Philosophy and Life, A. C. Grayling
Philosophy and Life, A. C. Grayling
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Philosophy and Life
Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live

Author: A. C. Grayling

Narrator: Justin Avoth

Unabridged: 14 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 04/06/2023


Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the eminent philosopher, an authoritative exploration of the great questions of how to live

'There is a question everyone has to ask and answer - in fact, has to keep on asking and keep on answering. It is, 'How should I live my life?' meaning, 'What values shall I live by? 'What sort of person should I be? What shall I aim for?' The great majority of people do not ask this question, they merely answer it unthinkingly, by adopting conventional views of life and what matters in it...'

From Stoics to existentialists, in philosophy and literature, discussion of the philosophy of life -- of love and death, of courage, fortitude and wisdom -- challenges us all to think about what kinds of life are truly worth living. In this summation of a lifetime thinking and writing about this great question, A. C. Grayling explores with clarity and depth the ideas that each of us must use in answering it for ourselves.

Drawing on the lives, experiences and works of a fantastically eclectic range of thinkers -- taking in not only philosophers such as Confucius, Seneca and Nietzsche, but also authors from Shakespeare to Ursula LeGuin, and modern thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum and Simon May - Philosophy and Life brings together wisdom from across eras and continents in a tour de force on the philosophy of being human in a complicated world.

'Grayling brings satisfying order to daunting subjects' Steven Pinker

'An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity' Independent

© A.C Grayling 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

About A. C. Grayling

A. C. Grayling is professor of philosophy and master of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern, London. Among his many books are Liberty in the Age of Terror, The God Argument, Democracy and Its Crisis, and The History of Philosophy. He has been a regular contributor to the Times, Guardian, Financial Times, Independent on Sunday, Economist, New Statesman, Prospect, and New European. He appears frequently on radio and TV, including Newsnight and CNN News. He lives in London.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Dobre on August 30, 2025

3.7☆......more

Goodreads review by Chris on July 08, 2023

What an excellent introduction to some key philosophies. I have read a little of Grayling before and found myself struggling to catch on. This book is very clear except for the second last chapter where he waffles on a bit. The distinction between philosophy and religion was well handled as was his......more

Goodreads review by grace on August 30, 2024

The meaning of a meaningful life is what the person living it—this might be you, the reader of these words—honestly and authentically want[s] it to be, can make it to be, and can make a case for it to be in the face of sceptics who might challenge it on the grounds of how it affects others. This book......more

Goodreads review by Anda on September 14, 2025

The way this book is actually a six star read.......more

Goodreads review by Yahya on August 31, 2024

Philosophy and Life by A.C. Grayling is a comprehensive and thought-provoking read. Its length and depth required some time to fully appreciate, but the effort is well worth it. The book presents a fascinating collection of reflections on topics ranging from everyday concerns to profound existential......more


Quotes

Vivid . . . a panoramic, sweeping affair, in which Grayling draws upon Lebensphilosophie in all its forms, from the ancient Greeks to Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre to contemporary thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, as well as poets, artists and scientists Daily Telegraph

An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity Independent

Anthony Grayling's intimate and vital dialogue with many of the greatest thinkers since antiquity will inspire each of us to discover the best life we are capable of living