The solace : finding value in death through gratitude for life / Joshua Glasgow.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Glasgow, Joshua, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Death.

Consolation.

Gratitude.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (viii, 120 pages)

Other Title:

Finding value in death through gratitude for life

Place of Publication:

New York, New York : Oxford University Press, [2020]

Summary:

"While navigating his own mother's cancer diagnosis, the author explores how we might find solace in the fact that we will die. Traditionally, philosophical answers to this question center on two possibilities. First, some argue that death is not bad for the one who dies, because they won't exist after once they are dead. Second, others argue that because immortality would be bad, death has considerable upside. Finding these two answers less than satisfying, the author explores a third option. This third source of solace starts with the idea that insofar as our lives are worth being grateful for, they must have a value. This book argues that because life is implicated in all of our good projects and relationships, its value radiates out to all of life's parts, be they good or bad. And because passing away is one of the parts of life, it gets some of this radiant value. Finally, just as we are grateful for the value of our lives, so we can affirm this value in passing away. Gratitude is not the most fitting way of affirming the value in death, since passing away is also bad for us by depriving us of life's good opportunities. A more fitting affirmation of the value that death borrows from life, in a context where passing away also visits so much badness upon us, is to take some solace in the fact that our passing away has this portion of positive value"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1. Silver Linings

FIRST PATH Nothingness

2. Epicurus' Dilemma

3. Passing Away

4. Incomparable

5. Solutions, Solutions

SECOND PATH Immortality

6. Deprivation or Rescue?

7. Impossible Thing

8. Changes

THIRD PATH Life

9. Gratitude

10. 8-Track and the Pen

11. Love

12. Valuable Imperfections

13. Existence

14. History

15. Experience

16. Last Part

17. Solace

18. Conversation.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-19-007432-9

0-19-007433-7

0-19-007431-0