This Beauty, Nick Riggle
This Beauty, Nick Riggle
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This Beauty
A Philosophy of Being Alive

Author: Nick Riggle

Narrator: Nick Riggle

Unabridged: 4 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/06/2022

Synopsis

An acclaimed philosopher  and new father argues that engaging with beauty can make life worth livingYou didn’t choose to live this life, in this body, in these conditions—this delicate and difficult life. Yet when you consider that your existence is fleeting, an inspired sense of urgency can spring forth. Say you often hike with a friend. One day, they propose that you skydive instead. You’re wavering, and they insist: Come on. You only live once! And soon you’re flying through the air. Why embrace a life you did not choose?In This Beauty, philosopher Nick Riggle explores the beauty of being alive by investigating the things we say to inspire ourselves and each other: seize the day, treat yourself, you only live once. These clichés are at best vague, at worst stupid. They imply that you should do something wild with your life because your life is precious, a little like saying you should go swimming with your grandfather’s watch because it is irreplaceable. Drawing on insights from aesthetics and his experiences as a professional skater and new father, Riggle shows us how we can understand the idea that life is beautiful enough to bear repeating. Insightful and deeply humane, This Beauty offers a personal and searching inquiry into the mystery of life’s beauty.

About Nick Riggle

Nick Riggle dropped out of high school to become a pro-skater, participating in stunt shows, demos, and world class competitions (including three ESPN X Games appearances). He has a BA in philosophy from UC Berkeley and a PhD from NYU, America’s leading philosophy program; he is currently a philosophy professor at the University of San Diego. He speaks widely at conferences and workshops and co-organized the first major academic conference on the philosophy of street art and graffiti. He continues to publish in key and notable philosophy journals, as well as more popular outlets including McSweeney’s, Aeon (on the high five, awesomeness and suckiness), and Hyperallergic. His current academic work focuses on the role of aesthetic value in human life and is supported by a grant from The Experience Project, a 4.8 million dollar, three-year initiative at UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Notre Dame.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mount Nowhere on December 15, 2022

This book is an interesting blend of analytic philosophy, autobiography, and existential musing. Stylistically, the book is one part inspirational prose, one part poetic reflection, and one part precise analysis. This Beauty is part of a small, but possibly growing, movement among academic philosoph......more

Goodreads review by Birdie on January 19, 2023

Honestly, it’s been quite a long time since I read anything in this vein.. like probably at least a good six or so years. I forgot how much I loved diving into truly thought provoking pieces of writing, and this is definitely going to the top of my list now. I’m far from a writer, and I never review b......more

Goodreads review by Chris on January 19, 2023

This Beauty is so many good things. It is a quick read but feels like it will stick with me a long time. It’s accessible but learned — not dumbed down. It covers a lot of ground but ultimately circles around a very important idea. We’re bombarded by existential catch phrases about how we should seiz......more

Goodreads review by jun angelo on January 08, 2023

great first read of 2023, a lovely reminder of how wonderful it is to share beauty in the world with others. looking forward to coming back to this one with older eyes......more

Goodreads review by Brenda on March 09, 2023

Riggle starts with the fact that none of us chose to be born. We end up alive, and we've had no say in that decision nor to whom we are born to, so he asks why should we care about this life we've been given. I like how systematically he develops first his question and then his answer to it; I'm a s......more

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