Chapter 113
When Philosophy Gets Too Clever
1.You wish me to write to you my opinion concerning this question, which has been mooted by our school—whether justice, courage, foresight, and the other virtues, are living things.[1] By such niceties as this, my beloved Lucilius, we have made people think that we sharpen our wits on useless objects, and waste our leisure time in discussions that will be unprofitable. I shall, however, do as you ask, and shall set forth the subject as viewed by our school. For myself, I confess to another belief: I hold that there are certain things which befit a wearer of white…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
The Analysis Trap Audit
Think of one area of your life where you've been stuck in analysis mode - endlessly discussing, researching, or debating without taking action. Write down what you've been analysing, how long you've been stuck there, and what one simple action you could take this week instead of more thinking.
Consider:
- •Notice if you feel resistance to choosing just one simple action
- •Ask yourself: 'Will more analysis actually help me move forward?'
- •Consider whether the complexity serves as protection from the vulnerability of trying and possibly failing
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you spent months thinking about a change you wanted to make, then finally took action and discovered the doing was easier than the thinking. What did that teach you about your own patterns?
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