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Pierre Hadot

Pierre Hadot (1922–2010) was a French historian of philosophy renowned for his studies of ancient philosophy, particularly in Hellenistic and Roman thought, where he emphasized philosophy not as abstract theory but as a practical way of life involving spiritual exercises aimed at personal transformation and eudaimonia.^[1]^[2] Born on February 21, 1922, in Paris, Hadot initially pursued ecclesiastical training and was ordained a priest in 1944 before leaving the priesthood and dedicating himself to philosophical scholarship.^[3] His doctoral thesis focused on the Neoplatonist Porphyry and the Latin Church Father Marius Victorinus, setting the stage for his lifelong engagement with ancient texts and their existential dimensions.^[1] Hadot's academic career spanned several prestigious institutions in France. From 1949 to 1964, he worked at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) as a trainee, attaché, and research fellow.^[1] In 1964, he became Director of Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, where he taught on theology, mystics, and Hellenistic and Roman philosophy until 1985.^[1]^[3] He then held the Chair of the History of Hellenistic and Roman Thought at the Collège de France from 1982 to 1990, becoming an honorary professor thereafter.^[1] Throughout his career, Hadot produced critical editions, translations, and commentaries on key ancient authors such as Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Plotinus, alongside analyses of philosophical genres and lifestyles in Platonic, Stoic, Epicurean, and Neoplatonic traditions.^[1] Hadot's most influential contributions lie in his reconceptualization of ancient philosophy as a series of spiritual exercises—practical methods like meditation, self-examination, and attention to the present—that integrate theory with daily living to foster ethical transformation and harmony with nature.^[2]^[3] In seminal works such as Philosophy as a Way of Life: Spiritual Exercises from Socrates to Foucault (originally published in French in 1981) and What Is Ancient Philosophy? (1995), he critiqued modern academic philosophy's detachment from lived practice, drawing parallels between ancient schools and contemporary concerns.^[3] His ideas gained wide recognition, earning awards like the Grand Prix de Philosophie in 1999, and profoundly influenced thinkers such as Michel Foucault, who credited Hadot for inspiring his later work on care of the self.^[1]^[2] Hadot's scholarship extended to broader themes, including the evolution of concepts of nature from antiquity to the modern era, underscoring philosophy's role in bridging historical and existential insights.^[2]

Biography

Early Life and Education

Pierre Hadot was born on February 21, 1922, in Paris, France, though his family returned to Reims shortly after his birth, where he spent his childhood in a devout Catholic household. Raised amid a strict Catholic education that emphasized spiritual and intellectual formation, Hadot came from a family with strong religious inclinations; his mother encouraged him to pursue the priesthood, following the path of his two brothers who also became priests. This environment profoundly shaped his early worldview, instilling a deep engagement with theological and philosophical questions from a young age. During World War II, Hadot was subjected to compulsory labor, and in 1944, at the age of 22, he was ordained as a Catholic priest. Following his ordination, he undertook studies in philosophy and theology at the Institut Catholique de Paris and the Sorbonne from 1946 to 1947, where he earned degrees that deepened his interest in patristics and ancient thought. These formative years in ecclesiastical education exposed him to Latin texts and early Christian interpretations of classical philosophy, laying the groundwork for his later scholarly pursuits. Around 1950, Hadot began transitioning away from the priesthood, prompted by personal philosophical doubts intensified by Pope Pius XII's encyclical Humani generis, which addressed tensions between Catholic doctrine and modern philosophy, including issues of evolution and rationalism. He formally left the priesthood and married in 1953, shifting his focus to secular academia while working as a researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) from 1949 onward. In 1961, Hadot completed his doctorate at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), specializing in ancient philosophy; his dissertation examined Porphyry and Marius Victorinus, reflecting his emerging scholarly passion for Neoplatonism and its intersections with early Christianity.

Academic Career

Hadot began his academic career in the late 1940s with positions at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), where he served as a trainee, attaché, and research fellow from 1949 to 1964.^[1] During the 1950s, he also held a teaching position at Lycée Charlemagne in Paris.^[4] From 1960 onward, Hadot took on increasing leadership roles at the CNRS, including as director of the Centre d'Études des Religions du Livre, a laboratory associated with the CNRS (n° 152), from approximately 1970 to 1983, where he advanced research in ancient philosophy and related religious traditions.^[5] In 1964, he was appointed Director of Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), in the Section des sciences religieuses, initially holding the chair in Latin Patristics and later in Theologies and Mystics of the Hellenistic and Roman Periods, a position he maintained until 1985.^[1]^[6] Hadot collaborated with institutions such as the École Normale Supérieure, delivering seminars there, including one on ancient philosophical texts in 1973–1974.^[7] In 1982, he was elected to the Chair of the History of Hellenistic and Roman Thought at the Collège de France, serving as professor until his retirement in 1990 (with honorary status thereafter until 1991).^[1]^[6] Following retirement, Hadot remained active in research and lecturing, contributing to scholarly works and public lectures on ancient philosophy until his death in 2010.^[6]^[1]

