James Tartaglia is Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Keele University, UK. He is the author of Philosophy in a Meaningless Life (2016), Philosophy in a Technological World (2020), and his newest book Inner Space Philosophy, which was released today. In this Recently Published Book Spotlight, Tartaglia discusses how his frustration with the standardized style of philosophy today inspired him to write this book and the creative approach he took in it.
Why did you feel the need to write this work?
I wrote it because I’ve come to think that today’s philosophy neglects the stylistic and imaginative presentations of original philosophical ideas found in some of the most influential philosophy of all time, such as Plato’s dialogues and allegories, Descartes’ meditations, Nietzsche’s aphorisms, and Sartre’s novels and plays. Philosophy has become stylistically standardized, with the standard in question being a professional academic one modelled on science. Any deviation from the standard raises the suspicion that what is on offer is merely popularizing work, not original philosophy. I think this indifference to style and art has stifled creativity in philosophy, lessened its appeal, and made it more insular, which has led outsiders to question philosophy’s value with increasing aggressiveness. I think exploring new styles will help the discipline expand into the public consciousness, where philosophical reflection might start to play a much more important social role in our technologically driven world; and with the way technology is going, we’re going to be needing philosophy more than ever before, as I argued in Philosophy in a Technological World (2020).
In the introduction, I justify my unconventional approach in conventional academic prose—after that things really kick off. First, you get the aphoristic writing of Chapter 1, designed to get you thinking about whether philosophy is as real to people as it used to be, and whether it could ever again be a burning passion for enlightenment and illumination, a lifelong quest. Chapter 2 is a series of ethereal encounters with philosophy-spirits, who explain their philosophies to you in a friendly manner; well, usually friendly, some of them are a bit prickly—this chapter is much bigger than the rest, it’s a book-within-a-book, I’ll tell you more about it later.
Chapter 3 is a parable about two spirits called Lady Luck and Fate, and the day when they met the terrifying apparition called Philosophy and awakened our sleeping Destiny. The style of this chapter is inspired by the Roman satirist Lucian, I’m a big fan, and the theme is the connection between metaphysical materialism, social materialism, and neglect of philosophy. Chapter 4 returns to the aphoristic style, as we imagine the first prehistoric man or woman to speculate about the meaning of life. I then try to forge a new concept of ‘meaningfulness’ which might prove useful if technology drives us further into inner space, as I expect will happen, and as tech-leaders are trying to make happen.
Chapter 5 looks destined to be the most popular, from the reactions I’ve seen so far—and it’s my favourite too. It’s a spoof biography of Gambo Lai Lai the Cynic philosopher, who lived in Trinidad in the golden era of Calypso music, the 1920s and ‘30s; the fusty style of his anonymous biographer is loosely inspired by Diogenes Laertius. Gambo Lai Lai was a real historical figure, a larger-than-life character who used to stand on street corners making speeches in an antiquated and florid English; I slip in an actual quote, his words are unforgettable. All this public exhorting in ‘old angle’, as he called it, led to Gambo being repeatedly arrested and jailed for disturbing the peace, but the people loved him, he was a local celebrity and calypsonians recorded songs about him. As to whether he really was a Cynic philosopher I reserve comment, but if the chapter does its work, it should awaken in the reader a real sense of the spirit of ancient Cynic philosophy, and of how it might have something important to say to us in our tech-driven world.
Finally, in Chapter 6, we get to listen in on an overheated discussion between a hero called Barney and a villain called Cuillin, as they discuss Inner Space Philosophy, the book that saved the world, analysing the contents chapter by chapter. Cuillin raises the most savage criticisms I could think of, a hostile reviewer would do well to improve on Cuillin’s performance, he absolutely trashes it, or tries. And then the book ends on the ‘wolves’ theme I develop in ‘chasers’ at the end of each chapter—the overall conclusion of the book emerges as your favourite characters return for one last scene.
Do you see any connections between your professional work and personal life?
Well, there you go, a perfect illustration of what I’m talking about in Chapter 1 when I say philosophy doesn’t seem as real as it used to, that it’s all become a bit watered down. Just imagine asking Plato if he saw any connections between his professional work and personal life? He’d think you were barmy—he was a philosopher, so he lived the philosophical life. It reminds me of when Alan Watts said the new model of the philosopher is of the “nine-to-five businessman, going to the office with his briefcase to ‘do philosophy’ in the same spirit as an accountant or research chemist.” He had a point, right? Given what philosophy has traditionally been, you really shouldn’t have to ask me a question like that. As things stand, however, it’s a very good question and I shall answer it. In my case, philosophy is no longer a day job, if it ever was (can’t remember), philosophical thoughts come to me whenever and wherever they want, you can never entirely turn it off and I very rarely want to, I’d prefer to progress in the opposite direction, to try to become more like the philosophers in this book.
