Sir, – We welcome World Philosophy Day, as well as your stimulating features on how philosophy can challenge and change us (Education, November 19th).
As you rightly recognise, philosophy has not received due attention in Ireland, which is a crying shame, a scandal even, considering the salutary influence and impact it can have on people’s lives. Your contribution shows that things are slowly changing.
The Philosophy Clinic, which we set up, aims to offer support and facilitate change with regard to this situation. Last Saturday we held our inaugural workshop on the practical philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, showing how stoicism can help us to lead happier and more fulfilling lives, which was a great success.
We will continue in the New Year with a series of seminars which aim to address the contemporary crisis of the loss of meaning in our society. Philosophy is pre-eminently placed to offer a path of practice for such existential exploration. – Yours, etc,
Dr STEPHEN J COSTELLO & BARRE FITZPATRICK,
C/o Dartmouth Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.