If one asserted that, Everything happens for the best, this assumption about life would support an attitude of acceptance and a feeling of resignation. Talking about personal purpose and ethical dilemmas should help Silicon Valley types broaden their perspective, says Sandra Garrison, the San Jose State philosophy graduate student. So far, Garrison has seen just a few clients on a pro-bono basis. But she expects her San Jose practice to take off. Here, she says, We re focused on developing our technology, not our humanity.
Philosophical counseling can help people develop their humanity.
Socrates cafes Garrison plans to do more with philosophy than just counseling. A salon for a Redwood City cafe also is being considered and could begin later this fall. One of McCullough s salon discussions focused on whether modern society was in need of a new myth to live by. Several participants argued for a new belief system that would heal our anxiety and sense of groundlessness. A debate followed, with some salon members countering that a myth could lead to dogmatic beliefs and potentially tyrannical consequences.