Jul 02, 2019 the book is a triumpha philosophers magnum opus as the edinburgh international book festival has described it. Ac grayling has always tended to be regarded as the good cop. From their announcement critically acclaimed author and professor of philosophy, a. The book expresses graylings sciencebased humanist philosophy throughout, but draws on hundreds of authors throughout history and across the world. Less coldly clinical in tone than richard dawkins, less aggressively combative than. Drawn from the wealth of secular literature and philosophy in both western and eastern traditions, using the same techniques of editing, redaction, and adaptation that produced the holy books of the judeochristian and islamic religions, the good book consciously takes its design and presentation from the bible. Poverty is not restricted to the poor, moammar alqadhafi was a very rich man but also a poor man. Its aim is not to persuade readers to accept one particular philosophical point of view or theory, but to help us consider the wonderful range of insights which can be drawn from an. Graylings history is an improvement in this regard, as it provides both a more objective and deeper account of each philosopher. A c download or read online the meaning of things ac grayling free book in our library is free for you. A c grayling, britains most popular and widely read philosopher, has created a secular bible that draws on the wisdom of 2,500 years of contemplative nonreligious writing about all that it means to be human from the origins of the universe to small matters of courtesy and kindness in everyday life designed to be read as narrative and also to be dipped into for inspiration, encouragement and.
Grayling discusses creating a nonreligious bible that draws from the wealth of secular literature and philosophy in both western and eastern traditions. Grayling explains he has spent several decades on his a. He is the author of the acclaimed among the dead cities, descartes, toward the light of liberty, meditations for the humanist, and thinking of answers. Ac grayling bbc video interview tackling the good book the sydney morning herald the new atheists are responding, not attacking new humanist pressing questions for our century edge ac graylings top 5 nonreligious books slate a. The book explores the cultures of peoples around the world, portraying both their diversity and the threats they face. Grayling grayling is a london based philosopher and advocate of the new atheism movement, for which he wrote the god argument 20 and the good book. Note that grayling lays his book out like the bible with similar referencing. The good book by ac grayling of the three contemporary prophets of atheism, professor richard dawkins, christopher hitchens and professor ac grayling, i know two, hitchens and. The books run from genesis to the good, by way of parables, lamentations, songs, histories and epistles, each broken up into chapter and verse, in mimicry of that. This worthy anthology of humanist wisdom serves chiefly to highlight the scriptures divine sublimity. This book contains mankinds thinking and insight at its best. Ac grayling bbc video interview tackling the good book the sydney morning herald the new atheists are responding, not attacking new humanist pressing questions for our century edge ac grayling s top 5 nonreligious books slate a. When i got the book, i was a bit disappointed, because i like grayling s other books so much and i had hoped this would be similar.
Drawing on the wisdom of 2,500 years of contemplative nonreligious writing on all that it means to be human from the origins of the universe to small matters of courtesy and kindness in everyday life a. This 700 page book is written in the same format as the bible with the modern numbering of sections of the bible. He was born in northern rhodesia now zambia and spent most of his childhood there and in nyasaland now malawi. Grayling explains he has spent several decades on his ambitious project, distilling what he. In that book, the choice of hercules, where i discuss the tension between the good life in the sybaritic sense of wine, women and song, and on the other hand the good life in the sense of the puritan virtues, my argument is that they are both important, and that a blend of the two is constitutive of a third and better version of the good life. A c grayling ebooks epub and pdf downloads ebookmall. But instead of adam and eve, graylings genesis invokes isaac newton, the british scientist who pioneered the study of gravity. Grayling is not such a man, but this is a good thing. January 20, 2017 philosopher ac grayling when people hear the phrase the good life they think of one of two things. Grayling focuses on the two very different conceptions of what a good life should be. A secular bible, the philosopher sets out his manifesto for rational thought. Ac graylings steamroller attack on religion as the catchall enemy of progress fatally banjaxes this book.
Apr 04, 2011 the good book cant be bettered the philosopher ac grayling has created a secular bible, but its guidance for a good life fails to convince genevieve fox. A fellow of the world economic forum and past chairman of the human rights organization june fourth, he contributes frequently to the times london, the. Mar 05, 20 the good book begins with genesis, where you can see the ideas of darwin laid out in an inspirational way. And much like the bestselling king james bible, which is celebrating its 400th year, his book is written in a type of english that transcends time. With a book such as this you are free at last to pour away religious fictions, if you so choose. The best books on being good five books expert recommendations. Of democracy and its discontents, with a resonant defense of what winston churchill called the least bad of all systems. Frankenstein letters study guide answers philosophy a guide through the subject. Grayling is a professor of philosophy at birkbeck college, university of london. The book was designed as a secular alternative to religious text, and to be read as a narrative drawing on nonreligious philosophy, including that from ancient greek, chinese, roman, indian and arab civilizations, as well as the european renaissance and the age of enlightenment. Download the app and start listening to the good book. Britains brexit referendum, in which, by the authors account. While the title listed in the add is the good book.
