What does it mean to be an adult? In this original and compelling work, John Russon answers that question by leading us through a series of rich reflections on the psychological and social dimensions of adulthood and by exploring some of the deepest ethical and existential issues that confront human life: intimacy, responsibility, aging, and death. Using his knowledge of the history of philosophy along with the combined resources of psychology, sociology, and anthropology, he explores the behavioral challenges of becoming an adult and examines the intimate relationships that are integral to healthy development. He also studies our experiences of time and space, which address both aging and the crucial role that our material environments play in the formation of our personalities. Of special note is Russon’s provocative assessment of the economic and political contexts of contemporary adult life and the distinctive problems they pose. Engaging and accessible,
Adult Life is for anyone seeking the profound lessons our human culture has learned about living well.
İçerik tablosu
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Vignette #1: The Generation Gap
Vignette #2: Worldly Engagement
Vignette #3: Mortality and Character
The Plan of the Book
Part I: Human Experience and the Meaning of Adulthood
1. Perception and Its Norms
Perception and Possibility
Reality and Maturity
Character and Aging
Part II: The Form of Adult Life: Maturity and Aging
2. Character and Reality
Exposure: Outer and Inner
Healthy Developments of Character
Responsibility and Happiness
3. Aging
Time: Indifferent and Personal
On Aging
The Spatiality of Adulthood
Part III: The Content of Adult Life: Adult Occupations
4. Domains of Settlement and Engagement
Intimacy: The Family
Economics: The Market
Politics: The State
5. Bearing Witness: Honesty and Wisdom
Art
Religion
Philosophy: Wonder, Science, and Wisdom
Appendix: Notes for Further Study
Bibliography
Index
Yazar hakkında
John Russon is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Guelph and the Director of the Toronto Summer Seminar in Philosophy. He is the author of
Bearing Witness to Epiphany: Persons, Things, and the Nature of Erotic Life and
Human Experience: Philosophy, Neurosis, and the Elements of Everyday Life, both also published by SUNY Press.