How do you relate your work to other well-known philosophies?
Ah, so you finally asked … this gives me the opportunity I needed, since I promised to tell you about the book-in-a-book which is Chapter 2. It’s where the reader gets to “encounter” a historical parade of my favourite philosophers. And what I mean by “encounter” is that I pretend to be them, talking to you very directly in an imaginary, magical place. I start with Plato (427-347 BC), who tells you a bit about his philosophy and life, before revisiting the Atlantis myth he invented, this time to expand on it with a new tale, one with a clear moral for us concerning mobile phone addiction.
Then we move onto Plotinus (204-270 AD), the Roman philosopher who advocated strict introspective metaphysical mediation for the purposes of “merging with the One,” an intense spiritual ecstasy in which we experientially grasp the truth of being at one with the universe—that’s what Plotinus was always trying to do in his everyday life, while remembering to be kind and considerate to lesser souls, of course.
The third encounter is with Chinese philosopher Xuanzang (602-664 AD), a leading figure in the “consciousness-only” school of Buddhism—after he’s told you about his amazing 16-year adventure in India, he gives you a straightforward account of the outlines of his philosophy, one which you’ll notice has a lot in common with the kind of things Plato and Plotinus were saying. The fourth encounter is with Nana Abena Boaa, who was an African queen from the 17th century about whom nothing else is known—so unless I got very lucky, she wasn’t really a philosopher. Still, anything can happen in my encounters, and I needed somebody to represent the traditional Akan philosophy of West Africa, which was passed down by anonymous oral tradition. Again, you’ll notice the same ideas reoccurring—people were realising the truth all over the world. The fifth encounter is with F.H. Bradley (1846-1924), the leading figure in the British Idealism movement, and you’d better brace yourself for this one, because he’s a very stern and intimidating chap; if you’re a cat lover you might not like Bradley. And the sixth and final encounter is with Zemina (3304-3531), who is from the distant future—she has hair that glows like a green star and she’s lived her entire life in virtual reality, as everyone has in her time.
How is your work relevant to everyday life?
I’m promoting the benefits of introducing philosophy into your everyday inner life. I think everyone should get into philosophy. If I had my way it’d be compulsory from primary school onwards, you need to divert people from tunnel-vision.
How is your work relevant to the contemporary world?
I think that if the human race can develop philosophically, then we might achieve rational and democratic grip over our technological development. And if we can do that, by developing a collective form of philosophical rationality, then I think we’ll become a cosmic force to be reckoned with. Philosophers need to think big, that’s my motto. Progress = expansion. Don’t you realise you’ll never solve that problem once and for all? Keep trying, of course, but work on making progress too.
What effect do you hope your work will have?
I hope it will get some people deeply thinking and enjoying doing so; I hope it will have that effect on as many people as possible.
Where would you like to go to do research in the future, if you could go anywhere?
I’d like to go into the future to do my research, please, if you’ll allow me to choose an “anywhere” in a distant future of virtual reality. The destination I have in mind is the time when Zemina is the galaxy’s undisputed leading philosophical authority, and she makes regular statements to Universae Philosophia, the human intergalactic philosophical news agency. For these people of the future, there’s vital need for efficient and definitive philosophical reporting, which Universae Philosophia unfailingly delivers, because absolutely everyone, without exception, strives to keep abreast of the latest philosophical developments, whatever their walk of life, and to the best of their abilities. There’s nothing dutiful about this because Zemina lives in a time long after humans have culturally evolved into a philosophical people. So that’s the future I’d like my research leave to take place in, please—I’ll need a swanky pad by the sea, one with decent transport connections to the virtual city Zemina lives in, I’ve something I want to ask her. Anyway, once I’ve got used to their world, I think I’ll settle down to write a book about Neoplatonism, I’ve been really getting into that stuff lately. To be honest, I expect I’ll end up writing it on planet Earth in the 21st century, but that’ll be great too, just not quite so spectacularly great.
James Tartaglia
James Tartaglia is Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Keele University, UK. He defends nihilism and idealism and is a jazz saxophonist who makes “Jazz-Philosophy Fusion”. He is the author of Philosophy in a Meaningless Life (2016), Philosophy in a Technological World (2020), and his new book is Inner Space Philosophy.
Maryellen Stohlman-Vanderveen is the APA Blog's Diversity and Inclusion Editor and Research Editor. She graduated from the London School of Economics with an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy in 2023 and currently works in strategic communications. Her philosophical interests include conceptual engineering, normative ethics, philosophy of technology, and how to live a good life.