Its principal concern is how life the good life should be lived. The philosopher ac grayling has created a secular bible, but its guidance for a good life fails to convince genevieve fox. Essential readings for the nonbeliever, and the good book, and more on. A book of extraordinary audacity from a remarkable thinkera secular. The good book is a manifesto for rational thought, but mirrors the bible in both form and language. A secular bible, the title appearing on my copies are, the good book. C download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Jan 20, 2017 january 20, 2017 philosopher ac grayling when people hear the phrase the good life they think of one of two things.
Its aim is not to persuade readers to accept one particular philosophical point of view or theory, but to help us consider the wonderful range of insights which can be drawn from an immeasurably. A celebration of tribal peoples, released in october 2009. Thinking about life, what it means and what it holds in store does not have to be a despondent experience, but rather can be enlightening and. Grayling will be at warwicks on monday, april 11th at 7. The good book, a c grayling shop online for books in. A c grayling ebooks epub and pdf format a c grayling ebooks. We provide copy of the meaning of things ac grayling free in 17 apr 2017. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the good book. Grayling was one of the contributors to the book, we are one. In its beauty of language and its arrangement into short chapters and verses for ease of reading and quotability, it offers the nonreligious seeker all the wisdom, insight, solace. Grayling is master of the new college of the humanities.
Not that grayling will escape the criticism of bias. If the humanists are in the ascendant, then a c graylings selfhelp book. Few, if any, thinkers and writers today would have the imagination, the breadth of knowledge, the literary skill, andyesthe audacity to conceive of. The history of philosophy is a big field and it takes a steady and expert hand to guide a reader through it. The substitution of grayling for god as ultimate author means that any analogy between the good book and the good book is extremely thin. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Few, if any, thinkers and writers today would have the imagination, the breadth of knowledge, and the literary skill to conceive of a powerful secular alternative to the bible. Grayling has done, creating a nonreligious bible drawn from the wealth of secular. In many ways being rich and wealthy takes away your time to think. Grayling, britains most popular and widely read philosopher, has created a secular bible. Determined to make his material accessible, grayling arranged his nearly 600page good book much like the bible, with double columns, chapters the first is even called genesis and short verses.
The good book quotes showing 19 of 9 the wise say that our failure is to form habits. A secular bible 1st edition by grayling, professor a. When i got the book, i was a bit disappointed, because i like graylings other books so much and i had hoped this would be similar. Like the bible, the good book, opens with a garden scene. This book is an accessible, lively and thoughtprovoking series of linked commentaries, based on a. Designed to be read as narrative and also to be dipped into for inspiration, encouragement and consolation, the good book offers a thoughtful, nonreligious alternative to the many people who do not follow one of the worlds great religions. The book expresses grayling s sciencebased humanist philosophy throughout, but draws on hundreds of authors throughout history and across the world. Grayling may be the ultimate editor and redactor of the sources drawn together in the good book, but thats as far as a secular doctrine of inspiration can go.
The good book consciously takes its design and presentation from the bible, in the beauty of its language and its pdf arrangement into short chapters and verses, offering to the nonreligious seeker all the wisdom, insight, solace, inspiration, and perspective of various secular humanist traditions. The good book 890 printed pages drawing on the wisdom of 2,500 years of contemplative nonreligious writing on all that it means to be human from the origins of the universe to small matters of courtesy and kindness in everyday life a. Until about 100 years ago, the latter was the usual meaning. Grayling, what is good the search for the best way.
Graylings bestselling secular bible, is now published in a handsome, smaller format edition at a competitive price. Two recent developments, writes grayling philosophynew coll. The good book is a book of insight, inspiration, wisdom, solace and commentary on the human condition drawn from the great humanist traditions of thought and literature of the world. Grayling a refreshing distillation of insights into the human condition, by one of the bestknown and most popular philosophers in the uk. In 2011 he founded and became the first master of new college of the humanities, an independent undergraduate college in london. Grayling, a longtime proponent of philosophy in public life, achieves this. Grayling holds a chair of philosophy at birkbeck college in london and is president of the british humanist association. Grayling has always tended to be regarded as the good cop. The good book is a book of insight, inspiration, wisdom, solace and commentary on the human condition drawn from the great. Reading through this i was really pleasantly surprised at how much i liked it.
Im used to this language being peppered with things i dont believe in, and listening to it at weddings or funerals generally gives me a lump in my stomach. Instead, going back to traditions older than christianity, and far richer and more various, including the nontheistic philosophical and literary schools. Overdrive read 27 adobe epub ebook 27 kindle book 16 adobe pdf ebook 5. Stimulating, thoughtful, rational and rewarding, it is now published in a compact edition. Grayling is master of the new college of the humanities, and a supernumerary fellow of st annes college, oxford. The good book consciously takes its design and presentation from the bible, in the beauty of its language and its arrangement into short chapters and verses, offering to the nonreligious seeker all the wisdom, insight, solace, inspiration, and perspective of various secular humanist traditions. Graylings exquisite wording is a match for the soul touching content of the book. The book is a triumpha philosophers magnum opus as the edinburgh international book festival has described it. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy and other subjects, and has written on nonwestern philosop. The good book cant be bettered the philosopher ac grayling has created a secular bible, but its guidance for a good life fails to convince genevieve fox. Instead, going back to traditions older than christianity, and far richer and more various, including the nontheistic philosophical.