Reviews
"The book is filled with common sense and practical wisdom. As a practical 'guide to what really matters' for general readers and philosophers alike, it is a worthy modern representative of a tradition of ethical writing that goes back to Aristotle's own guide to what really matters, written for his son Nicoachus. From my point of view, that is high praise indeed."-- Robert Kane, Ethics "A stimulating read and a great way to get you focused on the right things..." -- Fareed Zakaria, CNN "Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life is that rare thing: a philosophical work written with such simplicity and verve that it will engage beginning students, but with enough subtlety and sophistication that it will also reward careful study by specialists. An important contribution to ethics." -- Richard Kraut, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Most of us know the main sorts of things that can make a life worth living: happiness and pleasure, friendship and love, accomplishment, knowledge, and virtue. But few of us could probably say very much about just what these things really are, and what, exactly, makes them so valuable. That's where Tom Hurka comes in. The Best Things in Life provides an original and fascinating philosophical guide to some of life's most important questions. For the most part, of course, it's not exactly a practical guide-it won't tell you how to find love, or how to be virtuous or successful. But it will give you a far better sense of what you should be looking for, and why." -- Shelly Kagan, Yale University "Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life strikes the uncommon balance of being engaging to those new to philosophy, and being enriching and rewarding to professionals. .... The book is indeed a total success in this respect -- Hurka's genial tone is engaging, easy-going, straightforward and entirely unpretentious; the philosophical material is plausible and engaging enough for non-philosophers, yet sophisticated and challenging enough for a philosophical audience." -- Gwen Bradford, The Journal of Value Inquiry, "The book is filled with common sense and practical wisdom. As a practical 'guide to what really matters' for general readers and philosophers alike, it is a worthy modern representative of a tradition of ethical writing that goes back to Aristotle's own guide to what really matters, written for his son Nicoachus. From my point of view, that is high praise indeed."--Robert Kane, Ethics "A stimulating read and a great way to get you focused on the right things at the beginning of the year."--Fareed Zakaria, CNN "Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life is that rare thing: a philosophical work written with such simplicity and verve that it will engage beginning students, but with enough subtlety and sophistication that it will also reward careful study by specialists. An important contribution to ethics."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Most of us know the main sorts of things that can make a life worth living: happiness and pleasure, friendship and love, accomplishment, knowledge, and virtue. But few of us could probably say very much about just what these things really are, and what, exactly, makes them so valuable. That's where Tom Hurka comes in. The Best Things in Life provides an original and fascinating philosophical guide to some of life's most important questions. For the most part, of course, it's not exactly a practical guide-it won't tell you how to find love, or how to be virtuous or successful. But it will give you a far better sense of what you should be looking for, and why."--Shelly Kagan, Yale University, "The book is filled with common sense and practical wisdom. As a practical 'guide to what really matters' for general readers and philosophers alike, it is a worthy modern representative of a tradition of ethical writing that goes back to Aristotle's own guide to what really matters, written for his son Nicoachus. From my point of view, that is high praise indeed."--Robert Kane, Ethics "A stimulating read and a great way to get you focused on the right things at the beginning of the year."--Fareed Zakaria, CNN "Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life is that rare thing: a philosophical work written with such simplicity and verve that it will engage beginning students, but with enough subtlety and sophistication that it will also reward careful study by specialists. An important contribution to ethics."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Most of us know the main sorts of things that can make a life worth living: happiness and pleasure, friendship and love, accomplishment, knowledge, and virtue. But few of us could probably say very much about just what these things really are, and what, exactly, makes them so valuable. That's where Tom Hurka comes in. The Best Things in Life provides an original and fascinating philosophical guide to some of life's most important questions. For the most part, of course, it's not exactly a practical guide-it won't tell you how to find love, or how to be virtuous or successful. But it will give you a far better sense of what you should be looking for, and why."--Shelly Kagan, Yale University "this book makes you work, be self-reflective, and actually do philosophy. It helps you hone these important life skills. Thomas Hurka presents dense philosophical themes with clear diction and offers interesting examples that are not bogged down with technical jargon or require specialized knowledge. Overall, this text is a welcomed addition to the scholarship and practice of teaching contemplation-in-action, and I recommend it with enthusiasm." --Philosophical Practice, "The book is filled with common sense and practical wisdom. As a practical 'guide to what really matters' for general readers and philosophers alike, it is a worthy modern representative of a tradition of ethical writing that goes back to Aristotle's own guide to what really matters, written for his son Nicoachus. From my point of view, that is high praise indeed."--Robert Kane, Ethics"A stimulating read and a great way to get you focused on the right things at the beginning of the year."--Fareed Zakaria, CNN"Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life is that rare thing: a philosophical work written with such simplicity and verve that it will engage beginning students, but with enough subtlety and sophistication that it will also reward careful study by specialists. An important contribution to ethics."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"Most of us know the main sorts of things that can make a life worth living: happiness and pleasure, friendship and love, accomplishment, knowledge, and virtue. But few of us could probably say very much about just what these things really are, and what, exactly, makes them so valuable. That's where Tom Hurka comes in. The Best Things in Life provides an original and fascinating philosophical guide to some of life's most important questions. For themost part, of course, it's not exactly a practical guide-it won't tell you how to find love, or how to be virtuous or successful. But it will give you a far better sense of what you should be looking for, andwhy."--Shelly Kagan, Yale University"this book makes you work, be self-reflective, and actually do philosophy. It helps you hone these important life skills. Thomas Hurka presents dense philosophical themes with clear diction and offers interesting examples that are not bogged down with technical jargon or require specialized knowledge. Overall, this text is a welcomed addition to the scholarship and practice of teaching contemplation-in-action, and I recommend it with enthusiasm."--Philosophical Practice, "The book is filled with common sense and practical wisdom. As a practical 'guide to what really matters' for general readers and philosophers alike, it is a worthy modern representative of a tradition of ethical writing that goes back to Aristotle's own guide to what really matters, written for his son Nicoachus. From my point of view, that is high praise indeed."--Robert Kane, Ethics"A stimulating read and a great way to get you focused on the right things at the beginning of the year."--Fareed Zakaria, CNN"Thomas Hurka's The Best Things in Life is that rare thing: a philosophical work written with such simplicity and verve that it will engage beginning students, but with enough subtlety and sophistication that it will also reward careful study by specialists. An important contribution to ethics."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"Most of us know the main sorts of things that can make a life worth living: happiness and pleasure, friendship and love, accomplishment, knowledge, and virtue. But few of us could probably say very much about just what these things really are, and what, exactly, makes them so valuable. That's where Tom Hurka comes in. The Best Things in Life provides an original and fascinating philosophical guide to some of life's most important questions. For the most part, of course, it's not exactly a practical guide-it won't tell you how to find love, or how to be virtuous or successful. But it will give you a far better sense of what you should be looking for, and why."--Shelly Kagan, Yale University"this book makes you work, be self-reflective, and actually do philosophy. It helps you hone these important life skills. Thomas Hurka presents dense philosophical themes with clear diction and offers interesting examples that are not bogged down with technical jargon or require specialized knowledge. Overall, this text is a welcomed addition to the scholarship and practice of teaching contemplation-in-action, and I recommend it with enthusiasm." --Philosophical Practice
