The Meaning of Life: A Reader - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195327306 ISBN 13: 9780195327304

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007

Synopsis

Featuring nine new articles chosen by coeditor Steven M. Cahn, the third edition of E. D. Klemke's The Meaning of Life offers twenty-two insightful selections that explore this fascinating topic. The essays are primarily by philosophers but also include materials from literary figures and religious thinkers. As in previous editions, the readings are organized around three themes. In Part I the articles defend the view that without faith in God, life has no meaning or purpose. In Part II the selections oppose this claim, defending instead a nontheistic, humanistic alternative--that life can have meaning even in the absence of theistic commitment. In Part III the contributors ask whether the question of the meaning of life is itself meaningful.
The third edition adds substantial essays by Moritz Schlick, Joel Feinberg, and John Kekes as well as selections from the writings of Louis P. Pojman, Emil L. Fackenheim, Robert Nozick, Susan Wolf, and Steven M. Cahn. The only anthology of its kind, The Meaning of Life: A Reader, Third Edition, is ideal for courses in introduction to philosophy, human nature, and the meaning of life. It also offers general readers an accessible and stimulating introduction to the subject.

About this title

About the Author:

E.D. Klemke is Professor of Philosophy at Iowa State University.
Steven Cahn is Professor of Philosophy at The Graduate Center, City University of New York.

Review:

"Not only does this book deliver on the topic, but readers also gain an insightful perspective on human nature. The editors allos readers to make their own interpretation, which adds to the excellence of the book. The Meaning of Life: A Reader should be considered a valuable addition to the scholarship of this topic."--Mindy Young, Dialogue

"The book includes a broad selection of some of the best philosophical writings on the question of the meaning of life; there is no other volume like this one."--Timothy Shanahan, Loyola Marymount University

"Klemke and Cahn have done a masterful job amassing historical and contemporary writings that students should grapple with as they question the meaning of life."--Mary Domski, University of New Mexico

"The third edition of this reader provides a strong foundation for helping students to think critically and systematically about the nature of reality and the meaning of life."--Dawn Jakubowski, University of Central Arkansas

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0195327306
• ISBN 13: 9780195327304
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 258
• Editor: Klemke E. D., Cahn Steven M.