
We need to think critically, looking for patterns and putting
everything together into the big picture to make our way
through life. Understanding our own philosophy can help
prevent, resolve, or manage many problems. Our philosophies
can also underlie the problems we experience, so we must
evaluate the ideas we hold to craft an outlook that works
for us, not against us. You can change what you believe
in order to work out a problem, and this book will show
you how."
-- from Plato,
Not Prozac!
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