{"product_id":"ironic-life-hardback-9781509505722","title":"Ironic Life (Hardback) 9781509505722","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eIronic Life\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eRichard J. Bernstein (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509505722, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 6 May 2016\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e184 pages\u003cbr\u003e23.6 x 15.8 x 1.8 cm, 0.381 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\"Just as philosophy begins with doubt, so also a life that may be called human begins with irony\" so wrote Kierkegaard. While we commonly think of irony as a figure of speech where someone says one thing and means the opposite, the concept of irony has long played a more fundamental role in the tradition of philosophy, a role that goes back to Socrates Ð the originator and exemplar of the urbane ironic life. But what precisely is Socratic irony and what relevance, if any, does it have for us today? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBernstein begins his inquiry with a critical examination of the work of two contemporary philosophers for whom irony is vital: Jonathan Lear and Richard Rorty. Despite their sharp differences, Bernstein argues that they complement one other, each exploring different aspects of ironic life. In the background of Lear’s and Rorty’s accounts stand the two great ironists: Socrates and Kierkegaard. Focusing on the competing interpretations of Socratic irony by Gregory Vlastos and Alexander Nehamas, Bernstein shows how they further develop our understanding of irony as a form of life and as an art of living. Bernstein also develops a distinctive interpretation of Kierkegaard’s famous claim that a life that may be called human begins with irony. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBernstein weaves together the insights of these thinkers to show how each contributes to a richer understanding of ironic life. He also argues that the emphasis on irony helps to restore the balance between two different philosophical traditions philosophy as a theoretical discipline concerned with getting things right and philosophy as a practical discipline that shapes how we ought to live our lives.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. Jonathan Lear and Richard Rorty on Irony\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLear's Case for Irony\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRorty on Irony, Contingency, and Liberalism\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome Questions Concerning Lear and Rorty\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. What is Socratic Irony?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGregory Vlastos: Socratic Irony as Complex Irony\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlexander Nehamas: Socratic Irony as Silence\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eVlastos and Nehamas: Productive Tensions\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. Søren Kierkegaard: Irony and Ethical Passion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIrony as Infinite Absolute Negativity\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoving Beyond \"Pure Irony\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4. Irony, Philosophy, and Living a Human Life\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Art of Living\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhy Irony Matters\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotes\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReferences\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eName Index\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubject Index\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Philosophy [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Philosophy\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Philosophy%20%5BHP%5D%22\"\u003eHP\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52441781436696,"sku":"9781509505722","price":42.36,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509505722.jpg?v=1785024800","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/ironic-life-hardback-9781509505722","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}