Personal Life

Hadot was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1944 but left the priesthood in the early 1950s, prompted by his disagreement with Pope Pius XII's encyclical Humani Generis (1950), which critiqued modern philosophical developments and evolutionism.^[6] Several factors contributed to this decision, including the Oath Against Modernism required at his ordination, the 1950 proclamation of the Assumption of Mary as dogma, and the Church's conservative positions on scientific and intellectual matters.^[8] In later reflections, Hadot described this departure as a pivotal liberation that reshaped his worldview, enabling a deeper engagement with philosophy as a personal and transformative practice unbound by doctrinal constraints.^[9] Following his departure from the priesthood, Hadot married for the first time in 1953. His second marriage, to Ilsetraut Hadot—a German-born historian of philosophy specializing in ancient thought—took place on August 3, 1966, after they met at a symposium in 1962.^[6]^[10] Their union created a supportive intellectual partnership, where Ilsetraut's expertise in Greco-Roman spiritual guidance complemented Pierre's work, fostering a shared environment of scholarly dialogue and mutual inspiration at home.^[11] Hadot's family life revolved around this enduring marriage, providing stability amid his demanding pursuits, though details of daily domestic routines remain private. In his later years, he continued to live quietly in Orsay, France, until his death on April 24, 2010, at the age of 88.^[3]

Philosophical Thought

Philosophy as a Way of Life

Pierre Hadot's central thesis posits that ancient philosophy was fundamentally a "way of life" (Greek: bios), an existential practice oriented toward the transformation of one's entire being rather than a mere intellectual exercise confined to abstract theory or academic specialization.^[12] In this view, philosophy engages the individual holistically, aiming to reshape their mode of living and perception of the world through deliberate, ongoing efforts to attain wisdom and inner freedom.^[8] This contrasts sharply with contemporary philosophy, which Hadot critiques as a professionalized discipline focused on technical discourse, logical argumentation, and specialized scholarship within university settings, often detached from practical application in everyday existence.^[12]^[13] Hadot traces the erosion of this original conception to post-Hellenistic developments, particularly from the medieval period onward, when philosophy shifted toward scholasticism—a text-based, exegetical approach that subordinated it to theology and reduced it to theoretical systematization.^[12] This transformation, influenced by the rise of universities, turned philosophy into a tool for doctrinal analysis rather than a lived pursuit of ethical conduct and personal liberation, severing its vital connection to daily practice and moral formation.^[8] As a result, modern philosophy, in Hadot's estimation, prioritizes propositional debate and conceptual refinement over the existential commitment that defined its ancient roots, leading to a diminished role in addressing human suffering or fostering authentic self-realization.^[13] At its core, Hadot argues, ancient philosophy served as a therapeutic art for the soul, emphasizing personal conversion and ethical living as pathways to happiness and cosmic harmony.^[12] Schools such as the Stoics and Epicureans exemplified this by integrating doctrines of logic, physics, and ethics into cohesive practices designed to cultivate wisdom through attentive, transformative engagement with the world, rather than passive doctrinal adherence.^[8] For instance, Stoic thinkers like Marcus Aurelius applied these principles to achieve moral objectivity and present-moment awareness in governance and personal reflection.^[13] Through such lived application, philosophy becomes not an end in theoretical knowledge but a means to ethical excellence and liberation from disruptive passions.^[12]

Spiritual Exercises

Pierre Hadot defined spiritual exercises as voluntary, practical activities intended to bring about a profound modification and transformation in the subject's mode of being, engaging the intellect, imagination, sensibility, and will to foster inner freedom, wisdom, and a harmonious life.^[12] These exercises, drawn from ancient philosophical traditions, emphasize personal effort and training rather than passive learning, aiming to align the individual's existence with universal reason or nature.^[6] Hadot proposed a typology of spiritual exercises categorized by their focus: those of thought, which cultivate intellectual transformation through reflection and perspective-shifting; those of will, oriented toward action and ethical conduct; and those of desire, aimed at regulating emotions and attachments for emotional equilibrium.^[12] Exercises of thought include methods to elevate the mind beyond everyday concerns, while those of will involve deliberate choices in behavior, and those of desire seek to moderate passions through contemplation of necessities and pleasures.^[6] Representative examples illustrate this typology across schools. The Stoic "view from above," an exercise of thought, involves imagining oneself from a cosmic vantage point to diminish the significance of personal troubles and foster detachment.^[14] In Epicureanism, the remembrance of past pleasures serves as an exercise of desire, encouraging gratitude for simple joys and reducing anxiety over unfulfilled wants to achieve tranquility.^[12] Socratic dialogue functions as an exercise of will, promoting self-examination through questioning to awaken moral awareness and guide ethical action.^[6] These exercises evolved historically from the Hellenistic period, where they formed the core of philosophical schools like Stoicism and Epicureanism as daily practices for self-mastery, to the Neoplatonic era, where they incorporated mystical elements such as contemplation of the One to attain unity with the divine intellect.^[12] In Neoplatonism, exercises like Plotinus's meditative ascent built on earlier Hellenistic methods, emphasizing progressive detachment from the material world toward intellectual vision.^[6] Ultimately, Hadot argued that spiritual exercises integrate philosophical theory with lived practice, transforming abstract doctrines into concrete habits that combat inner discord and cultivate eudaimonia, or human flourishing, through sustained alignment of thought, action, and emotion with cosmic order.^[14] This synthesis ensures philosophy is not mere discourse but a dynamic process for achieving wisdom and serenity.^[6]

