John Vespasian

John Vespasian
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Social Sciences
  • Updated Daily

JOHN VESPASIAN is the author of sixteen books, including “When everything fails, try this” (2009), “Rationality is the way to happiness” (2009), “The philosophy of builders” (2010), “The 10 principles of rational living” (2012), “Rational living, rational working” (2013), “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief” (2014), “On becoming unbreakable” (2015), “Thriving in difficult times” (2016), “Causality: Aristotle’s life and ideas” (2024), “Foresight: Schopenhauer’s life and ideas” (2024), and "Constancy: Michel de Montaigne's life and ideas" (2025).

  1. 1d ago

    The Taoist approach to happiness

    Happy people do not waste their time telling the world how happy they are, and Taoists are not an exception. Neither Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu or Chuang-Tzu made any effort to gain adepts to their philosophy. They simply wrote down or dictated their insights, making them available. If you want to adopt their ideas, or some of them, great; and if you don’t, it is also great. Taoists don’t fundamentally care if the rest of humanity goes another way. They acknowledge each person’s freedom to choose his own path, and they respect it. Why is the Taoist approach to happiness so intriguing? Why are people curious about the Tao Te Ching, considering that it was written in the 6th century BC? Because of the serenity that Taoists exude. Because they are able to stay calm in situations where everybody else is falling prey to panic. Because people want to learn to stay effective in the face of setbacks and social pressure. Taoist happiness is based on effective energy utilisation. For other cultures, this concept is difficult to understand because of their emphasis on doing something at all costs. When they pick up a goal, they assume that continued action is the best method for achieving it. In contrast, Taoists consider doing and not doing equally important. https://johnvespasian.com/the-taoist-approach-to-happiness/

  2. 1d ago

    The Taoist path to happiness

    It was not long ago that universal history used to be part of the curriculum in secondary schools. A solid understanding of the key historical periods, their ideas and leading figures was a precondition for graduation. Students were required to grasp the historical sequence that began with Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and so forth. On the one hand, the study of history helps us place things in perspective, and on the other hand, it enables us to prevent repeating the mistakes made in the past. I regard it as naive to want to grasp the lessons from history without having gained a solid overview of the timeline. Without historical perspective, nobody can understand the events taking place today, and without understanding, it is not possible to choose the correct course of action; no wonder that, in view of the diminishing knowledge of history, people keep repeating the same mistakes. Each historical period is dominated by a particular doctrine or philosophy. It also encompasses a concept of happiness that drives people to act in a certain way. That explains why people in Ancient Greece undertook bold commercial expeditions, and people in the Middle Ages rarely ventured out of their village. https://johnvespasian.com/the-taoist-path-to-happiness/

  3. 1d ago

    Warnings about the Taoist idea of happiness

    The desire to get something for nothing is a constant in all cultures and historical periods. To a large extent, mythology is derived from this desire. People make themselves believe that, if they perform a magical ritual, some divinity will assist them in getting something for nothing. When approaching Taoism for the first time, beginners are in danger of falling prey to the delusion of getting something for nothing. Why? Because, although Lao-Tzu emphasised not doing as a key element of his philosophy, Taoists seem to lead remarkably effective lifestyles. To prevent misunderstandings, this paradox requires strong warnings from my side. I do not want readers to regard Taoism as a form of magic that can deliver magnificent results without any thinking, learning or action. Chapter 48 of the Tao Te Ching stands at the root of all false hopes created by Taoism. It calls for reducing the scope of our action, day by day, until very little or nothing is left. Similarly, it praises non-action as the supreme form of action and ends by saying that we can achieve our goals by doing nothing. No wonder that, if beginners take those words literally, they feel entitled to expect wonders without effort. Did Lao-Tzu not promise that we can get whatever we want without having to study, make plans, and implement every step carefully? In fact, that’s not what the Tao Te Ching means. Lao-Tzu’s words need to be interpreted by placing them in context. They should not be taken literally, as thought they were prophesies. I cannot warn people enough against taking Taoist quotes out of context. https://johnvespasian.com/warnings-about-the-taoist-idea-of-happiness/

  4. 1d ago

    Why Taoists do not pursue happiness directly

    In contrast to other philosophies or religions, Taoists do not regard happiness as a goal. Why? Because they view happiness as a side effect of leading a virtuous life, not as a goal in itself. Neither Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu or Chuang-Tzu employed the term “the pursuit of happiness” in their writings. They would have found such formulation incomprehensible. The fact that Taoists do not pursue happiness does not mean that they do not consider it important. On the contrary, every piece of advice given by Taoist masters aims, indirectly, to the achievement of happiness. However, I must underline the word “indirect.” All ancient Chinese Taoist texts refrain from promising happiness. Their avowed objective is the alignment of one’s actions with the Tao under the assumption that such an alignment will automatically lead to happiness. In his works “Nicomachean Ethics” and “Eudemian Ethics,” Aristotle (384-322 BC) ended up designing a path to happiness based on the same intellectual equation. If we do what’s needed, ethically and strategically, we’ll get to a point where happiness is automatically achieved, Aristotle argued. Lao-Tzu would have agreed with Aristotle’s formula, but not with its implementation. Why not? Because the concept of virtue in Aristotle does not match the Tao Te Ching. https://johnvespasian.com/why-taoists-do-not-pursue-happiness-directly/

