The Choice Of Hercules: Pleasure, Duty And The Good Life In The 21st Century

Description

Duty or Pleasure? This was the legendary choice which faced Hercules and which pre-eminent philosopher A.C Grayling uses as the starting point of this masterful book. He shows us how much more people can understand about themselves and their world by reflecting on today's moral challenges. Above all, he explores the idea that certain demands and certain pleasures are necessary, not just because of their intrinsic merits but because of what they do for each other. The Good Life or the good life? With exceptional clarity and unrivalled prose, Grayling addresses the everyday ethical choices which confront us all.

Anthony Grayling teaches philosophy at Birkbeck Colleage, London and is a Fellow of St Anne's, Oxford. He reviews frequently in the Financial Times and has a regular column in Prospect. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

persuasve and strangely consoling - OBSERVER an important, thought-provoking, kind and life-enhancing book... general philosophy at its accessible best - TIMES an admirably sensible book, soemtimes stirringly written - GUARDIAN - Nicholas Lezard An enriching and thought-provoking read, it will leave you wondering about what a good and happy life really is. - GOOD BOOK GUIDE