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giovanni_chierico's review
4.0
Good collection of essays. As always, I'm very impressed by the sharpness of Robert Nozick
ptrmsschrs's review
3.0
interesting collection of essays
Since this collection of essays about the meaning of life, death and related subjects like suicide was edited by David Benatar ([b:The Human Predicament: A Candid Guide to Life's Biggest Questions|32335759|The Human Predicament A Candid Guide to Life's Biggest Questions|David Benatar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478741863l/32335759._SX50_.jpg|52973048], [b:Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence|660518|Better Never to Have Been The Harm of Coming into Existence|David Benatar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348531771l/660518._SY75_.jpg|646592]) I was expecting that most of the essays would lean towards a more pessimistic view of existence.
In that sense I was somewhat disappointed, because the majority of the essays have a positive outlook of life and what it can mean to us. For instance, David Hume's defense of suicide is followed by Immanuel Kant's categorical refusal that suicide can ever be justified.
I feel that I should warn potential readers that most of these essays are fairly abstract in a philosophical sense and that some familiarity with classic philosophical is advised. Don't expect any advice on how to live a good and meaningful life (if such a things is überhaupt possible). But the different essays do present some very interesting and often conflicting ideas.
Since this collection of essays about the meaning of life, death and related subjects like suicide was edited by David Benatar ([b:The Human Predicament: A Candid Guide to Life's Biggest Questions|32335759|The Human Predicament A Candid Guide to Life's Biggest Questions|David Benatar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478741863l/32335759._SX50_.jpg|52973048], [b:Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence|660518|Better Never to Have Been The Harm of Coming into Existence|David Benatar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348531771l/660518._SY75_.jpg|646592]) I was expecting that most of the essays would lean towards a more pessimistic view of existence.
In that sense I was somewhat disappointed, because the majority of the essays have a positive outlook of life and what it can mean to us. For instance, David Hume's defense of suicide is followed by Immanuel Kant's categorical refusal that suicide can ever be justified.
I feel that I should warn potential readers that most of these essays are fairly abstract in a philosophical sense and that some familiarity with classic philosophical is advised. Don't expect any advice on how to live a good and meaningful life (if such a things is überhaupt possible). But the different essays do present some very interesting and often conflicting ideas.
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