  5. 1d ago

    The opposite of the Taoist idea of happiness

    Today’s mainstream philosophy constitutes the opposite of the Taoist idea of happiness. Why? Because today’s dominant beliefs are hardly reconcilable with the Tao, as depicted in the Tao Te Ching. What do I mean when I say “today’s dominant beliefs”? On the one hand, the idea that everything is relative, that there are no universal moral prescriptions, and that nobody can reliably forecast the long-term effects of one’s decisions. On the other hand, the belief that we should set objectives for ourselves and pursue them relentlessly, day after day. This belief goes hand in hand with making detailed plans, so that we can carry them out and constantly measure our progress. Not everybody subscribes to the beliefs that I have outlined, but many people do, and few will find them questionable, false or ethically wrong. I am not aware of statistical measurements proving the prevalence of these beliefs, but I see them at work in my daily experience. Why do Taoists oppose those ideas? Is it because Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu lived in Ancient China, and proved unable to come up with better ideas? Is it because the Tao Te Ching is unsuitable for living in an industrial civilisation? No, the responses to those questions relate to human nature, which hasn’t changed since the times of Lao-Tzu. Today’s idea of happiness is incompatible with Taoism because it assumes a fundamental change in human nature due to industrialisation. https://johnvespasian.com/why-taoists-do-not-pursue-happiness-directly/

  6. 3d ago

    Critique of Schopenhauer's ideas on freedom

    Despite his sound reasoning and accurate writing, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) didn’t succeed in making his ideas on freedom popular. In particular, his theory of the will wasn’t taken seriously by other philosophers and fell into oblivion at the beginning of the twentieth century. According to Schopenhauer, civilised society should grant legal protection to life, liberty and property. However, laws do not have the power to remove biological limits on freedom. I’m referring to the limits imposed by the will (“life force”) and by the human lifespan. In his work “The world as will and representation”(1818), Schopenhauer exposed at length the deep influence of the will on human freedom. The will prompts people towards pleasure, reproduction, wealth accumulation and success, generating one desire upon another. The will drives people to seek more and more, without ever achieving fulfilment. Schopenhauer observed the pattern repeat itself a million times. Thus, he acknowledged the influence of the will as a fact of life to be taken into account. Schopenhauer outlined his philosophy of freedom not only in his major works, but also in the brief essays contained in his “Parerga and Paralipomena” (1851). Those essays give precise strategies to minimise the negative influence of the will. They can help readers keep trouble at bay and maximise happiness. https://johnvespasian.com/critique-of-schopenhauers-ideas-on-freedom/

  7. 3d ago

    Schopenhauer and freedom

    The idea of freedom in Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) is linked to his philosophy of the will. He outlined his concept of the will in his major works “About the fourfold root of the principle of sufficient reason” (1808) and “The world as will and representation” (1818). According to Schopenhauer, the will (which I translate as “life force”) is the underlying force driving all human actions, goals and desires. Schopenhauer defined the will as an insatiable and irrational force that drives human beings towards reproduction and other goals such as success, fame, and wealth accumulation. From this perspective, individual freedom is influenced by the relentless demands of the will. Humans are pushed to seek the satisfaction of endless desires, leading to inevitable failure and frustration. https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauer-and-freedom/

  8. 3d ago

    Examples of Schopenhauer's views on the nature of existence

    I’m going to point to several examples to illustrate the views of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) on the nature of human existence. The examples are drawn from famous literary works depicting challenging situations that put Schopenhauer’s advice to the test. Before starting with the examples, let me summarise in four paragraphs Schopenhauer’s views on the nature of existence. First, living creatures are driven by the will, which I translate as “life force” or “primal energy;” the will drives them towards reproduction and survival. The will generates one desire after another. Some of them can be fulfilled, others not. Second, the influence of the will can have disastrous effects on humans because it drives them towards decisions that fulfil short-term desires but without considering the costs, risks, and liabilities. These aspects are presented in Schopenhauer’s book “About the fourfold root of the principle of sufficient reason,” published in 1814. Third, unless you adopt countermeasures, you are likely to succumb to the influence of the will and pay a high price. Your career, finances, reputation and health are at risk. It is in your interest to stay alert and steer away from questionable choices. These aspects are outlined in Schopenhauer’s book “The world as will and representation” (1818). Fourth, human beings can adopt countermeasures to reduce the negative influence of the will, avoid suffering and increase happiness. The measures involve self-discipline, risk reduction and keeping a margin of safety. The countermeasures are found in Schopenhauer’s book “Parerga and Paralipomena” (1851). https://johnvespasian.com/examples-of-schopenhauers-views-on-the-nature-of-existence/

See All (542)

About

JOHN VESPASIAN is the author of sixteen books, including “When everything fails, try this” (2009), “Rationality is the way to happiness” (2009), “The philosophy of builders” (2010), “The 10 principles of rational living” (2012), “Rational living, rational working” (2013), “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief” (2014), “On becoming unbreakable” (2015), “Thriving in difficult times” (2016), “Causality: Aristotle’s life and ideas” (2024), “Foresight: Schopenhauer’s life and ideas” (2024), and "Constancy: Michel de Montaigne's life and ideas" (2025).

Information

  • Creator
    John Vespasian
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    542
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright John Vespasian
  • Show Website
    John Vespasian