Thinking Of Answers: Questions In The Philosophy Of Everyday Life

Thought-provoking short essays that show us how to discover our own answers to life's challenges.

A.C. Grayling is a thinker who believes that philosophy is a natural part of everyday life. Here, in his most stimulating and enjoyable collection of essays to date, he tackles many of the most fundamental problems facing anyone who wishes to lead a considered life. In fact, these essays have arisen mainly in response to questions posed by readers and editors of a number of publications in which his most recent pieces have appeared: The Times, Prospect; New Scientist; New Statesman and the Guardian.

Does Being happy make us good? And does being good make us happy?

Can ethics be derived from evolution by natural selection? If both sides in a conflict can passionately believe that theirs is the just cause, does this mean that the idea of justice is empty? If beauty existed only in the eye of the beholder, would that make it an unimportant quality?

Are human beings especially prone to self deception? What is the meaning of life?

As in his previous books of popular philosophy, rather than presenting a set of categorical answers Grayling offers, instead, suggestions for how to think about every aspect of a question and then arrive at one's own conclusions. As a result Thinking of Answers is both an enjoyable and inspirational collection.