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  • just finished "the schopenhauer cure" by Irvin D. Yalom

    At one time or another, all of us have wondered what we'd do in the face of death. Suddenly confronted with his own mortality after a routine check-up, distinguished psychotherapist Julius Hertzfeld is forced to reexamine his life and work. He feels compelled to contact his patients of long ago. Has he really made an enduring difference in their lives? And what about the patients he failed to help? What has happened to them? Now that he was wiser and riper, can he rescue them yet?

    Reaching beyond the safety of his thriving San Francisco practice, Julius feels compelled to seek out Philip Slate, whom he treated for sex addiction some twenty-three years earlier. At that time, Philip's only means of connecting to humans was through brief sexual interludes with countless women, and Julius's therapy did not change that. He meets with Philip who claims to have cured himself-by reading the pessimistic and misanthropic philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

    Much to Julius's surprise, Philip has become a philosophical counselor and requests that Julius provide him with the supervisory hours he needs to obtain a license to practice. In return, Philip offers to tutor Julius in the work of Schopenhauer. Julius hesitates. How can Philip possibly become a therapist? He is still the same arrogant, uncaring, self-absorbed person he had always been. In fact, in every way he resembles his mentor, Schopenhauer. But eventually they strike a Faustian bargain: Julius agrees to supervise Philip, provided that Philip first join his therapy group. Julius is hoping that six months with the group will address Philip's misanthropy and that by being part of a circle of fellow patients he will develop the relationship skills necessary to become a therapist.

    Philip enters the group, but he is more interested in educating the members in Schopenhauer's philosophy-which he claims is all the therapy anyone should need-than he is in their (or his) individual problems. Soon Julius and Philip, using very different therapy approaches, are competing for the hearts and minds of the group members. Is this going to be Julius's swan song-a splintered group and years of good work down the drain? Or will all the members, including Philip, find a way to rise to the occasion that brings with it the potential for extraordinary change.

    This novel knits together fact and fiction and contains an accurate portrayal of group therapy in action as well as a presentation of the life and influence of Arthur Schopenhauer, Philip's personal guru and professional inspiration.
    sigpicaction speaks louder than words

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    • Originally posted by snc128 View Post
      just finished "the schopenhauer cure" by Irvin D. Yalom

      At one time or another, all of us have wondered what we'd do in the face of death. Suddenly confronted with his own mortality after a routine check-up, distinguished psychotherapist Julius Hertzfeld is forced to reexamine his life and work. He feels compelled to contact his patients of long ago. Has he really made an enduring difference in their lives? And what about the patients he failed to help? What has happened to them? Now that he was wiser and riper, can he rescue them yet?

      Reaching beyond the safety of his thriving San Francisco practice, Julius feels compelled to seek out Philip Slate, whom he treated for sex addiction some twenty-three years earlier. At that time, Philip's only means of connecting to humans was through brief sexual interludes with countless women, and Julius's therapy did not change that. He meets with Philip who claims to have cured himself-by reading the pessimistic and misanthropic philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

      Much to Julius's surprise, Philip has become a philosophical counselor and requests that Julius provide him with the supervisory hours he needs to obtain a license to practice. In return, Philip offers to tutor Julius in the work of Schopenhauer. Julius hesitates. How can Philip possibly become a therapist? He is still the same arrogant, uncaring, self-absorbed person he had always been. In fact, in every way he resembles his mentor, Schopenhauer. But eventually they strike a Faustian bargain: Julius agrees to supervise Philip, provided that Philip first join his therapy group. Julius is hoping that six months with the group will address Philip's misanthropy and that by being part of a circle of fellow patients he will develop the relationship skills necessary to become a therapist.

      Philip enters the group, but he is more interested in educating the members in Schopenhauer's philosophy-which he claims is all the therapy anyone should need-than he is in their (or his) individual problems. Soon Julius and Philip, using very different therapy approaches, are competing for the hearts and minds of the group members. Is this going to be Julius's swan song-a splintered group and years of good work down the drain? Or will all the members, including Philip, find a way to rise to the occasion that brings with it the potential for extraordinary change.

      This novel knits together fact and fiction and contains an accurate portrayal of group therapy in action as well as a presentation of the life and influence of Arthur Schopenhauer, Philip's personal guru and professional inspiration.
      That sounds fascinating as hell.

      Have you read any Schopenhauer? I've only discovered his Aphorisms and Essays, and thought it was a terrifyingly brilliant collection. Although after reading him firsthand the "misanthropic pessimist" aura about him seems misplaced. Instead, he reads as a paradoxically empathetic and lonely man, I thought. His views on death and suicide, women, and Will in particular all tumble from some sane/insane certainty in his own infallible brooding blessed intellect. Schopenhauer's insatiable appetite for women (consistent with his musings) makes Philip's cure by his philosophy particularly intriguing. I wonder if the author aims to append Arthur's philosphical gravestone?

      Anyway, I was sold on the book review. Can't wait to read it.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by FibrillatorD View Post
        That sounds fascinating as hell.

