A Philosophical Happy Hour inquiring into the nature of solitude and its role for our intellectual lives: not as that whereby truth is merely discovered, but by which we abide in it.
Two weeks ago, we asked in our Philosophical Happy Hour how and why it is that friendship is necessary for discovering the good. Today, we ask how and why solitude is necessary for our relationship to truth. As suggested in this week’s title, the relationship is not merely one of discovery, but of abiding.
What is Solitude?
To open this question, let us consider the words of A.G. Sertillanges, who writes in his Intellectual Life, “In the organization of our [intellectual] life, the essential point to safeguard, in view of which all the rest is necessary, is the wise provision of solitude, exterior and interior.” Why is the “wise provision of solitude” the “essential point”? And what should we make of the seeming paradoxical assertion that our solitude must be both exterior (which is obvious) and interior (which is not). “Interior solitude”? What could that possibly mean?
As a suggestion for thinking through this question—not just the interiority of solitude, but of its essential nature—let us consider these three words: rest, motion, and restlessness. Is motion the opposite of rest? Or is the opposite, in fact, restlessness? We may be still, but restless; and we may be in motion, but at rest—in a certain respect. Similarly, might we be together—but each feel loneliness? Can we be alone, but not experience solitude? I would say we not only be alone, but even lonely; and yet lack “interior solitude”. Such is the common state of those scrolling their minds through the screen of their phones.
Is solitude, too, intelligible to us in this framework?
Abiding in the Truth
I suspect that most of us, at some one or another point in our lives, have experienced a moment of insight—a flash, a eureka, a sudden dawn of truth. This might happen in conversation, while reading, listening; it could happen on a walk, or a run, or sitting quietly in one’s chair. I will readily confess to many a great insight having come to my own mind while in the shower.
But the flash of insight, as also we all—unfortunately—likely know, oftentimes slips away, too. Too readily and swiftly are we distracted. Someone makes a joke and the conversation turns. We put down the book to check our phones and find the intellectual light dimmed when we pick it back up. Sparked by the words heard one moment, our minds are doused by those that come immediately after. We forget or our attentions are stolen, and the truth slips from our grasp.
The word “abide” is one of those rare words of Old English origin: coming from abidan, gebiden, meaning to remain, wait, wait for, or remain behind. We may discover the truth in the presence of others. But can we abide in it, except in solitude?
Conversation and Quiet
Those interested may read these few pages from Sertillanges’ Intellectual Life on the importance of solitude; they will be found instructive. But necessary though solitude is for our intellectual dwelling, so too—being the kinds of creatures we are—our minds need also friendship and conversation to fructify the life of the mind.
So join us this Wednesday (18 March 2026, from 5:45-7:15+ pm ET) as we reflect conversationally upon these questions:
- What do we really mean by “solitude”? How can we have “interior solitude”?
- What does it mean to “abide in the truth”?
- Are those not in religious orders called to “monastic” solitude? Or an analogue thereof?
- Is “truth” something necessarily social? Why/not—or how?
philosophical happy hour
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Come join us for drinks (adult or otherwise) and a meaningful conversation. Open to the public! Held every Wednesday from 5:45–7:15pm ET.
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