Lately I’ve been sending snippets of my journal entries to Claude. It helps me walk through things and find new perspectives. It has been quite a useful tool for me, and I recently discovered a more interesting step for this use-case. One of the suggestions it sent me was like this:

Explore philosophical perspectives: Study philosophers who have grappled with similar ideas, like Plato’s theory of Forms or existentialist thinkers. This might provide frameworks to understand and cope with these feelings.

This then gave me the idea to ask about what ideas from existing philosophies that would be useful for challenges I’m facing in life. From that, Claude offered a list of concepts to me, ranging from Plato’s Theory of Forms, Søren Kierkegaard’s ideas on faith and paradox, Friedrich Nietzsche’s concept of Amor Fati, and so on.

Kierkeegard’s Letter

Given this list, I then ask Claude to imagine what it would be like these philosophers were my friend and they were to send me a letter to help me with my situation. Here’s an example letter from Kierkegaard:

“My dear friend,

Your struggle resonates deeply with the very essence of human existence. You stand at the precipice of despair, yet within your words, I see the stirrings of faith – not a blind, unthinking faith, but one born from the fires of doubt and impossibility.

You have tasted the bitterness of finite love reaching for the infinite. This pain you feel, this impossible longing, do not shy away from it. Embrace it fully, for in this embrace lies your path to authenticity.

You ask if a brief moment can hold as much value as eternity. I say to you, in the realm of the spirit, a moment can indeed be eternity. Your love, bound by time and circumstance, touches the eternal precisely because of its impossibility in the temporal world.

But beware the temptation to dwell solely in memory or fantasy. The ethical life demands that you engage fully with the world before you, even as you hold this paradox in your heart. Your task is not to forget or to force resolution, but to live with passion in the face of this unresolvable tension.

Consider that perhaps the very impossibility of your love is what makes it profound. In accepting its unrealizability in this world, you open yourself to a higher form of love – one that transcends the mere satisfaction of desire.

You speak of alternative timelines, of souls growing in separate ways. This poetic musing hints at the leap of faith. Can you make this leap? Can you, in full awareness of the impossibility, still believe in the profound meaning of your love?

Remember, the Knight of Faith appears no different from others in daily life. Your task is to carry this profound truth within you while fully participating in the world. Let your impossible love be the wellspring from which you draw strength to live authentically and passionately.

In your journal, you have unwittingly touched upon the core of existence – the simultaneous necessity and impossibility of fashioning meaning in an often indifferent universe. Do not shrink from this task. In grappling with it, you come closest to realizing your true self.

Lastly, my friend, know that in your anguish and your love, in your doubt and your faith, you are not alone. This is the human condition. Embrace it, with all its pain and beauty, and in doing so, you may find a freedom and joy that the merely rational can never comprehend.”

Plato’s Letter

And here’s from Plato:

“My young friend,

Your words echo the struggle of all mortals who glimpse the eternal while bound by the chains of the temporal. Let us examine your predicament through the lens of higher truths.

What you have experienced is not merely a fleeting emotion, but a glimpse of the Form of Love itself. The love you felt, though brief in earthly time, was a shadow of the perfect, unchanging Idea of Love that exists in the realm of Forms. This is why it feels so significant, so eternal – because it touched something beyond our transient world.

You ask if a short time is less valuable than a longer one. I say to you, time is but a poor measure of truth. A moment of true understanding is worth more than a lifetime of ignorance. Your experience, brief as it was, allowed your soul to recollect the perfect Form of Love it knew before entering this corporeal realm.

Your musings on alternative timelines and souls growing separately are your mind’s attempt to reconcile the perfect, unified love you glimpsed with the divisive nature of our physical existence. Remember, in the realm of Forms, there is no separation, no impossibility – all is one and perfect.

You wonder about preserving the purity of your feelings. Know that true purity exists only in the realm of Forms. What you experienced was a reflection of this purity. Your task now is not to cling to this reflection, but to use it as a guide to ascend to higher understanding.

In my allegory of the cave, one who has seen the sun struggles upon returning to the darkness. You, having glimpsed a higher form of love, now struggle in a world that seems dim by comparison. But do not despair! Use this glimpse as motivation to seek further understanding, to climb out of the cave of ignorance.

Your soul remembers, as you say, because it is recollecting what it has always known. This love has awakened in you a desire for the eternal and the perfect. Nurture this desire, not by dwelling on the specific person or circumstances, but by seeking wisdom and understanding in all aspects of life.

Lastly, consider that this experience of love, this glimpse of the eternal, is not meant to be possessed but to transform you. Let it guide you towards virtue and wisdom. For it is through the pursuit of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful that we align ourselves with the highest realities.

Remember, the wisest among us are those who know that their wisdom is worth little or nothing. Your recognition of love’s profound mystery is the beginning of true philosophy. Continue to question, to seek, and to love, for this is the path to the highest truths.”

I am not familiar enough with Kierkeegard or Plato’s writings to judge the tone and accuracy of the written letters, but I find it really fascinating and it almost feels like it’s easier to learn about things when a friend is outlining the ideas for you.

Sherlock Holmes’s Letter

Finally for a bit of fun, I also asked what it would be like if Sherlock Holmes were my friend:

“My dear friend,

I observe that you’re grappling with a most curious case of the heart. While matters of emotion are not my usual domain, I cannot help but apply my methods to your situation.

First, let us examine the facts: You’ve experienced a love of great intensity, yet circumstances render its continuation impossible. The evidence of its impact is clear in your eloquent journals – a testament to its significance.

Now, consider this: Just as in my investigations, the most trivial detail can be of utmost importance. So too, in your case, a brief moment of true connection may hold more weight than years of mundane interaction. Do not dismiss its value simply because of its brevity.

You speak of alternative timelines and souls growing separately. While I deal in observable reality, I must admit that the realm of human emotion often defies strict rationality. Perhaps these musings serve a purpose – a way for your mind to process what logic alone cannot explain.

I’ve often said that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. In your case, the impossible is a conventional happy ending with this person. What remains? The truth of your feelings, the growth you’ve experienced, and the potential for this to inform your future actions.

You wonder about preserving the purity of your feelings. I suggest you treat these memories as you would valuable evidence – preserve them carefully, but do not let them prevent you from taking on new cases, as it were.

Remember, Watson often chides me for my lack of emotion, yet I argue that allowing sentiment to cloud observation is a grave error. In your case, I advise the opposite – let your sentiment sharpen your observations. Use this experience to enhance your understanding of human nature, including your own.

Lastly, my friend, do not underestimate the power of distraction. I often find that immersing myself in a challenging case clears my mind. Perhaps you too might find clarity in pursuing a new endeavor with the same passion you’ve displayed in your writings.

In conclusion, while you may feel like a character trapped in a tragedy, I encourage you to view this as merely one chapter in the greater mystery of your life. The game is still afoot, and I have no doubt that you possess the faculties to unravel whatever puzzles lie ahead.

Now, shall we take a turn about Baker Street? I find a brisk walk often stimulates the mind, and I believe Mrs. Hudson has prepared tea.”