Filosofia “para” quê? Autoconhecimento, vivência filosófica e felicidade : o riso de Demócrito

Abstract

Based on the work Sobre o Riso e a Loucura, attributed to Hippocrates, this work aims to demonstrate the importance of Philosophy as a reflective path able of helping human beings in their search for self-knowledge and philosophical experience. To this end, we sought to rescue the practical character of ancient philosophy, well addressed by Pierre Hadot, which helps us discover the type of philosophy that is important for help us live in the present day. This formative purpose experienced by ancient philosophers was contextualized in letter seventeen of Sobre o Riso e a Loucura, from the hippocratic corpus, in which there is a narrative of Hippocrates´meeting with the philosopher Democrito, demonstrating how the philosophical experience can help us in clarifying ourselves, recognizing our real needs, collaborating thus achieving what man most desires, happiness.