Contributions to Ancient Philosophy

Neoplatonism

Hadot's scholarly work on Neoplatonism began with his doctoral research, culminating in the 1960 edition and translation of Marius Victorinus's theological treatises, Marius Victorinus: Traités théologiques sur la Trinité, and the 1968 two-volume study Porphyre et Victorinus, which explored the Neoplatonist Porphyry's influence on the Christian thinker Victorinus, highlighting the integration of pagan philosophy into early Christianity.^[6] This was exemplified further by his seminal 1963 book Plotin ou la simplicité du regard (translated as Plotinus or the Simplicity of Vision), which provides a philosophical portrait of the third-century thinker Plotinus and his mystical dimensions.^[6] In this text, Hadot presents Plotinus not merely as a metaphysician but as a guide to spiritual transformation, emphasizing the visionary simplicity that underpins Neoplatonic thought.^[15] Drawing from Plotinus' life and teachings as recorded by Porphyry, Hadot underscores the role of inner discipline in achieving contemplative insight, portraying Neoplatonism as a path that transcends abstract speculation toward direct encounter with the divine.^[16] Central to Hadot's analysis is his interpretation of the Enneads as promoting union with the One—the ultimate Principle—through a contemplative ascent of the soul. He describes this process as a progressive elevation: the soul first purifies itself from bodily distractions, then aligns with divine Intellect, culminating in ecstatic fixation upon the One, where "the soul lifts herself up to the level of divine intelligence… and can fix herself in the Principle of all things."^[16] This ascent, Hadot argues, involves a shift from external, partial vision to an internal, total one, echoing Plotinus' call to "flee alone towards the Solitary One" (Ennead VI.9.11).^[16] For Hadot, such union represents the pinnacle of Plotinus' visionary experience, not as intellectual mastery but as a mystical dissolution of the self into the source of all being.^[17] Hadot conceives of Neoplatonism broadly as a spiritual philosophy that harmonizes intellect and lived experience, transforming metaphysical levels—from matter to Soul, Intellect, and the One—into stages of inner life and self-realization. "All these levels of reality become levels of inner life, levels of the self," he writes, insisting that Plotinus' system is experiential rather than abstract, inviting practitioners to embody these realities through contemplation.^[16] This integration counters purely rationalist readings, positioning Neoplatonism as a holistic practice where intellectual discernment supports, yet yields to, mystical intuition and gentleness toward the Good, described as "gentle, mild, and very delicate."^[16] In critiquing earlier interpretations, Hadot challenges views that reduce Plotinus' mysticism to autoerotic individualism or overly discursive analysis, instead highlighting its anti-intellectualist core that prioritizes unmediated vision over reflection. He argues that "life… is incapable of being grasped by reflection… we shall have to abandon reflection for contemplation," revealing Plotinus' emphasis on a peaceful, total internal gaze that transcends partial, ego-bound perspectives.^[16] This approach, Hadot notes, aligns with Porphyry's portrayal of Plotinus as free from "sophistical grandstanding," focusing on pure, experiential insight.^[16] Hadot also traces connections between Plotinus' visionary ascent and later Christian mysticism, observing how Neoplatonic themes of ecstatic union influenced patristic thought without implying doctrinal alignment. For instance, he points to St. Ambrose's use of Plotinus' ideas on awakening "from the body" in sermons like De Jacob et vita beata, paralleling the soul's rapture akin to St. Paul's transport to paradise.^[16] Similarly, echoes appear in St. Augustine's Confessions (X.27.38): "You were with me, and I was not with you," reflecting Plotinus' notion of divine presence beyond separation.^[16] These links, for Hadot, illustrate Neoplatonism's enduring mystical resonance in Christian spirituality, akin to how Plotinus employed Plato much as Christian mystics used the Song of Songs.^[16]

Stoicism

Pierre Hadot interpreted Stoicism as a practical philosophy centered on transforming one's way of life through spiritual exercises, rather than mere theoretical speculation. He emphasized that Stoic thought, particularly in its Roman expressions, sought to align the individual with the rational order of the universe, fostering inner freedom amid external contingencies. This approach, rooted in the works of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, positioned Stoicism as an ethical rationalism that integrated physics, logic, and ethics into daily practice.^[6] Hadot's commentary on Marcus Aurelius' Meditations portrays the text as a personal spiritual notebook, or hypomnemata, composed for the emperor's own self-examination and moral training, not as a systematic treatise intended for publication. These notes served as reminders to live in accordance with Stoic principles, using concise formulas to internalize doctrines on impermanence, duty, and cosmic interconnectedness. Hadot argued that Marcus wrote them during moments of daily reflection to maintain lucidity and ethical intensity, viewing the work as evidence of philosophy's role in sustaining virtue under the pressures of imperial rule.^[18]^[19] In his reading of Epictetus' Enchiridion, Hadot highlighted its function as a practical guide for distinguishing between what is within human control—such as judgments, desires, and intentions—and what lies beyond it, like external events or others' actions. This dichotomy forms the core of Epictetus' three disciplines: assent (correct judgment), desire (acceptance of fate), and action (duty toward others), which Hadot saw as interconnected exercises to cultivate autonomy and moral consistency. By focusing on internal responses rather than outcomes, the Enchiridion offered a blueprint for ethical living that prioritized rational self-mastery over passive resignation.^[20]^[21] Hadot placed particular emphasis on Stoic practices such as premeditatio malorum, the anticipation of potential adversities, which trains the practitioner to view misfortunes as indifferent externals not truly harmful to the soul, thereby building resilience against fear and attachment. Complementing this was amor fati, the love of fate, which encourages embracing all events as necessary parts of the cosmic whole, transforming necessity into willing acceptance and promoting equanimity. These exercises, drawn from Epictetus and Marcus, were not abstract meditations but active tools for daily application, reinforcing the Stoic commitment to living in harmony with nature.^[22]^[21] For Hadot, Stoicism functioned as a therapy for the soul, systematically addressing passions, unregulated desires, and false beliefs through exercises that restore inner peace and rational perspective. This therapeutic dimension extended to promoting cosmopolitanism, where the Stoic recognizes humanity's shared place in the universe, urging actions guided by justice and benevolence toward all as fellow citizens of the cosmos. Such practices cultivated resilience by redirecting focus from uncontrollable externals to virtuous internal dispositions, enabling endurance amid life's vicissitudes without emotional disturbance.^[6]^[21] Hadot differentiated Stoicism from Cynicism by underscoring the former's emphasis on social engagement and systematic rational discourse, rather than the Cynics' rejection of societal conventions through provocative gestures and minimalism. While Cynics sought virtue through ascetic withdrawal, Stoics integrated ethical duties (kathekonta) into active roles within the community, balancing personal inner transformation with responsibilities to others, all grounded in a comprehensive philosophical framework.^[20]^[6]

