John Cooper contends that ancient philosophers shared certain fundamental assumptions about the “motivating power” of truth and knowledge that have been abandoned by post-Renaissance philosophers. Consequently, he claims that those seeking philosophy as a guide to the good life can only find it in the works of ancient philosophers. I challenge that conclusion by arguing that philosophy as a way of life has not disappeared but has evolved. A key indicator of this continuity is the enduring presence of “professional” philosophers who, like their ancient counterparts, remain concerned with what used to be called “the state of one’s soul.”

Most objections against Henry Thoreau aim at his “unfriendly” provocations. In this article, I argue that we need to situate his exhortative style in the context of practicing parrhesia or the bold expression of truth in the Socratic tradition of philosophy. Philosophical parrhesia can be defined as the practice of speaking the truth with an eye to bringing home the realization that one must change one's life. The transformation Thoreau has in mind is hinged upon acquiring the practical knowledge of cultivating the senses through what he calls “excursion.” This, I argue, is his key contribution to the said tradition.