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Overview
Why should we be good? How do we know what is true? What defines beauty? The Good, the True and the Beautiful asks critical questions about who we are and what makes life worthwhile.
Michael Boylan offers a stimulating introduction to philosophy, exploring issues to do with ethics, knowledge and aesthetics, and how they relate to our everyday lives. He proposes a highly original understanding of the good, the true and the beautiful that seeks to answer many of the questions that have traditionally occupied philosophers. Using thought experiments to engage the reader in "doing" philosophy, Boylan explores what it means to be good, true and beautiful in today's world. The Good, the True and the Beautiful takes the reader on a fascinating journey of self-discovery.
Synopsis
An exciting and stimulating introduction to some of the central questions in philosophy.
David Gordon - Library Journal
Boylan (The Process of Argument) endeavors to interest readers in philosophy by asking them to construct a personal worldview. He begins by examining various theories of the good, offering thought experiments to help evaluate these theories: suppose, e.g., that you could win an Olympic medal by taking a certain drug that would kill you in five years. Would you take it? Material acquisition, notoriety, and the pursuit of power for its own sake may arouse our attention, but they are not ultimately satisfying. To seek the good of others, Boylan maintains, is essential to happiness. He next deals with the theory of knowledge, and his discussion is informed by wide scholarship. His account of Plato on the divided line is particularly insightful. Then he finally turns to aesthetics. In his concise account of the major theories of art, he accomplishes the remarkable feat of explaining Heidegger in simple language. All in all, Boylan displays a thorough knowledge of both classical and modern views. Highly recommended for all philosophy collections.
Editorials
Library Journal
Boylan (The Process of Argument) endeavors to interest readers in philosophy by asking them to construct a personal worldview. He begins by examining various theories of the good, offering thought experiments to help evaluate these theories: suppose, e.g., that you could win an Olympic medal by taking a certain drug that would kill you in five years. Would you take it? Material acquisition, notoriety, and the pursuit of power for its own sake may arouse our attention, but they are not ultimately satisfying. To seek the good of others, Boylan maintains, is essential to happiness. He next deals with the theory of knowledge, and his discussion is informed by wide scholarship. His account of Plato on the divided line is particularly insightful. Then he finally turns to aesthetics. In his concise account of the major theories of art, he accomplishes the remarkable feat of explaining Heidegger in simple language. All in all, Boylan displays a thorough knowledge of both classical and modern views. Highly recommended for all philosophy collections.
—David Gordon