The era of choice : the ability to choose and its transformation of contemporary life / Edward C. Rosenthal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rosenthal, Edward C., 1959-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philosophy and civilization.

Culture--Philosophy.

Culture.

Decision making.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (344 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

How today's cornucopia of choices has transformed our lives and our culture, from the foundations of scientific theory to the anxiety of everyday decisions.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface

1 Choice: More Than Wanting to Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

2 Behind the Scenes of Choice: The Historical Precursors

3 FreeWill and the Vicious Spiral of Choice: Who's in Control?

4 Many Branches, Many Worlds, and the Splintering of Reality

5 The Blurring of Reality

6 Postindustrial Society: Our Break with History?

7 Decision Making: Is There a Method to Its Madness?

8 Oppositions: Saussure, Structuralism, and More

9 Freedom and Existentialism

10 Risk: What It Means to Us

11 The Individual versus the Group

12 The Turning Point: The 1960s

13 High and Low Culture, Subjective and Objective Mentality

14 From Modernism to Postmodernism

15 Postmodern Manifestations, Self-Reference, and Beyond

16 Critics of Contemporary Life

17 Societal Problems and Conflicts: Where Are We Headed?

18 Have We Been Here Before?

19 Policy Implications, and Conclusions

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

"A Bradford book."

Includes bibliographical references (p. [303]-310) and index.

ISBN:

0-262-28258-5

1-282-10095-5

9786612100956

1-4294-1309-3

OCLC:

182530749