Examined Life: Philosophical Meditations

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Simon and Schuster, Dec 15, 1990 - Philosophy - 308 pages
One of the twentieth century's most original and controversial philosophical thinkers, Robert Nozick brilliantly renews Socrates' quest to uncover the life that is worth living. In The Examined Life, Nozick meditates on the age-old subjects of death, sexuality, happiness, politics, God - the central questions of our existence- Through these philosophical essays, written in his trademark accessible and practical style, Nozick inspires personal reflection and poses compelling new questions about how we think about ourselves and the world around us. From the introduction, where Nozick states, "My concern in writing here is the whole of our being; I would like to speak to your whole being, and to write from mine," to the notorious essay "The Zigzag of Politics," where Nozick refutes his earlier claims of libertarianism, this book proves itself a modern masterpiece of philosophy. Convincing, insightful, challenging, The Examined Life is an enthralling journey into the self, and into one of the great philosophical minds of our time.
 

Contents

Introduction
11
CONTENTS
14
Dying
20
Parents and Children
28
Creating
34
The Nature of God the Nature of Faith
46
The Holiness of Everyday Life
55
Sexuality
61
Value and Meaning
162
Importance and Weight
170
The Matrix of Reality
182
Darkness and Light
205
Theological Explanations
217
The Holocaust
236
Enlightenment
243
Giving Everything Its Due
253

Loves Bond
68
Emotions
87
Happiness
99
Focus
118
Being More Real
128
Selflessness
141
Stances
151
What Is Wisdom and Why Do Philosophers Love It So?
267
The Ideal and the Actual
279
The Zigzag of Politics
286
Philosophys Life
297
A Portrait of the Philosopher as a Young Man
303
INDEX OF NAMES
305
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About the author (1990)

Robert Nozick (1938-2002) is the author of Anarchy, State, and Utopia, which won a National Book Award in 1975, Philosophical Explanations, which received the Ralph Waldo Emerson Award, Phi Beta Kappa in 1982, and The Examined Life. He was the Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University.

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