The Measure of Things: Humanism, Humility and Mystery

Cooper, David E.

Abstract

The book begins with an account of the emergence of 'humanism', understood as the claim that any 'discursable' world is a 'human world', one whose description is relative to human purposes and perspectives. Humanism is contrasted with 'absolutism' which, it is argued, is a doctrine at once hubristic and implausible. However, it is also argued that a 'raw' humanism, which denies the existence of any reality beyond the human world, is also hubristic and 'unliveable'. The conclusion is drawn is that we must take seriously the existence of a radically mysterious order of reality, a 'source' for our human world. The final chapters discuss how one might be 'attuned' to this mystery and what implications for the conduct of life recognition of mystery may have.

Citation

Cooper, D. E. (2002). The Measure of Things: Humanism, Humility and Mystery. Clarendon Press

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2002
• Deposit Date: Jul 24, 2007
• Keywords: Philosophy, Humanism.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1127327
• Publisher URL: http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198238270