Dimensions
155 x 235 x 20mm
Is falling in love finding our other half? What can we do to combat ‘compassion fatigue’? How can we balance our desire for individual freedom with the responsibilities that flow from our relationships?
A "good life". This is what most of us aspire to, but what does it actually mean and how can we achieve it? These questions have been pondered by philosophers for centuries. In Ancient times, some philosophers believed that a person’s life could be represented by a series of circles with the self in the centre, encompassed by the family, then the community, the State and finally the whole of humanity. An ethical person would always try and draw the outer circle of humanity in toward the self when making moral choices; trying to ‘enter the mind of the other’ wherever possible with empathy and understanding.
Inspired by this idea, young Australian philosopher Christina Colegate reflects on many aspects of modern life - love, our bodies, friendship, family, home, democracy and compassion. With insights from groundbreaking thinkers and plenty of humour along the way, 'Just Between You and Me' takes readers on a journey through Western thought from Aristotle to Nussbaum, Hobbes to Freud, and Rousseau to Captain Rinnan of the Tampa.
Drawing on personal experiences of family, love and her passion for philosophy, Christina Colegate builds a bridge between philosophical ideas and everyday experiences. All the time, she seeks to answer the question of how we might live deeper, wiser and more enriched lives.
