A Daoist Critique of Effort in Pierre Hadot's Philosophy

Abstract

This paper offers a critique of Pierre Hadot's idea of philosophy as a way of life with reference to ancient China, particularly the Zhuangzi. The prevailing scholarly emphasis in philosophy as a way of life falls too heavily on individual will and effortful exertion—thus Hadot's description of what he calls “spiritual exercises.” I argue for counterbalancing the focus on effortful self-cultivation with attention to the role of passivity, receptiveness, and chance in the good life—collectively termed “grace.” After a discussion of the overemphasis on effort in self-cultivation, I turn to the Zhuangzi as an illustrative source of the importance of grace.