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Title details for Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World by Iddo Landau - Available

Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World

by Iddo Landau
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Does life have meaning? Is it possible for life to be meaningful when the world is filled with suffering and when so much depends merely upon chance? Even if there is meaning, is there enough to justify living? These questions are difficult to resolve. There are times in which we face the mundane, the illogically cruel, and the tragic, which leave us to question the value of our lives. However, Iddo Landau argues, our lives often are, or could be made, meaningful—we've just been setting the bar too high for evaluating what meaning there is. When it comes to meaning in life, Landau explains, we have let perfect become the enemy of the good. We have failed to find life perfectly meaningful, and therefore have failed to see any meaning in our lives. We must attune ourselves to enhancing and appreciating the meaning in our lives, and Landau shows us how to do that. In this warmly written book, rich with examples from the author's life, film, literature, and history, Landau offers new theories and practical advice that awaken us to the meaning already present in our lives and demonstrates how we can enhance it. He confronts prevailing nihilist ideas that undermine our existence, and the questions that dog us no matter what we believe. While exposing the weaknesses of ideas that lead many to despair, he builds a strong case for maintaining more hope. Along the way, he faces provocative questions: Would we choose to live forever if we could? Does death render life meaningless? If we examine it in the context of the immensity of the whole universe, can we consider life meaningful? If we feel empty once we achieve our goals, and the pursuit of these goals is what gives us a sense of meaning, then what can we do? Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World is likely to alter the way you understand your life.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 1, 2017

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780190657680

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780190657680
      • File size: 727 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      September 15, 2017

      Some people worry their life is meaningless, and this perceived lack of purpose can be rationally debilitating, leading to the belief that nothing matters. In this work, Landau (philosophy, Haifa Univ., Israel; Is Philosophy Androcentric?) asserts that we should reject such bleak conclusions, arguing that we can find meaning within ourselves. Landau's text means to undermine arguments that readers might find persuasive about the meaningless of life and give them instead a philosophical foundation to discover contentment through critical reflection. This work is written at an introductory level and does not fully explore the issues of meaning or value. Rather, it is intended as triage ethics--an urgent and passionate attempt to convince readers that their lives matter. There is much to like about Landau's discussion, including interesting assessments of relativism, the problem of free will, and moral value. However, this book begins in a somewhat self-indulgent manner, the chapters are far too brief, and the conclusion too swift. This reviewer hopes to see a revised version that begins with a greater focus on metaethical and metalinguistic questions concerning meaning and its relationship to value. VERDICT Landau's motivation is unique, and general audiences may be satisfied with his advice, but those seeking a more complete study should look elsewhere.--William Simkulet, Cleveland State Univ., OH

      Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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