Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way

Setiya (philosophy, MIT; Midlife: A Philosophical Guide) makes the case that while life has challenging moments, philosophical ideas can help overcome these setbacks. By understanding pain, loss, grief, failure, and more, people can see their purpose, which will help them cope. Each chapter is dedicated to a different ailment of life, such as pain, loneliness, and grief. The author emphasizes that there is no cure or easy way out; only facing the challenges and understanding them will help one through. Setiya uses many schools of thought from the past and present, personal experiences, experts, and movie and TV show examples, all to demonstrate how philosophy can help people. A thorough notes section is included. This is not a self-help book where one walks away with a step-by-step plan. The purpose of this book is to show how philosophy can help with tough situations, and it isn’t necessary to be knowledgeable about different philosophies.