Epicureanism and Other Schools

Hadot interpreted Epicureanism as a practical philosophy centered on achieving ataraxia, or tranquility, through the pursuit of simple pleasures and the cultivation of friendship, viewing these as essential to a serene life free from unnecessary desires and fears. In this framework, Epicurean ethics emphasized moderation and communal bonds, positioning philosophy not as abstract theory but as a guide for everyday existence that counters the turmoil of passions. Hadot analyzed Lucretius's De Rerum Natura as a therapeutic text designed to liberate readers from the fear of death by demystifying natural processes through Epicurean atomism and poetry, presenting the poem as a form of spiritual medicine that promotes mental peace.^[14] This work, for Hadot, exemplified how Epicurean doctrine served as a remedy for existential anxieties, using vivid imagery and rational explanation to foster detachment from superstitious dread.^[14] Turning to Cynicism, Hadot portrayed it as a philosophy of radical simplicity, embodied in the exemplary life of Diogenes, who rejected societal conventions and material excess to live in accordance with nature, thereby achieving self-sufficiency and freedom. Diogenes's ascetic practices and provocative actions, such as living in a barrel, illustrated Cynicism's call for an uncompromised pursuit of virtue through direct confrontation with illusions of comfort and status. Hadot examined Skepticism, particularly through Sextus Empiricus, as a method of suspending judgment (epochē) on non-evident matters to attain peace of mind, arguing that this equipoise of opposing arguments naturally leads to unperturbed tranquility without dogmatic commitments.^[14] In Sextus's Outlines of Pyrrhonism, this suspension emerges as a practical stance that avoids the disturbances of belief, allowing life to unfold serenely amid uncertainty.^[14] Hadot synthesized Epicureanism, Cynicism, and Skepticism as alternative paths to wisdom that diverged from the idealistic frameworks of mainstream Platonism, each offering distinct yet complementary approaches to transforming philosophy into a lived practice for inner harmony and ethical living. These schools, in his view, represented diverse existential choices—materialist hedonism, defiant asceticism, and judicious restraint—that collectively underscored ancient philosophy's therapeutic aim beyond metaphysical speculation.

Publications

Major Monographs

Pierre Hadot's major monographs represent his most influential original contributions to the study of ancient philosophy, emphasizing its practical and transformative dimensions rather than purely doctrinal aspects. His works often blend rigorous historical analysis with philosophical reflection, drawing on primary texts to argue for philosophy as a lived practice. One of his earliest and foundational monographs, Plotinus or the Simplicity of Vision (originally published in French in 1963), offers a philosophical portrait of the third-century Neoplatonist Plotinus, portraying his metaphysics not as abstract theory but as an experiential ascent toward unity with the transcendent One. Hadot interprets Plotinus' Enneads as expressions of inner spiritual exercises, where intellectual contemplation leads to a simplified, visionary grasp of reality, influencing subsequent scholarship on Neoplatonism by highlighting its existential core.^[6] In Philosophy as a Way of Life: Spiritual Exercises from Socrates to Foucault (French edition 1981; English 1995), Hadot compiles and expands essays arguing that ancient philosophy functioned as a bios—a concrete mode of existence—centered on spiritual exercises like meditation and self-examination to foster ethical transformation. This work critiques modern academic philosophy's detachment from life, tracing exercises from Socratic dialogue to late antique practices and even modern echoes in Foucault, establishing Hadot's signature thesis on philosophy's therapeutic role.^[6] The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (French 1992; English 1998) provides a close reading of the Roman emperor's Meditations as personal hypomnemata—notebooks for spiritual training—guiding the reader toward Stoic lucidity and resilience amid adversity. Hadot elucidates how Marcus used these reflections to internalize Stoic cosmology and ethics, presenting the text as a model for contemporary self-cultivation rather than mere historical artifact.^[6] What Is Ancient Philosophy? (French 1995; English 2002) synthesizes Hadot's lifelong research into a panoramic history of ancient schools—from Socrates to the Neoplatonists—redefining philosophy as a communal way of life chosen for salvation, distinct from systematic theorizing. He contrasts this with post-Hellenistic developments, underscoring misconceptions in modern interpretations and advocating a return to philosophy's original existential orientation.^[6] Hadot's later monograph, The Veil of Isis: An Essay on the History of the Idea of Nature (French 2004; English 2006), explores the evolving Western conception of nature through the metaphor of the veiled goddess Isis, from Heraclitus' "nature loves to hide" to modern science's revelations. Tracing attitudes from oracular respect in antiquity to Goethe's participatory vision and beyond, Hadot argues for a balanced approach that unveils nature's secrets without dominating it, bridging philosophy and scientific history.^[23]

