For Those Of Us In Need Of Some Comfort: "The Consolations of Philosophy"

Between the tornadoes that ravaged through Nashville last week and the drastic impact the novel coronavirus has already had on the world, the new year has harbored some cruel combination of confusion and fear in many of us. If you are feeling this way, I want to recommend to you a piece of music that has brought me a lot of comfort over time, which is appropriately titled, "The Consolations of Philosophy," by Max Richter. This phrase may sound familiar to some of you. It wasn't until my Intro To Philosophy class with Dr. Oliver last semester that I would fully understand the context of this title.

The musical piece's title is likely referring to a book written by a scholar named Boethius in 523 AD during his imprisonment for "conspiracy" against his king. Although the accusations against him were unjustified, Boethius' prison sentence ended in his execution. In his book, "The Consolation of Philosophy," Boethius describes his experience finding comfort through the wisdom of "philosophy," which is personified as a woman:

"While I was pondering thus in silence, and using my pen to set down so tearful a complaint, there appeared standing over my head a woman’s form, whose countenance was full of majesty, whose eyes shone as with fire and whose power of insight surpassed that of all men…"

After I learned about Boethius' story, which you can read more about here, the musical piece below has taken on a different meaning to me. Every time I listen to it, I can't help but envision Boethius weeping in his cell, with "Lady Philosophy" beside him, soothing his pain through her profound words. 

Although far from Boethius' circumstances, philosophy fulfills this role in my life as well. As a nonreligious person, I find comfort in the wisdom that resides in philosophical thinking, which in a sense provides me with a foundation for faith in the world and in myself. This piece captures the emotional components of this experience very well, and I would encourage you to take a listen whenever you need to consult with "Lady Philosophy."