John Cottingham
Philosophy and the Good Life
Philosophy and the good life
Reason and the passions in Greek, Cartesian and psychoanalytic ethics
by John Cottingham
‘John Cottingham’s masterful book is [written] . . . with pungency, elegance and an unpretentious seriousness. Few philosophers could read this book without learning a lot, and without wanting to think further about the important issues it raises.’
[Roger Crisp, Philosophical Books.]
‘Rich and wise and emotionally engaged . . . Cottingham’s book is humane, learned, ambitious, original and beautifully written. Read it.’
[Timothy Chappell, Philosophical Quarterly.]
‘Fascinating . . . an excellent instance of a historically oriented treatment of a number of important substantive issues in ethics . . . Cottingham is to be warmly applauded for his humane and resounding defence of the project of [exploring how] philosophy and psychoanalysis can converge or co-operate in advancing our thinking about how we want to live.’ [Raymond Geuss, Philosophy.]
‘A delight to read . . . The discussion of what Descartes himself really thought on the question of the relation of mind to consciousness is a revelation.’
[Sebastian Gardner, University of London.]
‘A fine example of a sustained essay in ethics that is centrally influenced by psychoanalytic thinking.’ [Jonathan Lear, International Journal of Psychoanalysis.]
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998 xiii+230pp.
ISBN 0-521-47890-1(pb).