Editorial Works and Translations

Pierre Hadot made significant contributions to the philological study of ancient philosophy through his editorial and translational efforts, particularly in producing critical editions and French translations of key Neoplatonist and Stoic texts. His work emphasized rigorous textual analysis, historical contextualization, and accessibility for modern readers, often in collaboration with other scholars. These endeavors were primarily published in prestigious series dedicated to classical authors, enhancing the understanding of ancient philosophical corpora.^[6] One of Hadot's major projects was his involvement in the multi-volume edition and translation of Plotinus's Enneads, spanning from the 1960s to the 1990s. As part of the Collection Budé (Collection des Universités de France) published by Les Belles Lettres, Hadot edited and translated several treatises, including contributions to volumes covering Enneads I through VI, with a focus on Plotinus's metaphysical and ethical doctrines. For instance, he provided critical apparatus, Greek text, and facing French translation for treatises such as Ennead VI.9 (1960) and others in subsequent volumes up to the 1990s, correcting earlier editions like Émile Bréhier's and incorporating new manuscript evidence to clarify Plotinus's concepts of the One and emanation. This collaborative effort, involving scholars like Luc Brisson, resulted in a comprehensive resource that remains a standard for Plotinian studies.^[24]^[6]^[25] Hadot also produced a critical edition of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations (titled Écrits pour lui-même in French), published in the Budé series by Les Belles Lettres starting in 1998 (with preliminary work dating to the mid-1990s). Co-edited with Concetta Luna, this multi-volume work includes the Greek text, a new French translation, extensive notes, and an introduction analyzing the text's Stoic spiritual exercises. Volume I covers the general introduction and Book I, addressing textual variants from key manuscripts like the Codex Vaticanus and emphasizing the philosophical intent behind Marcus's personal reflections. This edition advanced scholarship by integrating Hadot's insights into the Meditations as practical philosophy, distinguishing it from prior translations by highlighting its non-systematic, exhortatory nature.^[26]^[6] In collaboration with his wife, the philologist Ilsetraut Hadot, Pierre Hadot contributed to editions and studies of Porphyry and other Neoplatonists, focusing on their commentaries and doctrinal transmissions. His work Porphyre et Victorinus (1968, Institut d'Études Augustiniennes) edits and analyzes Porphyry's influence on Latin Neoplatonism through Marius Victorinus's translations. They also collaborated on the anonymous Neoplatonist commentary on Plato's Parmenides, attributing aspects to Porphyry in publications like Ilsetraut Hadot's editions with Pierre's contributions on metaphysical hierarchies (e.g., 1970s–1990s volumes in the Corpus Philosophorum Medii Aevi series). These efforts illuminated the transmission of Neoplatonic ideas from Greek to Latin traditions, with Pierre providing philosophical interpretations alongside Ilsetraut's textual expertise.^[6]^[27] Hadot's editorial activities extended to overseeing series on ancient philosophy for publishers like Les Belles Lettres, particularly within the Budé collection. He contributed prefaces, introductions, and editorial oversight to volumes on Stoic and Neoplatonic authors, such as his preface to Théodore Colardeau's study on Epictetus (reprinted in the 1990s) and compilations like Plotin, Porphyre: Études néoplatoniciennes (1999, Les Belles Lettres), which gathers his annotated essays and partial editions. Through these, Hadot promoted a philologically grounded approach to ancient texts, ensuring their integration into modern philosophical discourse without altering their historical integrity.^[24]^[28]

