The Heart of Things: Applying Philosophy to the 21st Century - Hardcover

Grayling, A. C.

3.75

236 ratings by Goodreads

9780297848196: The Heart of Things: Applying Philosophy to the 21st Century

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0297848194 ISBN 13: 9780297848196

Publisher: Orion Publishing, 2006

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Everyone wishes to live a life that is satisfying and fulfilling, in which there is achievement, pleasure, and respect. 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 the quality of life to wider public concerns, such as war and democracy, these essays provide a springboard to thought and the exploration of what is best about the human heart and mind.

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About the Author:

Anthony Grayling teaches philosophy at Birkbeck College, London and is a Fellow of St Anne's, Oxford. He reviews frequently in the Financial Times and has a regular column in Prospect.

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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