The Civilization of the Spectacle and ten other essays 1

This volume is a brand-new collection of essays. Readers will find something familiar here: philosophical commentary written in an engaging and accessible style, free of academic jargon, on almost every imaginable topic, from happiness, death and politics, to religion, civilization and god. we hope this essays, to be read and enjoyed by the philosophically curious; by those who believe that the wisdom and folly of the past can shine light on the present; by lovers of original thinking and writing; by students and teachers looking for thoughtful and accessible ways into the discipline; by corporate and business leaders looking to integrate philosophical and ethical thinking into their workplaces; or by mainstream readers who want an accessible compendium of philosophy that is not too dense or academic for a place on their bookshelves or nightstands. As Hegel once wrote, “Philosophy is its own time comprehended in thoughts,” and so these essays are not mere experiments in logic or reason. They are real-time arguments, meditations, and responses to events that cannot be glossed over with disinterested philosophical detachment. Introduction In Praise of Lost Causes What Do We Owe the Dead? The Importance of the Afterlife. Seriously. Teaching Calvin in California Philosophy as an Art of Dying The Civilization of the Spectacle What Religion Gives Us (That Science Can’t) Thinking about the Dead The Moral Hazard of Drones Why Pay More? What I Saw When I Was Dead