Pierre Hadot, a reader of classical antiquity: the contemporary nature of the philosophical life

Abstract

The following text is taken from the Catalan Philosophy Society’s inaugural address of 2009-2010, which was dedicated to the writings of philosopher and scholar Pierre Hadot and delivered to the Society’s members at the Institute of Catalan Studies on Wednesday 25 November 2009. The text, which includes number of structural changes as well as fragments from Dr. Hadot’s own writings, focuses on the particular identity of the Hadot reader: a reader who would be drawn to Hadot’s understanding of ancient philosophy as a way of living and of the philosophical life as a series of spiritual exercises, which informed Hadot’s choice of readings and is reflected in his studies of philosophy from classical antiquity to the present day.

Key words: Pierre Hadot (1922-2010), Classical Antiquity, Philosophy.