The Heart of Things - Softcover

Grayling, A. C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0753819414 ISBN 13: 9780753819418

Publisher: Phoenix, 2005

Synopsis

The new bestseller from one of Britain's most pre-eminent philosophers and arguably the best known, A.C. Grayling

Everyone wishes to live a life that is satisfying and fulfilling, in which there is achievement and pleasure, and which has the respect of people one, in turn, respects. And one of the fundamentals to living such a life is to reflect on the choices we make.

In this new collection, A.C. Grayling invites the reader into a conversation with ideas. From personal questions about happiness and quality of life to wider public concerns such as war and democracy, these essays provide a springboard to thought and to exploring what is best about the human heart and mind.

About this title

About the Author

A.C. Grayling is Master of the New College of the Humanities, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. Until 2011 he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is the author of numerous books, and is also a distinguished literary journalist and broadcaster. He has been a columnist for the Guardian and The Times, is a Contributing Editor of Prospect magazine, and Editor of Online Review London. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of Arts. His website can be visited at www.acgrayling.com.

From Publishers Weekly

The cause of the emptiness and dissatisfaction plaguing many Westerners, distinguished British philosophy professor Grayling laments, is a lack of thoughtful reflection, something he aims to correct with these brief essays, presented so as to gently nudge readers into pursuing the philosophical discourse that Grayling promises will fulfill them. Touching on down-to-earth topics like money, marriage, infidelity, jurisprudence, as well as large ideas like the relationship between art, society and civilization, Grayling expertly summarizes the arguments of great thinkers and provides contemporary examples-such as the current obesity epidemic as it relates to self-restraint and the patronizing attitude of the United States toward less powerful countries in his treatise on empire-in discussing his themes. Grayling's strong opinions on contentious subjects like religion ("If only all the gods in whose name people currently kill one another would cremate themselves and thus liberate mankind from the bane of religion") and monogamy (having multiple partners, he contends, "widens and deepens experience in an area whose health is essential to the life well lived") might prove disagreeable to some readers, but his declarations are designed to incite conversation. This collection is suitable for readers beginning to explore philosophy and will undoubtedly pique their interest in the many great thinkers and texts referenced throughout.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Phoenix
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0753819414
• ISBN 13: 9780753819418
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240