Legacy

Influence on Modern Thinkers

Pierre Hadot's conception of philosophy as a way of life profoundly shaped Michel Foucault's later explorations of ancient ethics, particularly in his 1980s lectures and writings on the "care of the self," where Foucault drew directly from Hadot's analyses of spiritual exercises in Hellenistic philosophy to reframe ethics as personal transformation rather than mere moral codes. Foucault explicitly acknowledged Hadot's influence in his works, such as The Hermeneutics of the Subject (1981–1982), integrating Hadot's emphasis on ancient practices like self-examination and attention to the present as techniques for ethical self-formation.^[29] This dialogue between the two thinkers highlighted convergences in viewing philosophy not as abstract theory but as concrete exercises for reshaping subjectivity, though Foucault adapted these ideas to critique modern power structures.^[30] Hadot played a pivotal role in introducing Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophy to French intellectuals in the mid-20th century, publishing some of the earliest French-language studies on Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and Philosophical Investigations during the 1960s and 1970s, which helped bridge analytic and continental traditions by emphasizing Wittgenstein's therapeutic view of philosophy as an activity of clarification rather than doctrine-building.^[31] Through translations and commentaries, such as his 1969 essay on Wittgenstein's method, Hadot underscored parallels between Wittgenstein's language games and ancient philosophical practices, influencing French thinkers to engage analytic ideas on everyday language and ethics without rigid dichotomies.^[32] This introduction fostered a broader reception of Wittgenstein in France, where Hadot's own framework of philosophy as lived exercise resonated with Wittgenstein's insistence on philosophy's role in dissolving confusions through practical engagement.^[33] Hadot's ideas also resonated with existentialists and phenomenologists, notably influencing Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutic approach to philosophy as a lived, transformative practice, where Ricoeur incorporated elements of spiritual exercises—such as textual interpretation as self-examination—into his ethics of selfhood and recognition, echoing Hadot's ancient models in works like Oneself as Another (1990).^[34] For Ricoeur, this meant viewing philosophical reflection as an askēsis or training for ethical living, a perspective that aligned with Hadot's revival of philosophy's practical dimension amid phenomenological concerns with existence and narrative identity. More broadly, Hadot's emphasis on philosophy as existential commitment impacted thinkers in these traditions by reframing abstract analysis as embodied wisdom-seeking, as seen in existentialist readings of Stoicism that prioritize personal authenticity over systematic theory.^[21] Beyond academia, Hadot's notion of spiritual exercises found reception in self-help and mindfulness movements, where ancient practices like premeditation of adversity and attention to the present were adapted for contemporary therapeutic contexts, such as cognitive-behavioral techniques inspired by Stoicism to foster resilience and mindfulness without religious overtones.^[22] These adaptations, evident in popular works on Stoic exercises from the 1990s onward, translated Hadot's historical insights into accessible tools for emotional regulation, influencing mindfulness programs that emphasize non-judgmental awareness as a modern echo of Epicurean or Stoic askēsis.^[35] Scholars like John Sellars have offered critiques of Hadot's "way of life" thesis, arguing that its universality overlooks variations among ancient schools, particularly in Aristotle's contemplative theōria, which Sellars sees as more theoretical than practically transformative, challenging Hadot's claim that all ancient philosophy unified theory and practice under a singular ethical ideal.^[36] Sellars contends that while Hadot's model illuminates Hellenistic traditions like Stoicism, it risks anachronistically imposing a uniform "spiritual" framework on diverse figures like Aristotle, where intellectual activity serves eudaimonia without requiring ongoing exercises for all practitioners.^[37] This critique underscores the tension between Hadot's holistic vision and the need for nuanced historical distinctions in assessing philosophy's practical orientations.^[38]

Recent Developments

In 2020, a significant posthumous collection titled The Selected Writings of Pierre Hadot: Philosophy as Practice was published by Bloomsbury Academic, compiling fourteen essays written between 1992 and 2010, many of which were previously unpublished or untranslated into English.^[39] This volume, translated by Matthew Sharpe and Federico Testa, emphasizes Hadot's core theme of philosophy as a transformative practice, including discussions on ancient philosophers, the ethics of ancient philosophy, and the role of spiritual exercises in personal development.^[40] It has been praised for providing fresh insights into Hadot's later thought, bridging his historical analyses with contemporary applications of philosophy as a lived discipline.^[41] Ongoing tributes to Hadot's legacy continue to foster scholarly and public engagement with his work. A notable example is the 2025 tribute event organized by the Cercle des Amis de Pierre Hadot, held on October 11 at the Collège de France in Paris, which included gatherings at the newly named Allée Pierre Hadot and featured testimonies from those who knew him or were influenced by his ideas on the history of philosophy.^[42] This event underscores the enduring institutional recognition of Hadot's contributions, particularly his tenure as a professor at the Collège de France from 1982 to 1990.^[43] Hadot's concepts of spiritual exercises and philosophy as a way of life have found recent applications in ethics and psychology during the 2020s, extending beyond classical studies to modern therapeutic and organizational contexts. For instance, scholars have drawn on his framework to explore philosophical practice as a means to cultivate truth, wisdom, and virtue, integrating spiritual exercises into ethical decision-making processes that address psychological transformation and moral development.^[44] In organizational spirituality studies, Hadot's ideas have informed discussions on personal and collective ethicality, linking ancient practices to contemporary leadership and behavioral ethics in workplace settings, as seen in analyses of spiritual discernment and regulative ideals for sustainable organizational cultures. These applications highlight how Hadot's emphasis on holistic self-transformation can enhance psychological resilience and ethical behavior in professional environments.^[45] New translations and editions of Hadot's works have proliferated in English and other languages between 2020 and 2025, broadening global access to his scholarship. The 2020 English edition of The Selected Writings marks a key addition, rendering previously inaccessible materials available to Anglophone readers and facilitating interdisciplinary engagement.^[39]

