A Definition of Solitude

Got a new book on Monday. Solitude: A Philosophical Encounter, by Philip Koch. Here's what I've received so far from it, about solitude.

Characteristics one intuitively associates with solitude is 1) social disengagement, 2) physical isolation, and 3) reflectiveness. However, neither of the latter are required to be in solitude. Consider hard work or labor when one is alone: with tasks to perform, would one be able to stop and ponder or reflect? Then solitude at its core is hence defined by disengagement from people and, secondarily, by the physical isolation and reflectiveness as features.

Consider additionally the association of solitude with quiet, stillness, or silence. "Quiet/still" can refer to a state of noiselessness or passive calmness (which both are distinguishable states), yet most specifically, it is in respect to the absence of human noises and speech. Action, too, can be noisy. Take hiking for instance, or the sound of rustling trees, gurgling streams, flapping of curtains, and a ship's creaking--sounds and activities that can be said to be quiet and still particularly because of the absence of human sources. Solitude + quiet is similar to solitude + silence in this sense. Silence may also refer to a way of life, of inner calmness, balance, and poise. Often it is said that as silence deepens, solitude deepens. If silence were to refer to absence of all sounds, human and non-human, solitude may not deepen and, in fact, it would be best to enjoy non-human sounds in solitude.

Time and space are also experienced differently in solitude. Time becomes more subjective and personal, without the uniform, irreversible, and repeatable metric of a clock's objective time. On the other hand, solitude-time is immeasurable, existing as its own mode of time called "attentive time," defined by sense of time determined by the observer and the subject of observation. Koch writes: "With its dependence upon individual passion and interest, attentive time intensifies and spreads as disengagement from others becomes more complete. Thus an important experiential truth lies behind the intuitive phrase, 'a time of solitude.'"

Space too changes. For example, a lone hiker takes in the spatial locations of his surroundings. Some daffodils over there. Flat and gray clouds far overhead. Another hiker appears. Their presence interrupts the perceptual field, bringing a change into the wilderness, and leaving the lone hiker to triangulate over the nearness between him, the other person, the clouds, the daffodils. Focus on the environment becomes disturbed.

Near relations like loneliness, isolation, privacy, and alienation differ as well from a true definition of solitude. 

Loneliness: Solitude is a state of being in which no specific desire, feeling, or attentional set exists, but loneliness is an emotion, a desire for connection. One can also feel "lonely" despite being in the presence and social engagement with others. Solitude is equally open to negative or positive feelings.

Isolation: Isolation is an experiential sense of separation from others that cannot immediately or easily be resolved. The sense/feeling/awareness of separation from others is not in itself an emotional state, yet in isolation, the awareness of one's separation is often prioritized, whereas solitude does not do so.

And the rest, privacy and alienation...

I have not read yet. These writings were just up to page 35/300. There's still a lot more to learn...