Spirituality for the Skeptic: The Thoughtful Love of Life
Solomon (business and philosophy, Univ. of Texas, Austin; A  Passion for Wisdom) has no sympathy for New Age spirituality or  any family heritage of traditional religious practice.  Nevertheless, he has also grown weary of academic philosophy's  tendency toward "clever paradox and puzzle-solving" and "often  cynical obscurantism." "Philosophy," he reminds us, "is a  spiritual practice." He looks to philosophy itself, especially  the work of Hegel and Nietzsche, to provide the tools to pursue  a naturalized spirituality, spirituality as "the thoughtful love  of life." Separate chapters address thoughtful spirituality as  characterized by passion, cosmic trust, and rationality; as  facing up to tragedy, fate, and death; and as fostering  transformation of the self. This is a warm and wise book. While  Solomon does not begin to touch the historical riches of  philosophy as spiritual practice (as in the pioneering work of  Pierre Hadot), he does begin the important task of reconceiving  contemporary philosophy as a passionate spirituality a  spirituality for those skeptical of supernaturalism and  authority-based religious claims. Steve Young, McHenry Cty.  Coll., Crystal Lake, ILCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.