References

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Biography and publications | Pierre Hadot - Collège de France
Born February 21 1922, Paris. Died April 24 2010. Training and professional career. 1949-1964 : Trainee, then attaché, then research fellow at CNRS ...
[2]
BEHIND THE VEIL: In Memory of Pierre Hadot - Duke University Press
Aug 1, 2011 · This memorial essay on the French historian of philosophy Pierre Hadot (1922–2010) explores his life and work.
[3]
Pierre Hadot (1922-2010) | Issue 113 - Philosophy Now
Hadot's work focuses heavily upon the historical and social aspects of the philosophical minds he finds himself engaged with – mainly ancient Greek thinkers.
[4]
[PDF] Vivre en philosophe: Exercices spirituels antiques et contemporains
Nov 23, 2020 · ... carrière : de l'EPHE au Collège de France. Pour en revenir à sa carrière, Pierre Hadot a enseigné à l'Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes à.
[5]
Centre d'études des Religions du Livre. Laboratoire associé au ...
-A. CENTRE D'ÉTUDES DES RELIGIONS DU LIVRE. Laboratoire associé au C.N.R.S. n° 152. [Note: Directeur : M. Pierre Hadot. ] ...
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Pierre Hadot (1922-2010) - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Pierre Hadot, classical philosopher and historian of philosophy, is best known for his conception of ancient philosophy as a bios or way of life (manière de ...Biography · What is Ancient Philosophy? · The Transformation of...
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[PDF] Pierre Hadot. L'enseignement des antiques, l ... - Éditions Rue d'Ulm
Pierre Hadot, La Philosophie comme manière de vivre, op. cit., p. 157, et Pierre Hadot, Exercices spirituels et philosophie antique, op. cit., p. 347.
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[PDF] Pierre Hadot's Holistic Philosophy of Communication
May 8, 2020 · D. Pierre Hadot's holistic philosophy of communication attends to the health of the self and community through practice of spiritual exercises ...
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[PDF] pierre hadot on meaning and misunderstanding in the history of ideas
in becoming a parish priest. He joined the CNRS (the newly-established national research institute) in 1949 and left the priesthood in 1952 to get married.
[10]
Pierre Hadot - Prabook
In 1972-1984, Hadot worked as a research center director at Religions du Livre. In 1982-1991, he was a professor at Collège de France, Paris, France, and in ...
[11]
[PDF] Pierre Hadot: Stoicism as a Way of Life
Jan 1, 2020 · wife, Ilsetraut Hadot. When the two met in 1964, Hadot reflects that he had had no idea that. Ilsetraut was working on “a doctorate under the ...Missing: marriage | Show results with:marriage
[12]
[PDF] Spiritual Exercises and Ancient Philosophy: An Introduction to Pierre ...
Aug 14, 2023 · Philosophy presented itself as a "mode of life, as an act of living, as a way of being" (ES, p. 221). The lesson of ancient philosophy consisted ...
[13]
[PDF] Why Practice Philosophy as a Way of Life?
Apr 27, 2020 · Drawing on the work of Pierre Hadot, I claim that spiritual exercises and communal engagement mitigate the factors that prevent us from living ...Missing: scholarly | Show results with:scholarly
[14]
[PDF] pierre-hadot-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life-spiritual-exercises-from ...
As early as 1959, Hadot described a phenomenon, constant in the history of philosophy, that stems from the evolution of the philosophical consciousness: it ...Missing: ordination EPHE
[15]
Plotinus or the Simplicity of Vision - The University of Chicago Press
Hadot carefully examines Plotinus's views on the self, existence, love, virtue, gentleness, and solitude.
[16]
[PDF] plotinus-or-simplicity-of-vision.pdf - Path to the Maypole of Wisdom
But the best in troduction to Hadot's reading of Plotinus remains this short book, for it allows us to see the experience of philosophy as manifested in the ...
[17]
https://brill.com/view/journals/mnem/74/3/article-p448_5.xml
[18]
The Inner Citadel - Harvard University Press
Dec 28, 2001 · [Hadot argues] that the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius must be understood primarily as a 'philosophical' work not in the sense of speculative ...
[19]
The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Translated by ...
In The Inner Citadel, Hadot applies to Marcus Aurelius' Meditations his characteristic interpretative approach: treating ancient philosophy as a “way of life.”
[20]
Pierre Hadot's Stoicism by Matthew Sharpe
Dec 1, 2018 · Probably the second greatest influence on Hadot's reading of Stoicism is the work of his wife, Ilsetraut Hadot, including her extraordinary ...Missing: marriage | Show results with:marriage
[21]
(PDF) Pierre Hadot: Stoicism as a way of life - Academia.edu
Hadot's reception of Stoicism focuses primarily upon Marcus Aurelius, with two qualifications. The first is that, following an anecdote Marcus reports in book I ...
[22]
Hadot's “Active” Stoic Exercises by Anitra Russell | Modern Stoicism
Jul 8, 2017 · According to Epictetus, “What depends on us are value-judgments, inclinations to act, desires, aversions, and, in a word, everything that is our ...
[23]
The Veil of Isis - Harvard University Press
Sep 15, 2008 · This engaging study by Pierre Hadot. Taking the allegorical figure of the veiled goddess Isis as a guide, and drawing on the work of both the ancients and ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[24]
Pierre Hadot - Les Belles Lettres
