Meaning in Life and Why It Matters (The University Center for Human Values Series)
内容简介
Most people, including philosophers, tend to classify human motives as falling into one of two categories: the egoistic or the altruistic, the self-interested or the moral. According to Susan Wolf, however, much of what motivates us does not comfortably fit into this scheme. Often we act neither for our own sake nor out of duty or an impersonal concern for the world. Rather, we act out of love for objects that we rightly perceive as worthy of love - and it is these actions that give meaning to our lives. Wolf makes a compelling case that, along with happiness and morality, this kind of meaningfulness constitutes a distinctive dimension of a good life. Written in a lively and engaging style, and full of provocative examples, "Meaning in Life and Why It Matters" is a profound and original reflection on a subject of permanent human concern.
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作者简介
Susan Wolf is the Edna J. Koury Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is the author of "Freedom within Reason."
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目录
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction by Stephen Macedo xi
Meaning in Life and Why It Matters
Meaning in Life 1
Why It Matters 34
Comments and Response
John Koethe 67
Robert M. Adams 75
Nomy Arpaly 85
Jonathan Haidt 92
Response Susan Wolf 102
Contributors 133
Index 137
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读书文摘
粗略地说，我想要捍卫这样一个主张：爱某个值得爱的对象并且以积极的方式参与跟该对象相关的事情，这样的行动有非常合理的依据，即便它既没有最大限度地提高行动者（agent）本人的福祉水平，也没有给这个世界带来尽可能多的益处（这种益处是以不偏不倚的方式来评估的）。 第15页。
在此之前，我已经指出：我们意识到有某种价值既不能还原成幸福，也不能还原成道德，而且人们只有通过爱某些值得爱的对象并且以积极的方式参与跟这些对象相关的事情，才能够实现这种价值。我把自己的这种观点当作是这些更流行的建议的改进版本或替代方案；而为了表达我的这种观点，最简单的一种方式是把我所说的那种价值与“有意义”这种价值等同起来。 第31页。
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