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In Search of the Good Life: A Pedogogy for Troubled Times

Online ISBN:
9780813134994
Print ISBN:
9780813124575
Publisher:
University Press of Kentucky
Book

In Search of the Good Life: A Pedogogy for Troubled Times

Published:
31 August 2007
Online ISBN:
9780813134994
Print ISBN:
9780813124575
Publisher:
University Press of Kentucky

Abstract

To whom should we look for moral guidance during times of global violence, scarcity, and corruption? For two millennia, Aristotle's writings have taught that the ethically “good life” is the highest purpose of human existence. This book traces the development of this notion, illuminating the connections between Greek philosophy, Judeo-Christian tradition, Eastern religions, and postindustrial social criticism. This is, however, not merely an academic exercise. The book's investigations apply directly to a number of contemporary issues: the relevance of the classics, the global spread of democracy, appropriate responses to evil, and the public role of religion in a democracy. It reinvigorates the notion of the good life as a hallmark of personal conduct, civic virtue, and political engagement, seeking to roust a complacent and self-indulgent citizenry out of a fog of modern amusements and distractions.

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