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Sum Total Of Human Happiness

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Book by Schall S.J., James V.

221 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2006

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About the author

James V. Schall

95 books87 followers
Fr. James V. Schall, SJ was Professor of Political Philosophy at Georgetown University.

He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.

After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.

Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.

He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.

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Displaying 1 of 1 review
Profile Image for Ben House.
154 reviews43 followers
August 2, 2018
In a number of longer essays, Father Schall discusses some of his favorite topics, including the works of Hilaire Belloc, the practice of philosophy, use of reason, the problem of evil, and things related to human happiness.
For readers of Schall, he assembles the usual suspects to support his thoughts. So, one encounters Belloc in the opening and closing chapters of the book. Plato, Thomas Aquinas, Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, Josef Pieper, and others are called on for support. And it would not be a Schall book without his references to the theological corpus of Charles Schultz, meaning, the Peanuts cartoons.
The abiding strengthand attraction of Schall's writing is his infectious optimism and delight in learning. Much of this book, which I found a bit hard to exactly classify, is on philosophy. But philosophy is not an academic discipline or an arcane search for ideas in Schall. It is, rather, a way of living.
My Protestant druthers often clash with Schall's Catholic druthers, but I usually find his perspective to be one that enhances my own. Granted he and I are not talking about what we might call the core doctrines of the faith, but some of the implications as applied to the world around us.
Let it be known, if James V. Schall wrote it, I must get it and read it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review