I was pleasantly surprised to find a concise and very well written philosophic account of various paths towards finding meaning in ones life and how 9 of these paths, or ways of thinking, are mistaken and should be reevaluated. Ronald dworkin thinks that living well isnt about the end result. Jul 10, 2015 the german philosopher hegel believed that strange and alien bits of history have much to teach us. John cottingham on the meaning of life philosophy bites. Projects like word philosophy, aeon, philosophy bites, and wireless philosophy are making it easier than ever for anyone to learn. The discovery of the ultimate meaning and essence of existence is the central purpose of philosophy. In this episode of the philosophy bites podcast he explores the psychology of moral.
These clips are carefully edited from the full lectures. Both thoughtprovoking and engaging, the discussion ranges from pleasure, pain, and himour, to free will, the self, and the meaning of life. You can preorder the book based on 25 episodes of the philosophy bites podcast due out august 2010. The subjects discussed in this latest book, philosophy bites again, are pleasure and pain, humour, morality, torture, consciousness, the self, imagination, free will, responsibility, punishment, political toleration and exploitation, metaphysics, the enigma of reason, meaning in life, the afterlife. Depending on whom one asks, the question, what is the meaning of life. Plato, the greatest philosopher of ancient greece, was born in athens in 428 or 427 b. In the future, though, when the value of philosophy is a little clearer, we can expect to meet more philosophers in daily life. But theres something else at work in philosophy, religion, and the meaning of life, which takes you far beyond an exercise in intellectual understanding. Happiness should come from within and it should never depend upon anyone. Aug 14, 2016 ive often asked myself and others whether theres any meaning to life.
The meaning of life for individuals may diminish or fade as a consequence of decline or difficult or tragic circumstances. Socrates, athens, and the search for the good life. John cottingham, author of a recent book on this topic, gives his answers in this interview listen to john cottingham on the meaning of life subscribe to rss feed for philosophy bites. Many major historical figures in philosophy have provided an answer to the question of what, if anything, makes life meaningful, although they typically have not put it in these terms. I am a philosophy student at temple university, i came across this book at my schools library by accident and decided to read it. The dialogues gorgias, meno, theatetus, sophist, symposium, phaedrus, timaeus, the republic plato. The result is a book that give unexpected insights into hot topics spanning ethics, politics, metaphysics, aesthetics, and the meaning of life. Thus the book was arranged under five headings titled. Features an excellent lineup of philosophers from britain and north america. This interview on philosophy bites with susan wolf, university of north carolina, by david edmonds and nigel warburton is a discussion of meaning in life as one dimension of a good life.
First made public on the enormously popular philosophy bites podcast, these entertaining, personal, and illuminating conversations are presented in print. I cannot give you any one book by which reading it you will understand the meaning of life. Two philosophers behind a popular podcast present a third volume of conversations with leaders in the field on a variety of topics including free will, responsibility and punishment. Inspired by the critique of rationalism in the works of arthur schopenhauer, soren kierkegaard, and. In philosophy bites again, a brand new selection of interviews from the popular podcast, leading philosophers explore some of the major philosophical questions that affect us all. Listen to john cottingham on the meaning of life subscribe to rss feed for philosophy bites. Philosophy bites again is a brand new selection of interviews from the popular podcast of the same name. Hes starting off with an idea from the philosophy of mind called the hard problem. Beauvoir is often described as if she applied jeanpaul sartre existentialist ideas to the condition of women. Whether or not life is meaningful is not so hard, as i have illustrated before this post. As was the first, this book is highly recommended for all general readers with an interest in. The last two years where a bit of struggle, i was supposed to graduate from uni and start my life but i was extremely unwilling to do it because everything was just too meaningless.
Over recent years, there has been a massive increase in highquality philosophy resources aimed at a general audience. The best philosophy books of all time updated for 2020. Buy what is the meaning of life book online meaning and. Leading philosophers discuss a wide range of philosophical issues, from ethics to aesthetics to metaphysics, in a lively, informal, personal way.
From philosophy bites, the book based on the wonderful podcast of the. Plato argued that we cant have a good life without good government, and he also believed that we cant have good governments without intellectually and morally excellent leaders. Critical philosophical investigation of the question. But, here it is, more succinctly put than in my previous ruminations, and reduced to something more quintessential than meaning, this being happiness. Philosophy bites then, early in 20, they published this sequel, titled appropriately enough philosophy bites back which consists of the transcripts of an additional 27 podcasts. Ive often asked myself and others whether theres any meaning to life. This page contains an organized collection of links and resources on a wide range of philosophical topics.
