Description
Discover a profound exploration of philosophical thought with 'Dark Matters', a brand new intellectual history that delves deep into the age-old problem of evil. This compelling book, published by Princeton University Press in 2022, brings to light the vibrant debates of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, where great philosophers like Leibniz, Hume, Voltaire, and Rousseau engaged in discussions that shaped our understanding of existence and suffering.
In 'Dark Matters', Mara van der Lugt brilliantly examines the philosophical traditions of optimism and pessimism, arguing for the rediscovery of pessimism as a valuable moral framework. This thought-provoking work reveals how early thinkers grappled with the question of how a good creation could coexist with evil, and ultimately posits that pessimism can offer compassion, consolation, and hope in the face of human fragility.
With an in-depth look at both well-known and lesser-known philosophers, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, ethics, or the human condition. 'Dark Matters' serves not only as a scholarly analysis but also as an engaging narrative that reassesses the value of pessimistic thought, emphasizing its relevance in our contemporary lives.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691206622
Format: Trade Binding
Delivery information: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691206622
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
An intellectual history of the philosophers who grappled with the problem of evil, and the case for why pessimism still holds moral value for us today.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, philosophers engaged in heated debates on the question of how God could have allowed evil and suffering in a creation that is supposedly good. Dark Matters traces how the competing philosophical traditions of optimism and pessimism arose from early modern debates about the problem of evil, and makes a compelling case for the rediscovery of pessimism as a source for compassion, consolation, and perhaps even hope.
Bringing to life one of most vibrant eras in the history of philosophy, Mara van der Lugt discusses legendary figures such as Leibniz, Hume, Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant, and Schopenhauer. She also introduces readers to less familiar names, such as Bayle, King, La Mettrie, and Maupertuis. Van der Lugt describes how the earliest optimists and pessimists were deeply concerned with finding an answer to the question of the value of existence that does justice to the reality of human suffering, but how they were fundamentally divided over what such an answer should look like.
A breathtaking work of intellectual history by one of today's leading scholars, Dark Matters reveals how the crucial moral aim of pessimism is to find a way of speaking about suffering that offers consolation and does justice to the fragility of life.
'Dark Matters is history of philosophy at its best — scholarly, argumentative, and lively. Van der Lugt traces the ways in which the problem of theodicy — of justif
In 'Dark Matters', Mara van der Lugt brilliantly examines the philosophical traditions of optimism and pessimism, arguing for the rediscovery of pessimism as a valuable moral framework. This thought-provoking work reveals how early thinkers grappled with the question of how a good creation could coexist with evil, and ultimately posits that pessimism can offer compassion, consolation, and hope in the face of human fragility.
With an in-depth look at both well-known and lesser-known philosophers, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, ethics, or the human condition. 'Dark Matters' serves not only as a scholarly analysis but also as an engaging narrative that reassesses the value of pessimistic thought, emphasizing its relevance in our contemporary lives.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691206622
Format: Trade Binding
Delivery information: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691206622
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
An intellectual history of the philosophers who grappled with the problem of evil, and the case for why pessimism still holds moral value for us today.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, philosophers engaged in heated debates on the question of how God could have allowed evil and suffering in a creation that is supposedly good. Dark Matters traces how the competing philosophical traditions of optimism and pessimism arose from early modern debates about the problem of evil, and makes a compelling case for the rediscovery of pessimism as a source for compassion, consolation, and perhaps even hope.
Bringing to life one of most vibrant eras in the history of philosophy, Mara van der Lugt discusses legendary figures such as Leibniz, Hume, Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant, and Schopenhauer. She also introduces readers to less familiar names, such as Bayle, King, La Mettrie, and Maupertuis. Van der Lugt describes how the earliest optimists and pessimists were deeply concerned with finding an answer to the question of the value of existence that does justice to the reality of human suffering, but how they were fundamentally divided over what such an answer should look like.
A breathtaking work of intellectual history by one of today's leading scholars, Dark Matters reveals how the crucial moral aim of pessimism is to find a way of speaking about suffering that offers consolation and does justice to the fragility of life.
'Dark Matters is history of philosophy at its best — scholarly, argumentative, and lively. Van der Lugt traces the ways in which the problem of theodicy — of justif