Lars Svendsen Libros

"Freedom of speech, religion, choice, will - - humans have fought, and continue to fight, for all of these. But what is human freedom, and what are the main threats to it today? These questions and more are discussed in this comprehensive investigation of the nature of freedom in contemporary society. Our behaviours, thoughts and actions are governed by a variety of restrictions, deadlines and burdens. Taking a broad approach across metaphysics, politics and ethics, A Philosophy of Freedom questions how we can successsfully create meaningful lives for ourselves and others when we are estranged from the very concept of what it means to be free. By tackling such issues as the nature of free agency and the possibility of freedom in a universe goverened by natural laws, Svendsen concludes that the real definition of personal freedom is first and foremost the liberty to devote yourself to what truly matters to you. Drawing on the fascinating debates surrounding the possibility of freedom and its limits within society, A Philosophy of Freedom provides an engaging, accessible and insightful overview of modern philosophical thought on what it is to be free." --Jacket flap.

What is human freedom, and what are its main threats today? These questions and more are discussed in Lars Svendsen’s comprehensive investigation of the nature of freedom in contemporary society. Our behaviours, thoughts and actions are governed by a variety of restrictions, deadlines and burdens. Taking a broad approach across metaphysics, politics and ethics, A Philosophy of Freedom questions how we can successfully create meaningful lives for ourselves and others when we are estranged in this way from the very concept of what it means to be free. By tackling such issues as the nature of free agency and the possibility of freedom in a universe governed by natural laws, Svendsen concludes that the real definition of personal freedom is first and foremost the liberty to devote yourself to what truly matters to you.Drawing on the fascinating debates surrounding the possibility of freedom and its limits within society, A Philosophy of Freedom provides an engaging overview of modern philosophical thought on the topic; an accessible and insightful study for academics and general readers alike.

"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important." - Bertrand Russell Work is one of the most universal features of human life; virtually everybody spends some part of their life at work. It is often associated with tedium and boredom, in conflict with the things we would otherwise love to do. The idea of work primarily as a burden was also shared by the philosophers in ancient Greece, who generally regarded work as a curse. And yet research shows that it prolongs life and is generally good for people's physical and mental health. Why is this? What is the meaning of work? To what extent does it determine our social identity? Should we expect to find work fulfilling? In this book, Lars Svendsen explores these questions and more. He argues that we need to complete this reorientation of our feelings about work and collapse the differences between leisure and work. Work is always with us. But to overcome the sense of being burnt out, we must think of work as not only productive but recreative - in other words, a lot more like leisure. Revised and updated in light of the global financial crisis, this second edition also includes a new chapter on work and globalization.

Lars Svendsen draws upon the writings of thinkers from Adam Smith to Roland Barthes to analyze fashion as both a historical phenomenon and a philosophy of aesthetics.

Examines the nature of boredom, how it originated, its history, how and why it afflicts us, and why we cannot seem to overcome it by any act of will.

An entertaining, thought-provoking guide to truly understanding the lives of other animals.

Loneliness is a difficult subject to address, because it has such negative connotations. But the truth is that wherever there are people, there is loneliness: everyone is lonely at some point in their lives. You can belonely in a crowd or at home, outdoors or in an empty church, and countless songs have been written about the condition. For many people, loneliness can significantly impact their quality of life and their physical and mental health. At the same time, our best moments can come when we are alone, and this can tell us something important about our place in the world.

Surveillance cameras. Airport security lines. We see manifestations of societal fears every day, and daily news reports on the latest household danger or raised terror threat level continually stoke our sense of impending doom. This book explores the underlying ideas and issues behind this powerful emotion.

A comprehensive investigation of lying in everyday life.

Was ist Einsamkeit? Ein Produkt der anonymen Massengesellschaft oder Teil des menschlichen Wesens? Wie und warum entsteht dieses quälende Bedürfnis nach Verbundenheit mit Anderen und worauf weist es hin? Gibt es einen Unterschied zwischen guter und schlechter Einsamkeit? Kann der Mensch vielleicht sogar die beste Zeit seines Lebens dann haben, wenn er allein ist? Mit der Suche nach Antworten auf jene drängenden Fragen unseres modernen Lebens hat sich Lars Svendsen der Erforschung eines Phänomens angenommen, das zwar jeden Mensch betrifft, jedoch nur selten wirklich hinterfragt wird. Die Schlussfolgerungen, zu denen er dabei gelangt, sind ebenso überraschend wie brisant – jenseits scheinbarer Gewissheiten muss er feststellen: »Ich habe noch nie mit einem Thema gearbeitet, bei dem die Vermutungen, mit denen ich zu Werke schritt, in diesem Maße wiederlegt wurden.«