Difficulties of Ethical Life - (Perspectives in Continental Philosophy) by Shannon Sullivan & Dennis J Schmidt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This book brings the powerful insights of Continental philosophy to bear on some of the most challenging difficulties of ethical life. Currently philosophy is being radically transformed by questions of how to live well. What does such a way of life mean? How are we to understand the meaning of ethicality? What are the obstacles to ethical living? And should we assume that an ethical life is a "better" life?

The movement of history and the developments of culture and knowledge seem to have outstripped the capacity of traditional forms of reflection upon ethical life to understand how we might answer these questions. Ranging from existentialism to deconstruction, phenomenology to psychoanalytic theory, and hermeneutics to post-structuralism, the twelve essays in this volume take up a wide but clearly connected set of issues relevant to living ethically: race, responsibility, religion, terror, torture, technology, deception, and even the very possibility of an ethical life. Some of the questions addressed are specific to our times; others are ancient questions but with quite contemporary twists. In each case, they concern the philosophical significance of ongoing historical, cultural, and political transformations for ethical living and thinking.

Review Quotes

...a compelling collection of essay that successfully demonstrates the bearing of philosophical ethics in understandings of twenty-first century life.-- "--M/C Reviews"

Effectively combines the discussion of practical and political issues
with a more speculative, theoretical approach. Essential reading for those interested
in making such a crossover.

-----Tina Chanter, DePaul University

Gives new life to ethics through original interpretations and its application to contemporary philosophy.-----Kelly Oliver, Vanderbilt University

Writings in philosophical ethics that include discussion of the challenges wrought by techonological change and globalization.---Nancy Wingfield, --The Chronicle of Higher Education

About the Author

Shannon Sullivan is Professor of Philosophy, Women's Studies, and African and African American Studies at Penn State University.

Dennis J. Schmidt is Liberal Arts Research Professor of Philosophy, Comparative Literature, and German at Pennsylvania State University.