3 Steve Jobs-inspired philosophy lessons for those who think different

From Walter Isaacson's biography to Buzzfeed, plenty has been written about Steve Jobs. But do you know what the philosophers would have to say about him? In a new book from a publishing division of my company, Steve Jobs and Philosophy, sixteen philosophers examine the inspiring yet often baffling world of the barefoot hippy capitalist who did more to change our everyday lives than anyone since Thomas Edison. They look at his life through everything from the lens of cardinal virtues to Nietzche's self-realization to Schumpeter's creative destruction.

Here are three ways these philosophers bring insight into his life and our own. If you skipped philosophy in college (as I did) or have an existentialist streak (as I do), you'll enjoy the book's explanation as well as exploration of the intersection between philosophy and business. It's no joke (or April Fool's gag) - there is a lot to learn from this kind of reflection.

1. Basics of Buddhism: The Noble Truths of Steve Jobs

According to co-authors Shawn E. Klein and Danielle Fundora, Steve Jobs first got interested in Buddhism when he was at Reed College, and later made trips to India. While he's hardly the stereotype of a calm, compassionate Buddhist, he did see his life as a path.

In Buddhism, there are noble truths that relate to the fact that life is suffering - and also imperfection, impermanence and insubstantiality. Your life and the world as a whole are finite. We must seek to understand that suffering, stop engaging in it and seek Nirvana (which is freedom from suffering and awareness of ultimate truth). Other important aspects of Buddhism described in the book are the ideas that there is no self, that all things in the world are interconnected and in flux, and that life is best lived in a state of mindfulness.

Klein and Fundora say Jobs internalized some Buddhist beliefs: simplicity and minimalism (exhibited in Apple products but also his dress). He saw art and technology as combined, not separate, which speaks to the non-dualism of Buddhism. And he was also seeking an authentic path all his own. While he didn't necessarily embody Buddhism, it was part of who he was. And that holds some insights for us, say the authors.

Buddhism is a worldview for human beings - not for perfect beings. It is a guide for all of us who, like Jobs, are complex beings driven by many passions and desires. We, like Jobs, struggle with these passions and sometimes fall short of living up to our professed ideals. What we can learn from Jobs and Buddhism is to stay true to ourselves and keep trekking on our path... The path is what matters."

2. Adam Smith, Ayn Rand & Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Self Interest of Steve Jobs

In another chapter in Steve Jobs and Philosophy, Robert F. Salvino says many would rightfully define Steve Jobs as an egoist - and that entrepreneurs as a class are more likely than most to pursue their interests unwaveringly. This can lead to a self-absorbed mindset, but also success. Adam Smith noted an entrepreneur's pursuit of self-interest "ensures the satisfaction of people's wants." Emerson was the poster child for self-reliance and separation from the will of others. Ayn Rand heralded selfishness as a virtue. Salvino calls entrepreneurs "independent souls... that are the wellsprings of progress." Jobs was in this mold. He created great products not for others but to his own standards and intuition. His self interest also meant he presided over poor working conditions in China, often treated others harshly and gave little to charity. That may have been consistent with his own business and personal philosophy of self interest, but for me, it's troubling from an outside ethical viewpoint. But it was his path, not my own, and that brings me to the next concept: existentialism.

3. Self-Actualization and Authenticity: Steve Job's Existentialism

In the book, philosopher Paul Pardi describes existentialism - the philosophical territory of Kierkergaard, Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche and Sartre - as a way of being in the world and approaching the act of living. Steve Jobs' brand of existentialism reflects the principle of existence preceding essence - meaning you are first and foremost an individual with your own true essence, defining your own place in the world, rather than existing through the labels or essence that others might apply to you. You as an individual determine the meaning of your own and create your own self in an authentic way.

Steve Jobs famously said his own goal in life was to "make a ding in the universe." That made him a mercurial perfectionist but also a person who could live with a laserlike focus on attempting to turn possibility into actuality. His oft-cited "reality distortion field" - in which he demanded seemingly impossible feats of his colleagues - reflects his own drive to self-actualization. Says Pardi, "While he wasn't always popular and though he could alienate himself from his closest associates, he tried to live a genuine life of self-creation. In doing so, he created products and a company that can best be described in the most existentialist of terms: authentic." As described in the second part of this list, he pursued his own self-interest to an unusually extreme degree which not only made him a great entrepreneur, it made him who he wanted to be.

While you can therefore both criticize and lionize the life and legacy of Jobs, I believe we can all recognize the merits of defining your own self and acting in ways authentic to your own identity. One of my favorite Steve Jobs quotes sums up his form of existentialism beautifully:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Photo credit: cover of Steve Jobs and Philosophy, which is available for pre-ordering.