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What Is the Good Life?
Has inquiry into the meaning of life become outmoded in a universe where the other-worldiness of religion no longer speaks to us as it once did, or, as Nietzsche proposed, where we are now the creators of our own value? Has the ancient question of the "good life" disappeared, another victim of the technological world? For Luc Ferry, the answer to both questions is a resounding no.
In What Is the Good Life? Ferry argues that the question of the meaning of life, on which much philosophical debate throughout the centuries has rested, has not vanished, but at the very least the question is posed differently today. Ferry points out the pressures in our secularized world that tend to reduce the idea of a successful life or "good life" to one of wealth, career satisfaction, and prestige. Without deserting the secular presuppositions of our world, he shows that we can give ourselves a richer sense of life's possibilities. The "good life" consists of harmonizing life's different forces in a way that enables one to achieve a sense of personal satisfaction in the realization of one's creative abilities.
In What Is the Good Life? Ferry argues that the question of the meaning of life, on which much philosophical debate throughout the centuries has rested, has not vanished, but at the very least the question is posed differently today. Ferry points out the pressures in our secularized world that tend to reduce the idea of a successful life or "good life" to one of wealth, career satisfaction, and prestige. Without deserting the secular presuppositions of our world, he shows that we can give ourselves a richer sense of life's possibilities. The "good life" consists of harmonizing life's different forces in a way that enables one to achieve a sense of personal satisfaction in the realization of one's creative abilities.
- GenresPhilosophyFrance
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2002
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About the author
Luc Ferry
272 books264 followersLuc Ferry (born January 1, 1951) is a French philosopher and a notable proponent of Secular Humanism. He is a former member of the Saint-Simon Foundation think-tank.
He received an Agrégation de philosophie (1975), a Doctorat d’Etat en science politique (1981), and an Agrégation de science politique (1982). As a Professor of political science and political philosophy, Luc Ferry taught at the Institut d'études politiques de Lyon (1982–1988) — during which time he also taught and directed graduate research at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University —, at Caen University (1989–96). He was a professor at Paris Diderot University (since 1996) but did not teach there.
From 2002 and until 2004 he served as the Minister of Education on the cabinet led by the conservative Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. During his tenure, he was the minister in charge of the implementation of the French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools. He received the award of Docteur honoris causa from the Université de Sherbrooke (Canada). He is the 2013 Telesio Galilei Academy of science Laureate for Philosophy. He was enthroned to Chevalier De La Dive Bouteille De Gaillac on the 20 march 2012 together with Max Karoubi and Francesco Fucilla.
Source: Wikipedia
He received an Agrégation de philosophie (1975), a Doctorat d’Etat en science politique (1981), and an Agrégation de science politique (1982). As a Professor of political science and political philosophy, Luc Ferry taught at the Institut d'études politiques de Lyon (1982–1988) — during which time he also taught and directed graduate research at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University —, at Caen University (1989–96). He was a professor at Paris Diderot University (since 1996) but did not teach there.
From 2002 and until 2004 he served as the Minister of Education on the cabinet led by the conservative Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. During his tenure, he was the minister in charge of the implementation of the French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools. He received the award of Docteur honoris causa from the Université de Sherbrooke (Canada). He is the 2013 Telesio Galilei Academy of science Laureate for Philosophy. He was enthroned to Chevalier De La Dive Bouteille De Gaillac on the 20 march 2012 together with Max Karoubi and Francesco Fucilla.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 4, 2015
"A felicidade não existe, mas a serenidade”!
"Temos momentos de alegria, mas não temos um estado permanente de satisfação”!
"Temos momentos de alegria, mas não temos um estado permanente de satisfação”!
March 11, 2019
If you’re familiar with the history of philosophy, you can go straight to the last chapter. If not, you can get it in shorter form in Ferry’s « Paroles de philosophes ».
February 5, 2020
Achei muito difícil ler este livro. Muito.
December 23, 2016
Excellent essai d'une grande richesse philosophique.
Le livre de Ferry voyage dans le temps pour trouver non pas une mais un bouquet de réponses, selon les pensées dominantes à des époques successives. De la transcendance par l'absolu du cosmos chez les Grecs, en passant par la transcendance de Dieu à l'aune des religions monothéistes, jusqu'à la transcendance dans l'immanence à l'ère où l'homme, désormais laic, annonce la mort de Dieu. Si d'abord cette dernière quête d'un nouvel absolu s'est dirigée non plus vers la spiritualité mais l'idéologie, elle s'est ensuite muée en une transcendance abolie par le matérialisme puis retrouvée dans un cosmos humain où le souci de la condition humaine prend le dessus.
Le livre de Ferry voyage dans le temps pour trouver non pas une mais un bouquet de réponses, selon les pensées dominantes à des époques successives. De la transcendance par l'absolu du cosmos chez les Grecs, en passant par la transcendance de Dieu à l'aune des religions monothéistes, jusqu'à la transcendance dans l'immanence à l'ère où l'homme, désormais laic, annonce la mort de Dieu. Si d'abord cette dernière quête d'un nouvel absolu s'est dirigée non plus vers la spiritualité mais l'idéologie, elle s'est ensuite muée en une transcendance abolie par le matérialisme puis retrouvée dans un cosmos humain où le souci de la condition humaine prend le dessus.
January 13, 2013
Selon quels critères, et à quelles conditions une existence, une vie est-elle réussie pour nous ? Un peu lourd à digérer vu le volume, mais passionnant comme bouquin!
August 12, 2015
Nietzsche pour les nuls.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews