Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Keith Maitland on December 05, 2016, 03:31:22 AM

Title: The Human Predicament
Post by: Keith Maitland on December 05, 2016, 03:31:22 AM
David Benatar's next book titled The Human Predicament (Oxford University Press) will be coming out next year in June.

Read here:

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-human-predicament-9780190633813?cc=us&lang=en&amp#


Review:

"What thinking person doesn't care about the (possible) meaning and quality of life, the nature and disvalue of death, and the option of suicide? David Benatar addresses these and other engaging and important topics in this well-argued book. The quality of the writing is about as high as any philosophy I can remember reading: short, clear sentences, with not a word wasted or misplaced. I do not see the human predicament as pessimistically as David Benatar does; but I found myself disagreeing less than I expected to -- for example, in his sensitive and probing discussion of suicide"


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Does this book interest you?
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: Sebastian Toe on December 05, 2016, 03:32:05 AM
No.
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: john on December 05, 2016, 12:57:00 PM
I do buy and read philosophical books. I looked this book and it's author up on the internet thingy and it doesn't gram my attention.

So answer.... No.
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: Walter on December 05, 2016, 03:31:40 PM
has it got lots of pictures?
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: Brownie on December 05, 2016, 04:49:53 PM
It doesn't appear to be very original, doesn't have to be of course but I expect lots of us have read similar over the years.

We discuss such subjects on here.  I'd be interested to read what he says about suicide as I've been pondering  the ethical and religious implications of suicide (I don't mean me doing it!) recently, so if I could access that section of the book, I would.

Thanks Keith.
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: Keith Maitland on December 05, 2016, 06:53:45 PM
B,

It doesn't appear to be very original, doesn't have to be of course but I expect lots of us have read similar over the years

You are right... I am not sure what is different about this book and his previous book on the meaning of life. Perhaps its more argumentative and less anthology-like... At any rate, the price is fairly inexpensive.
Title: Re: The Human Predicament
Post by: Brownie on December 05, 2016, 06:59:50 PM
Yes and will be even more so when it is on Amazon and the like.
I'll think about it.
Thanks again.