Were there any rich philosophers who actually made their their mental investments pay. As far as I know, Shopenhauer ‘the pessimist’ made a fairly good living from his books. He made enough money to make his ‘ideas’ pay. Who knows he may have been the Warren Buffet of philosophy! Wittgenstein, on the other hand, who had far less to do with existential pessimism and far more with its abstractions gave away all of his considerable inheritance…because he had more important things to think about??
Whether this decision was wise or not, I always felt a global GDP’s worth of respect for the St. Francis of Assisi type then for Warren Buffet type who’ll only give to charities when he’s dead so he won’t feel the pain!
So what say ye! Were their any philosophers who were $$$ conscious as well as idea conscious? In short, were there any philosophers who took their bank accounts as seriously as their philosophy and used it to create a greater collection of shekels for themselves - a very human thing to do not that THAT would diminish an inherently brilliant philosophy!
I think the answer to your question is yes. There shameless self promoters and snake-oil salesman in every group - philosophers, unfortunately, are no exception.
“… a very human thing to do not that THAT would diminish an inherently brilliant philosophy!”
I would also add that it (or THAT) might very well diminish even brilliant philosophy significantly.
May I ask why you’re asking? Are you looking for a justification for accruing shekels?
Philosophers were the first psychotherapists of the ancient world, and made their living from doing it.
But it’s not really about the money, it’s a sort of unfair measurement, or no measurement at all. I can’t think of anyone studying it because they want to make money from its application. Except the new breed of philosophy therapists. Maybe politicians could…
Writing can certainly make good money though. Maybe not academic philosophy.
The amount of leisure time required to be a philosopher, almost necessitates a certain level of wealth.
You can’t be shoveling dirt during the day and then thinking about existence during the night, before you fade off to sleep.
Ah but Satyr, one must have something to contemplate in that leisure time. Activity caused the first philosophy. “Running into its Jaws,” as the moustache put it. Isn’t the intellect a means to solving problems, suffering, negotiating adversity? Affliction caused the intellect, and profound thoughts rely on heavy experience. “Going under,” as it were.
The moment one does philosophy as a luxury one is floundering.
There can be extreme moments of levity while shoveling dirt.
The answer to your question is yes.
Thales of Miletus (624-546 bc)
He was poor. In his native city of miletus,
he was ridicule for being poor. Though
his study of the sky, found out the up coming
olive oil harvest was going to be very good,
being poor he then put out a lease or rented all
the oil harvesting machines in the area, when the summer
came, he could ask any price he wanted because
he had “rented” all the oil harvesting machines.
He made a bundle, and then retire from making money
the rest of his life. His comment was real philosophers
look for the treasure found in philosophy, not in making money.
I vow not to come back and response and post questions but it looks like today it will be broken .
There are two people you can either believed in, ones that are enlighten or ones that they believe they are enlighten, or ones that have not yet been enlighten.
Unenlighten- you will be rich in spirit
those who believe they are enlighten ex: who has a phd- philosophy teaches you how to think
enlighten- rich people renouced their life to be devoted in philosophy
ex; philosophers that has became rich- bruce lee, harrison ford, steve martin, siddhartha, CEO’s philosophies " college teaches you how to be an employee, they do not teach you how to be employers and many more I can think of
So choose which one you believe, Buddha " Those who obeys and practices it will merit not contemplate it"
I think, Schopenhauer made the most money from an inheritance, which allowed him to write his books without need to sell them for living. Most of his books sold very sad in the beginning, like “The World As Will and Representation” ( amazon.com/gp/product/067479 … e&n=283155 )…
suppose it depends on what you mean by “rich” assuming you mean financialy (yes yes…it’s not spelt right i know…) i do beilieve a fair few Philosophers sold their thoughts to people, words of wisdom and such.