It turns out that the questions you ask matter as much as what the answers are.
Everblossom22 on
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt if you are interested in social psychology
La-seeker on
“Science based” books on how to live a meaningful life is an interesting request. Most turn to philosophy or theology for this age old question that every self-examining human asks. Science doesn’t discriminate objective goods (virtue) and evil. Nor can it define what is meaningful to an individual. Science typically just answers the questions of “how” or “what” not the bigger “why” questions.
(Edit) sorry, meant to add that in order to know “what” is objectively good and what a meaningful life means and “how” to live it, one must first answer the “why.”
-rba- on
Staring at the Sun
Man’s Search for Meaning
Prestigious_Job_9332 on
*The Virtue of Selfishness*, by _She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_
EleventhofAugust on
Second Wave Positive Psychology: Embracing the Dark Side of Life by Itai Ivtzan, etc. This one tackles issue not usually addressed by positive psychology like aging, suffering, meaning. It also references some other great books along the way.
Jaded_Substance4990 on
No bad parts, by Dick Schwartz. It teaches you a new way of relating to your psyche that is scientifically studied. It’s changed my life and many others
ACuriousManExists on
Ecclesiasticus
Loud_Introvert_3954 on
Why Not Humanity by Horatio Felici. Short read but talks about how to live life for yourself in a non Atlas Shrugged type of way. Talks about being helpful and growing yourself.
A little counterintuitive, but: THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin de Becker
OldDudeNH on
the Tao Te Ching
natfix on
Most self help books are just recycling ancient insights in shiny new packaging but if you read enough of them you realise they are all very similar and based on a few ancient ideas.
I do enjoy reading all of Alain de Botton’s books for The School of Life series because I like how he writes.
kristoandnoor on
big magic by Elizebeth gilbert and ikigai by Hector Garcia Puigcerver
macaronipickle on
The Big Picture by Sean Carroll
cannabios on
Anything by Dalai Lama
pointlesssalt on
When Breath Becomes Air
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
17 Comments
I came at this problem a different way.
I read Plato’s *Meno* and *Gorgias*.
It turns out that the questions you ask matter as much as what the answers are.
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt if you are interested in social psychology
“Science based” books on how to live a meaningful life is an interesting request. Most turn to philosophy or theology for this age old question that every self-examining human asks. Science doesn’t discriminate objective goods (virtue) and evil. Nor can it define what is meaningful to an individual. Science typically just answers the questions of “how” or “what” not the bigger “why” questions.
(Edit) sorry, meant to add that in order to know “what” is objectively good and what a meaningful life means and “how” to live it, one must first answer the “why.”
Staring at the Sun
Man’s Search for Meaning
*The Virtue of Selfishness*, by _She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_
Second Wave Positive Psychology: Embracing the Dark Side of Life by Itai Ivtzan, etc. This one tackles issue not usually addressed by positive psychology like aging, suffering, meaning. It also references some other great books along the way.
No bad parts, by Dick Schwartz. It teaches you a new way of relating to your psyche that is scientifically studied. It’s changed my life and many others
Ecclesiasticus
Why Not Humanity by Horatio Felici. Short read but talks about how to live life for yourself in a non Atlas Shrugged type of way. Talks about being helpful and growing yourself.
This – [https://amzn.to/4eFg9FI](https://amzn.to/4eFg9FI) no questions.
A little counterintuitive, but: THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin de Becker
the Tao Te Ching
Most self help books are just recycling ancient insights in shiny new packaging but if you read enough of them you realise they are all very similar and based on a few ancient ideas.
I do enjoy reading all of Alain de Botton’s books for The School of Life series because I like how he writes.
big magic by Elizebeth gilbert and ikigai by Hector Garcia Puigcerver
The Big Picture by Sean Carroll
Anything by Dalai Lama
When Breath Becomes Air
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Man’s Search for Meaning
The Last Lecture