This volume brings together for the first time some of the most helpful and insightful essays on the four most influential and discussed philosophers in the history of existentialism: Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Sartre. The contributors write on such topics as Kierkegaard's knight of faith and his diagnosis of the 'present age;' Nietzsche's view of morality and self-creation; Heidegger's accounts of worldhood and authenticity; and Sartre's ontology, ethics, and conception of the...

An invaluable introduction to the leading French intellectual of the twentieth centuryThe Wisdom of Sartre offers key excerpts from the eloquent French writer, playwright, and philosopher's masterpiece, Being and Nothingness. From this collection, readers will discover the strongest themes in his early philosophical work: an ontological account of what it means to be human, and the role of perception, knowledge, and consciousness in the practical ...

R enowned French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre references artists such as Tintoretto, Calder, Lapoujade, Titian, Raphael, and Michaelangelo in discussing how great art of the past relates to the challenges of his eraEssays in Aesthetics is a provocative collection that considers the nature of art and its meaning. Sartre considers the artist's "function," and the relation of art and the artist to the human condition. Sartre integrates his deep concern for the...

Understand Existentialism breaks down a complex mode of thought into more manageable sections, enabling you to get to grips with the key concepts within the movement. Chart the origins and development of existentialism in a variety of disciplines and learn about significant thinkers from Sartre and De Beauvoir to Beckett and Camus. Whether you are a newcomer or more experienced student, this book will enhance your understanding of a brand of philosophy designed to give meaning and directio...

Like many others of my generation, I first read Camus in high school. I carried him in my backpack while traveling across Europe, I carried him into (and out of) relationships, and I carried him into (and out of) difficult periods of my life. More recently, I have carried him into university classes that I have taught, coming out of them with a renewed appreciation of his art. To be sure, my idea of Camus thirty years ago scarcely resembles my idea of him today. While my admiration and att...

What makes philosophy on the continent of Europe so different and exciting? And why does it have such a reputation for being 'difficult'?Continental philosophy was initiated amid the revolutionary ferment of the 18th century, philosophers such as Kant and Hegel confronting the extremism of the time with theories that challenged the very formation of individual and social consciousness.Covering the great philosophers of the modern and postmodern eras – from Nietzsche, Heidegge...

The philosophy of the ancient Syrian-Roman Publius Syrus defies easy categorization. Part Stoic, part Epicurean, and even part Skeptic and Cynic, the wit and wisdom of this former slave turned playwright transcends doctrine and embraces humanism. His celebrated dramatic works are all but lost – what remains is a collection of over one thousand one-line quotations known as The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus – A Roman Slave.

What Would Nietzsche Do? uses the key ideas of more than 80 philosophical thinkers, past and present, to shine new light onto today's everyday problems.Ever wondered if Schopenhauer could fix your broken heart? How Heraclitus might help you if you lost your phone? Given the chance, would Foucault leave the toilet seat up?With sections on Relationships, Self and Identity, How to Live, Art and Aesthetics, and Politics, there is an answer to each of modern life's ques...

From the bestselling author of Assholes: A Theory, a book that—in the tradition of Shopclass as Soulcraft, Barbarian Days and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance—uses the experience and the ethos of surfing to explore key concepts in philosophy.The existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once declared "the ideal limit of aquatic sports . . . is waterskiing." The avid surfer and lavishly credentialed academic philosopher...

Unlock the more straightforward side of The Meursault Investigation with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud, which is a sort of epilogue to Camus’ novel The Stranger. It raises interesting questions about the Algerian identity and the French occupation, as it focuses on the family of ‘the Arab’ killed by Meursault, and their attempts to ...

Unlock the more straightforward side of No Exit with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!This engaging summary presents an analysis of No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre in which three people are condemned to spend eternity together in the same room as retribution for their sins. The play explores the questions of responsibility and freedom, and the human condition takes a whole new dimension as we discover that “hell is others”. Sartre was ...

Love, Reason, and Will: Kierkegaard After Frankfurt introduces and investigates themes common to Harry G. Frankfurt and Søren Kierkegaard, focusing particularly on their understanding of love. Several distinguished contributors argue that Kierkegaard's insights about love, volition, and identity can help us to evaluate aspects of Frankfurt's well-known arguments about love and caring; similarly, Frankfurt's analyses of the higher-order will, valuing, and self-love help clarify the...