14-day returnsPierre Hadot. Études de philosophie ancienne. 17 études sur le génie de l'erreur, maléfique ou bénéfique, dans l'exégèse de la philosophie ancienne. Disponible ...Missing: editorial | Show results with:editorial
[25]
Plotinus - Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
$$35.95Feb 2, 2018 · (1924-1988), Plotin, Ennéades, Les Belles Lettres, 7 vol. Brisson, L. and Pradeau, J.F. (eds). (2002-2010), Plotin, Traités, Flammarion, 9 vol.
[26]
https://www.lesbelleslettres.com/livre/9782251004723/ecrits-pour-lui-meme-tome-i-introduction-generale-livre-i
[27]
Pierre Hadot (1922-2010) - OpenEdition Journals
Oct 4, 2012 · 8 Pierre Hadot avait prévu de confier l'achèvement de cette traduction commentée à M. Jean-Baptiste Gourinat, directeur de recherche au CNRS ...
[28]
Sandra Laugier, Pierre Hadot as a Reader of Wittgenstein - PhilPapers
Pierre Hadot, professor of ancient philosophy at the Collège de France, published, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, some of the earliest work on Wittgenstein ...Missing: translations | Show results with:translations
[29]
Pierre Hadot as a Reader of Wittgenstein | Paragraph
Nov 8, 2011 · Hadot conceived of philosophy as an activity rather than a body of doctrines and found in Wittgenstein a fruitful point of departure for ethical reflection.
[30]
Plotin, Porphyre. Etudes néoplatoniciennes. - Collection L'Âne d'or
€27.10Après des études religieuses Pierre Hadot (1922-2010) a orienté ses recherches vers les philosophies de l'antiquité. Ses travaux originaux, sur le stoïcisme et ...Missing: Ilsetraut collaboration néoplatonisme
[31]
Pierre Hadot and Michel Foucault on Spiritual Exercises
Although Hadot and Foucault conceptualise and interpret spiritual exercises differently, their account of spiritual exercises is useful as it allows modern-day ...
[32]
[PDF] Self or Cosmos: Foucault versus Hadot
Hadot's account of these ancient practices would prove to be an important influence on Foucault, who referred to Hadot's work a number of times in his later ...
[33]
Hadot's later Wittgenstein: A critique - Hymers - Wiley Online Library
Jan 4, 2024 · Hadot argues that this work produces a self-defeating paradox because it claims that we can speak intelligibly only within a language-game.
[34]
What's Wittgenstein to Pierre Hadot? The decisive idea of language ...
Feb 14, 2024 · As Hadot writes, in our translation: Wittgenstein thus likes to imagine, for example, a language game which consists of giving an order, and ...
[35]
Brian Gregor, Ricoeur's askēsis: textual and gymnastic exercises for ...
Jul 21, 2017 · This essay examines what the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur can contribute to current debates on the role of spiritual exercise, or askēsis, ...
[36]
Buddhist Spiritual Practices: Thinking with Pierre Hadot on ...
Sep 8, 2018 · Sara L. McClintock begins with Hadot's observation that philosophy as a way of life takes place in a school. She analyzes how this might apply ...Missing: articles | Show results with:articles
[37]
[PDF] what is philosophy as a way of life? - Parrhesia journal
In recent years there has been a gradual development of interest in the idea that philosophy might be conceived as a guide to life.
[38]
[PDF] Aristotle and Philosophy as a Way of Life
One potentially challenging case for Pierre Hadot's claim that all of ancient philosophy was ultimately a way of life is Aristotle.
[39]
PHILOSOPHY AS A WAY OF LIFE TODAY: HISTORY, CRITICISM ...
This essay discusses the possibility, relevance, and pertinence of a reactivation of philosophy as a way of life today on the basis of Pierre Hadot's account ...Missing: critique | Show results with:critique
[40]
The Selected Writings of Pierre Hadot: Philosophy as Practice
Free delivery over $35Jun 25, 2020 · This collection of writings from Pierre Hadot (1992-2010) presents, for the first time, previously unreleased and in some cases untranslated materials.Missing: childhood | Show results with:childhood
[41]
The selected writings of Pierre Hadot: philosophy as practice
Feb 21, 2022 · Second, we should not reduce philosophy-as-a-way-of-life to a practical ethics, and leave physics and logic, for instance, to the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[42]
Philosophy as Practice</i> by Pierre Hadot (review) - Project MUSE
Jan 4, 2025 · The Selected Writings of Pierre Hadot: Philosophy as Practice, translated by Matthew Sharpe and Federico Testa, compiles 14 texts that had never-before been ...
[43]
Tribute to Pierre Hadot - Saturday, October 11, 2025
Oct 7, 2025 · The tribute will begin with a gathering at 2.30pm at the Square Paul Langevin, allée Pierre Hadot, before continuing at the Collège de France ...
[44]
Hommage à Pierre Hadot - - Stoa Gallica
Rejoignez-nous samedi 11 octobre 2025 au Collège de France et sur l'allée Pierre Hadot pour rendre hommage à Pierre Hadot, philosophe et historien de la ...
[45]
Philosophical Practice as Spiritual Exercises towards Truth, Wisdom ...
For Pierre Hadot, the goal of philosophical practice as spiritual exercises is wisdom itself, and genuine wisdom will not only lead people to truth and ...Missing: eudaimonia | Show results with:eudaimonia
[46]
Pierre Hadot on Habit, Reason, and Spiritual Exercises
Aug 9, 2025 · This essay is a reappraisal of Pierre Hadot's concept of spiritual exercises in response to recent criticisms of his work.Missing: eudaimonia | Show results with:eudaimonia
[47]
Selected Writings of Pierre Hadot, The: Philosophy as Practice (Re ...
This collection of writings from Pierre Hadot (1992-2010) presents, for the first time, previously unreleased and in some cases untranslated materials from ...Missing: Catholique Sorbonne 1946 1947