Access Type
Online access to this book is only available to eligible users.
Files
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Description
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.
Publication Date
2007
Publisher
The University Press of Kentucky
Place of Publication
Lexington, KY
ISBN
978-0-8131-2457-5
eISBN
978-0-8131-7268-2 (pdf version)
eISBN
978-0-8131-3858-9 (epub version)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5810/kentucky/9780813124575.001.0001
Keywords
Moral guidance, Good life, Human existence, Greek philosophy, Judo-Christian tradition, Eastern religions, Social criticism, Democracy
Disciplines
Political Science | Political Theory
Recommended Citation
Dallmayr, Fred, "In Search of the Good Life: A Pedagogy for Troubled Times" (2007). Political Theory. 6.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_political_theory/6
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