Author: Katie Fleming File Type: pdf Odysseus and Enlightenment Horkheimerand Adornos Dialektik der AufklarungKatie FlemingInternational Journal of the Classical Tradition, 062012, Volume 19, Issue 2

Author: Jonathan Haidt File Type: mobi The bestselling author of The Righteous Mind draws on philosophical wisdom and scientific research to show how the meaningful life is closer than you thinkThe Happiness Hypothesis is a book about ten Great Ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been discovered by several of the worlds civilizations--to question it in light of what we now know from scientific research, and to extract from it the lessons that still apply to our modern lives and illuminate the causes of human flourishing. Award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the author of The Righteous Mind, shows how a deeper understanding of the worlds philosophical wisdom and its enduring maxims--like do unto others as you would have others do unto you, or what doesnt kill you makes you stronger--can enrich and even transform our lives. From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, lamented St. Paul, and this engrossing scientific interpretation of traditional lore backs him up with hard data. Citing Plato, Buddha and modern brain science, psychologist Haidt notes the mind is like an elephant of automatic desires and impulses atop which conscious intention is an ineffectual rider. Haidt sifts Eastern and Western religious and philosophical traditions for other nuggets of wisdom to substantiateand sometimes critiquewith the findings of neurology and cognitive psychology. The Buddhist-Stoic injunction to cast off worldly attachments in pursuit of happiness, for example, is backed up by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyis studies into pleasure. And Nietzsches contention that what doesnt kill us makes us stronger is considered against research into post-traumatic growth. An exponent of the positive psychology movement, Haidt also offers practical advice on finding happiness and meaning. Riches dont matter much, he observes, but close relationships, quiet surroundings and short commutes help a lot, while meditation, cognitive psychotherapy and Prozac are equally valid remedies for constitutional unhappiness. Haidt sometimes seems reductionist, but his is an erudite, fluently written, stimulating reassessment of age-old issues. (Jan.) Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. From BooklistUsing the wisdom culled from the worlds greatest civilizations as a foundation, social psychologist Haidt comes to terms with 10 Great Ideas, viewing them through a contemporary filter to learn which of their lessons may still apply to modern lives. He first discusses how the mind works and then examines the Golden Rule (Reciprocity is the most important tool for getting along with people). Next, he addresses the issue of happiness itself--where does it come from?--before exploring the conditions that allow growth and development. He also dares to answer the question that haunts most everyone--What is the meaning of life?--by again drawing on ancient ideas and incorporating recent research findings. He concludes with the question of meaning Why do some find it? Balancing ancient wisdom and modern science, Haidt consults great minds of the past, from Buddha to Lao Tzu and from Plato to Freud, as well as some not-so-greats even Dr. Phil is mentioned. Fascinating stuff, accessibly expressed. June Sawyers American Library Association. lt New York Times Bestseller In this landmark contribution to humanitys understanding of itself (The New York Times Book Review) social psychologist Jonathan Haidtchallenges conventional thinking about morality, politics, and religion in a way that speaks to conservatives and liberals alike. Drawing on his twenty five years of groundbreaking research on moral psychology, Haidt shows how moral judgments arise not from reason but from gut feelings. He shows why liberals, conservatives, and libertarians have such different intuitions about right and wrong, and he shows why each side is actually right about many of its central concerns. In this subtle yet accessible book, Haidt gives you the key to understanding the miracle of human cooperation, as well as the curse of our eternal divisions and conflicts. If youre ready to trade in anger for understanding, readThe Righteous Mind.