It offers engaging and thoughtprovoking conversations with leading philosophers on a selection of major philosophical issues that affect our lives. If all sentient life were to end a few minutes after my death, how would that affect the meaning of what im doing now. A persons life has meaning for themselves, others as the life events resulting from their achievements, legacy, family, etc. His letter began, will you interrupt your work for a moment and play the game of philosophy with me. Buy philosophy bites again by edmonds, david, warburton, nigel isbn. The german philosopher hegel believed that strange and alien bits of history have much to teach us. Wolf explains personal relationships and vocational aspiration give meaning even though these factors might not involve morality or happiness. In the final chapter an interview with john cottingham entitled the meaning of life was. In this sense, philosophy is concerned with the practical bits of how to live rather than a theoretical attempt to understand. Here it might, sadly, be difficult to see any meaning of life at all. Philosophy bites book listen to nigel and david talking about this book 3 mins 51 secs here. When that ultimate knowledge is discovered then that one can have good and meaning in their life. On the meaning of life wadsworth philosophers series.
Leif wenar, author of the recent book blood oil, argues that western. The dialogues offer lively, personal views of philosophy. If philosophy is the love of wisdom, professor ambrosio draws a wisdom from this inquiry that has a palpable, concrete connection to human living. In the visible world we can only have an opinion and with the intelligible world we find the knowledge. Introduction to philosophywhat is philosophy wikibooks. What on earth are we doing here the purpose in life is a book that explores and examines our meaning and purpose through the perspective of humans intrinsic needs. The definition of philosophy the philosophy of life chapter 1. The meaning is also likely to change from one phase of life to another, due to personal development, new interests, contexts, commitments and maturity. Philosophy bites and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. He believed story and civilisation do not move in a straight line, so important ideas and.
The hard problem is the problem of figuring out how a physical system like the brain can have consciousness. If you hear the word philosophy and automatically think snooty unimportance. They wont be locked up, living mainly in university departments, because the points at which our unwisdom bites and messes up our lives are multiple and urgently need attention right now. Whats it all about philosophy and the meaning of life. Philosophy, religion and the meaning of life the great courses. Discusses views prominent in analytic philosophy, phenomenology, and existentialism, drawing especially on the thought of tolstoy, wittgenstein, sartre, and camus and exploring in depth the insights these thinkers offer regarding their own difficulties concerning the meaning of life. John cottingham, author of a recent book on this topic, gives his. In their view, science can offer a wide range of insights on topics ranging from the science of happiness to death anxiety. This book is by owen flanagan who is one of the best people currently working in the philosophy of mind.
It is the art of the perfect life, the science of reality, the foundation of the practice of righteousness, the law of the attainment of freedom and bliss, and provides a key to the meaning and appreciation of beauty. It is a question that has intrigued the great philosophersand has been hilariously lampooned by monty python. Is there one profound and mysterious meaning to life, a single ultimate purpose behind human existence. He studied under socrates, who appears as a character in many of his dialogues. He begins this 1969 book by saying, the question of the meaning of life does not loom large in the teaching or writing or professional philosophers nowadays. I dont see any whatsapp status, because im not interested in someones life. Indeed, the whole idea strikes many of us as vaguely pompous, a little absurd. Platos visible and intelligible worlds is the concept of the continuation of discovering truth and knowledge which leads to lifes happiness. I am attempting to face a question which our generation, perhaps more than any, seems always ready to ask. Earlier traditions of philosophy placed more emphasis on the study of the arts and science of life.
On the meaning of life by will durant is a collection of essays solicited from prominent public figures of 1930 by the then famous historian will durant. Philosophy bites david edmonds nigel warburton download. Edmonds and warburton challenged some of the worlds leading philosophers to hold forth on their favorite topics for their podcast, philosophy bites. Aug 12, 2010 first made public on the enormously popular philosophy bites podcast, these entertaining, personal, and illuminating conversations are presented in print. The first book approached philosophy through issues. Consider, for instance, aristotle on the human function, aquinas on the beatific vision, and kant on the highest good. Samuel scheffler discusses this sort of question with nigel warburton in this episode of the philosophy bites podcast. Its not about revealing interesting facts or new informationbut a thoughtful analysis of an existing body of knowledge. John cottingham, author of a recent book on this topic, gives his answers in this interview. Summary of terry eagletons, the meaning of life reason and. Whether we recognize them knowingly or not, these are some aspects that we all need and seek inherently.
I never put the key of my happiness in someones pocket. Philosophy bites is a selection of the best interviews from the hugely successful podcast of the same name. The result is a book that is a taster for the whole enterprise of philosophy, and gives unexpected insights into hot topics spanning ethics, politics, metaphysics, aesthetics, and the meaning. The best books on the meaning of life five books expert. Summary of terry eagletons, the meaning of life reason. As a nonphilosopher, this is what i imagine philosophy to be. Philosophy bites david edmonds and nigel warburton. Albert camus, nobility of soul philosophy home page.