A C Grayling
A C Grayling is a distinguished academic, broadcaster and journalist who has published many books on philosophy. He is Reader in Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London and a Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford.
Introduction to The Heart of Things
Grayling begins the introduction to The Heart of Things by quoting a well-known proverb: 'A nod is as good as a wink to the wise'. He explains that The Heart of Things is written with this maxim as its central tenet, ie, that 'to the receptive mind a hint is as good as - and often better than - a treatise.' This 'miscellany', as he puts it, is written to encourage reflection on the wide range of topics offered, not definitive answers. It is up to each individual reader to draw their own conclusions.
The collection of short essays is presented in five parts:
- Personal Themes
- Public Concerns
- People
- Ideas
- Concluding Thoughts
Happiness, Desire, Pleasure, Madness and Cowardice
Personal Themes offers thought-provoking and insightful commentary on themes and abstract concepts starting with Happiness and ending with Cowardice. The essay on Happiness quotes the Ancient Roman philosopher Seneca who wrote that, 'the happy life is a life that is in harmony with its own nature.' Grayling concludes by proposing that it is the act of trying to succeed at something that ultimately creates happiness rather than the actual outcome.
Concepts of Universal Concern
Public Concerns analyses universal concepts such as Reason, Opinion, Heroism and Sacrifice. Grayling's essay on 'Mass Values' is of particular interest to anyone who questions the influence of mass media in contemporary society.
People outlines the contributions of philosophers from the ancient, Plato, to the modern, Edward Said including a chapter on the significance of Dostoevsky's classic 19th Century novel, The Idiot.
Ideas is an intriguing selection, especially the essay entitled, 'White-Collar Boxing'. This presents the reader with the unlikely juxtaposition of City professionals and boxers. The concluding paragraph has particular resonance in these post-boom years and should provoke strong agreement from many readers.
Concluding Thoughts contains a summary, The Uses of Philosophy, which describes how philosophy should be the panacea to modern ills, how the study of this subject can be a positive way to counter the stresses of modern-day living.
Philosophy for Beginners
The Heart of Things is the perfect introduction to general philosophy for those who wish to know more about this often nebulous subject but were afraid to ask. Reading these essays encourages reflection on our own lives, our ideals and our choices as well as enhancing knowledge of the great philosophers in a digestible form.
The Heart of Things by A C Grayling is published by Phoenix, ISBN 0-75381-941-4
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