Bald: 35 Philosophical Short Cuts

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"A genial exercise in public philosophy" (Kirkus, starred review) from one of the world's best-known popular philosophers   "Simon Critchley is an international treasure―that rare and real philosopher who embraces Rousseau’s ‘feeling of existence,’ David Bowie’s vision of love, and Philip K. Dick’s genius with genuine wrestling and a soulful smile!’’―Cornel West, Harvard University The moderator of the New York Times’ Stone column and the author of numerous books on everything from Greek tragedy to David Bowie, Simon Critchley has been a strong voice in popular philosophy for more than a decade. This volume brings together thirty‑five essays, originally published in the Times, on a wide range of topics, from the dimensions of Plato’s academy and the mysteries of Eleusis to Philip K. Dick, Mormonism, money, and the joy and pain of Liverpool Football Club fans. In an engaging and jargon‑free style, Critchley writes with honesty about the state of world as he offers philosophically informed and insightful considerations of happiness, violence, and faith.   Stripped of inaccessible academic armatures, these short pieces bring philosophy out of the ivory tower and demonstrate an exciting new way to think in public. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Preface Happiness? ONE. Happy Like God TWO. Beyond the Sea THREE. How to Make It in the Afterlife FOUR. The Gospel According to Me FIVE. Abandon (Nearly) All Hope I Believe SIX. Why I Love Mormonism SEVEN. The Freedom of Faith—A Christmas Sermon EIGHT. The Rigor of Love NINE. Coin of Praise TEN. Soccer Fandom as a Model for Living What Are Philosophers For? ELEVEN. What Is a Philosopher? TWELVE. When Socrates Met Phaedrus: Eros in Philosophy THIRTEEN. Cynicism We Can Believe In FOURTEEN. To Weld, Perchance to Dream FIFTEEN. Brexistentialism The Tragedy of Violence SIXTEEN. Euro Blind SEVENTEEN. Let Be—An Answer to Hamlet’s Question EIGHTEEN. The Cycle of Revenge NINETEEN. Theater of Violence Athens in Pieces TWENTY. The Art of Memory TWENTY-ONE. The Stench of the Academy TWENTY-TWO. In Aristotle’s Garden TWENTY-THREE. The Tragedy of Democracy TWENTY-FOUR. What Really Happened at Eleusis? TWENTY-FIVE. We Know Socrates’s Fate. What’s Ours? TWENTY-SIX. The Happiest Man I Ever Met TWENTY-SEVEN. An Offering to the Soccer Gods Others TWENTY-EIGHT. There Is No Theory of Everything TWENTY-NINE. The Dangers of Certainty: A Lesson from Auschwitz THIRTY. Nothing Remains: David Bowie’s Vision of Love THIRTY-ONE. PBS Philip K. Dick, Garage Philosopher THIRTY-TWO. Meditations on a Radiant Fish THIRTY-THREE. Future Gnostic THIRTY-FOUR. Adventures in the Dream Factory Covid Coda THIRTY-FIVE. Our Fear, Our Trembling, Our Strength Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y