Hellenistic Philosophy, written masterfully by John Sellars, is the definitive guide to this fundamental period of philosophy. And, although Sellars is widely renowned for his meticulous yet accessible work, it is still surprising to realize how this work might prove therapeutic in these days.

From the first pages of the book, Sellars shows convincingly why Hellenistic philosophy formed the basis of psychological theories and modern philosophical schools: from its very own conception, Hellenistic philosophy aims to achieve a better life, with less anxiety about the future, the gods and mundane possessions. Its methods require both practical thinking and logical reasoning, which resonates with our current way of thinking and making philosophy. Therefore, this method of making philosophy is still highly influential today.  

In a very helpful way, the introduction offers a flawless explanation of what the Hellenistic period entails and its impact on the next generation of philosophers. Sellars’s predilection for history is evident from the beginning, in which one can get an accurate view of the years between the 323 and 31 BC; the Hellenistic period.  Arranged by philosophical questions, the themes in each chapter address the most pressing philosophical questions (even today), such as: how verifiable knowledge is; what is the nature of the cosmos around us; how can one define the self; what is truly ‘good’ and the balance between belonging to the community and having free will.

An outstanding chapter about ‘finitude’ was, in my opinion, an example of the value of John Sellars’ book regarding a therapeutic approach. Since philosophers from the Hellenistic period were concerned with the anxiety that people experienced everyday because of their stressful lives, philosophers attacked the most difficult problem of them all: one’s death. And their sophisticated views from those times provide a holistic and consistent option to take away the fear of dying, with their respective discussions and theoretical costs. It would be rather difficult to deny that many of our current psychological schools contain variations of the philosophical thesis of these rich Hellenistic theories.

The book’s content itself is arranged by philosophical discussion, containing a narrative that engages with the reader, and not just a collection of facts. Several philosophers make their way through the different chapters due to their importance; and the discussion is not necessarily presented in chronological order because of the truly didactic turn that Sellars gave to this book. Every single person reading this book should be able to make a convincing case of the chapters’ themes after reading it jus once. And such thing is a great advantage compared to other texts used for similar purposes.      

I would like to make emphasis on the historical side of this book, which differentiates it from other similar works. This book provides accurate and didactic timelines, a full context of the Hellenistic philosophy, and the views of more than 40 important philosophers. The fact that the historical side is very prominent might seem a bit overwhelming for some students, especially in the first two chapters; however, as the reader becomes more familiar with the context, such feeling disappears.  

In my opinion, this book is much more than just an introduction to an essential philosophy. I would recommend this oeuvre to anyone who loves history, has an interest in philosophy or wants to widen the reach of the therapeutic value of philosophy. I can definitely imagine that psychologists, therapists, thanatologists, people working with young adults, and history enthusiasts will enjoy thoroughly this book. On a side note, the cover art is absolutely beautiful in the paperback edition that I own.    

© 2019 Aline Maya Paredes