The Philosophy of Anxiety from Classical Wisdom

The Philosophy of Anxiety from Classical Wisdom on Vimeo.

Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental disorders. Considered pathology, anxiety is the most diagnosed and medicated of all psychological disorders... but what if it isn't always or only a medical condition?

From Greek tragedies and Buddhism to actual practices from ancient doctors like Galen, there are a myriad of important lessons about anxiety that can be gleaned from the past. Indeed, the ancients had a lot to say about anxiety and mental conditions in general... and their perspective and observations were at times very different from those found in our modern era.

With the help of both ancient philosophy and history, how can we see anxiety as a source not only of suffering, but also of insight?

Featuring professor emeritus of philosophy at Brooklyn College and author of “Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide”, Samir Chopra, Vanderbilt physician, Assistant Professor of Classics and author of “How to Be Healthy”, Katherine D. Van Schaik, and professor of Classics at Cornell University and author of “How to Grieve”, Michael Fontaine.