Loneliness, Solitude, and Philosophic Contemplation

Creating conditions that facilitate sociality and friendship is an important way to address loneliness. But it is not sufficient in itself, as shown by philosopher Anca Gheaus in a recent article. After highlighting the need for alternative ways to address chronic loneliness, Gheaus offers a promising approach: “[c]reating favourable conditions for the appreciation of solitude [:::]” (Gheaus, 2022, p. 242). In this article, I first expand Gheaus’ account by articulating different dimensions of solitude experiences. Second, I show how cultivation of philosophic contemplation could enhance one’s ability to appreciate solitude.