        Have you read any Schopenhauer? I've only discovered his Aphorisms and Essays, and thought it was a terrifyingly brilliant collection. Although after reading him firsthand the "misanthropic pessimist" aura about him seems misplaced. Instead, he reads as a paradoxically empathetic and lonely man, I thought. His views on death and suicide, women, and Will in particular all tumble from some sane/insane certainty in his own infallible brooding blessed intellect. Schopenhauer's insatiable appetite for women (consistent with his musings) makes Philip's cure by his philosophy particularly intriguing. I wonder if the author aims to append Arthur's philosphical gravestone?

        Anyway, I was sold on the book review. Can't wait to read it.
        Jeeeez....guy has a birthday and all of a sudden starts using all these multi-syllable words......Sheesh!;)
        "Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories." Thomas Jefferson

        Comment


        • Originally posted by Shamus View Post
          Jeeeez....guy has a birthday and all of a sudden starts using all these multi-syllable words......Sheesh!;)
          Yeah, well, if given the chance Schopenhauer would likely tell me and any thespians within my parameter that we're all crazy for not killing ourselves immediately. The self-inflation can be contagious.

          Mom said my nose would stop bleeding if I kept my finger out of there.

          Comment


          • Originally posted by FibrillatorD View Post
            That sounds fascinating as hell.

            Have you read any Schopenhauer? I've only discovered his Aphorisms and Essays, and thought it was a terrifyingly brilliant collection. Although after reading him firsthand the "misanthropic pessimist" aura about him seems misplaced. Instead, he reads as a paradoxically empathetic and lonely man, I thought. His views on death and suicide, women, and Will in particular all tumble from some sane/insane certainty in his own infallible brooding blessed intellect. Schopenhauer's insatiable appetite for women (consistent with his musings) makes Philip's cure by his philosophy particularly intriguing. I wonder if the author aims to append Arthur's philosphical gravestone?

            Anyway, I was sold on the book review. Can't wait to read it.
            the book's itself contains a lot of parts from various schopenhauer studies. the author presents a surprising finish and i believe, this is because of the last study of schopenhauer "parerga and paralipomena".as far as i understand in parerga and paralipomena schopenahauer decided to make a U turn and has indicated more acceptable and universal ideas.more understandable and humanistic...this time ,he really must decided to devote himself to philosophy,eternal thinking.i mean,his evolution started when he realised that he was the captive of ppl and understood that his solution will no longer bring him profit likewise Philip started to question his attitude towards life.anyway,he by himself admited that he had devoted his whole life writing parerga and paralipomena and he had given many prises thanks to this study.
            although he always indicated that he will be understood by next generations, his appetit for fame was beyond many thing in his life.


            Schopenhauer's early studies contains much more hate than love and not mutually rivalries.
            he tried to establish a world in the way he wanted.after unsuccessful attempts he started to ignore the humanity step by step.he was an emotional and emphatic man despite the infinite hate he had always exhibited.
            and i have to indicate that i had never liked his ideas (e.g. about women,humanity,life etc) (to tell the truth,i rather felt sorry for him) until reading about parerga and paralipomena.
            sigpicaction speaks louder than words

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            • 1776 by McCullough, which is turning out to be a very good read.

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              • Re-reading The Ranger's Apprentice series for the third time. I'm on the third book, but I just found out that The Hunger Games has an upcoming movie, and I don't think I've read the book yet, so I might shift books. Yeah. Heh.

                Comment


                • Originally posted by LavenderStar View Post
                  Re-reading The Ranger's Apprentice series for the third time. I'm on the third book, but I just found out that The Hunger Games has an upcoming movie, and I don't think I've read the book yet, so I might shift books. Yeah. Heh.
                  Hi, This thread is very old (there are newer threads with the same topic) - posting in long inactive threads is discouraged, and posting on the intro thread when you join the WAB is encouraged

                  I look forward to formally welcoming you on the intro thread
                  sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
                  If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

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                  • Originally posted by Wraith601 View Post
                    What's everyone reading?
                    Jeez, what a dumb thread......

                    How am I supposed to know what everyone's reading????

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                      Jeez, what a dumb thread......

                      How am I supposed to know what everyone's reading????
                      It's hard when you don't read anything.
                      No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                      To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                      Comment


                      • Yellow knows how to read?!?!
                        Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                        Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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                        • Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                          Yellow knows how to read?!?!
                          Guess his speech to type SW goes both ways, otherwise he wouldn't be around
                          No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                          To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                          Comment


                          • Just finished a fiction novel - Chanakya's Chant (by Ashwin Singhvi)

                            I tried to re-read Col. TE Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"...gave up after reading 300 odd pages in 5 months.

                            Cheers!...on the rocks!!

                            Comment


                            • Im reading at just how pathetic and bloody moronic the UK has become , sacking police officers and now trying to ban smoking in pvt cars ,,well go police that then ya freakin expenses fuk all better to do rip off bastards , I dont smoke but surely its up to the individual who WANTS to smoke in his/her car / ok , all consideration given to passengers , but surely a PC exercise bridge too far .

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