2018/08/31

A Guide to Rational Living: Albert Ellis, Robert A. Harper, Melvin Powers: 9780879800420: Amazon.com: Books



A Guide to Rational Living: Albert Ellis, Robert A. Harper, Melvin Powers: 9780879800420: Amazon.com: Books







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KStar

4.0 out of 5 starsA Little Out-Dated but Still Offers New Beliefs to Live ByMarch 14, 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I had never heard of REBT but I came across its concepts in a psych article and thought it was enlightening: The idea that the key to improvement isn't to be more positive, but rather to be more RATIONAL, and more broadly that by controlling our beliefs we can alter our moods. This basic premise is brilliant and at the time of the original publishing date, it was revolutionary and controversial.

In fact, the first 5 chapters (which you can arguably skip) go into the science behind this theory and takes a lot of time to refute or respond to rebuttals from other doctors and researchers who questioned Ellis and Harper's theories. While I see the value in these chapters that aim to explain and set up the theory behind their methods, I found them a bit redundant and dry.

The really helpful part is in the description of the most common irrational beliefs and how to alter your thinking so they don't depress or enrage you. I saw this list online and it is what inspired me to buy this book, so I will put it here for you:

1. The idea that you must have love or approval from all the significant people in your life (101).
2. The idea that you absolutely must be thoroughly competent, adequate, and achieving or The idea that you must be competent or talented in some important area (115).
3. The idea that other people absolutely must not act obnoxiously and unfairly, and, that when they do, you should blame and damn them, and see them as bad, wicked, or rotten individuals (127).
4. The idea that you have to see things as being awful, terrible, and catastrophic when you are seriously frustrated or treated unfairly (139).
5. The idea that you must be miserable when you have pressures and difficult experiences; and that you have little ability to control, and cannot change, your disturbed feelings (155).
6. The idea that if something is dangerous or fearsome, you must obsess about it and frantically try to escape from it (163).
7. The idea that you can easily avoid facing many difficulties and self-responsibilities and still lead a highly fulfilling existence (177).
8. The idea that your past remains all-important and because something once strongly influenced your life, it has to keep determining your feelings and behavior today (187).
9. The idea that people and things absolutely must be better than they are and that it is awful and horrible if you cannot change life’s grim facts to suit you (197).
10. The idea that you can achieve maximum happiness by inertia and inaction or by passively and uncommittedly enjoying yourself (207).

I thought going into this that #1 was going to be the chapter that best applied to my life, but as I read I realized how much of my stress actually stems from #3. I didn't realize how much judgment I was spewing based on this irrational belief, and it also explained fights I've had with others when I've been on the receiving end of that irrationality.This book gives advice based on both sides of the fence, and has some nice sections on fostering more rational self-talk as a way to alleviate crippling feelings.

The other thing that was helpful for me was realizing that I was already practicing a lot of this, and it made me thankful for my father who always challenged my perspectives whenever I got worked up about "nothing." I also recently had a friend who was telling me that I am too calm and I should be more upset about things (my dysfunctional childhood, the loss of a loved one) and I got kind of worked up and wondered if I was "in denial" or "too cold." Reading this made me realize that I was actually responding in a really healthy way--letting myself feel deep emotions but snapping out of it, and approaching my life from the "big picture," and thinking rationally as a way to stave off long-term depression, resentment, and anxiety.

I didn't give this 5 stars because of the writing style and awkward client conversations that are used as the primary examples for each irrational belief.

This was first published in 1961, and it shows. It is rather dated and the diction and conversations reveal its age. I found it amusing, but I could see how a modern reader might be alienated by it, and I wonder if an updated version might be helpful.

Additionally, the writers come of as glib, arrogant, and insensitive. They're almost mocking the clients, at times, and think of their approach to psychoanalysis as "tough love." They were speaking very nonchalantly about topics like death and suicide. They kind of encourage people to "just get over a death" by realizing that "it isn't a DISASTER" and "YOU're not the one who is dead." It was pretty awkward, and I felt myself cringing. I do understand that they talk about "healthy grieving" and encourage people to have deep feelings; rather they are aiming to discuss neuroses, and use an example of a man who was still grieving 7 years later over his mother's death as intensely as the day after (to exemplify irrational belief #5).

Also in their defense, I appreciated (at times) their levity, which highlights the absurdity in some of the clients' beliefs (it is also helpful to laugh at yourself when you are thinking so crazily), but it was often strange and even uncomfortable to read their fairly impersonal recount of their clients' issues and to make light of grave topics. Saying things like, "if you're children die it isn't the end of the world," or "if this is so upsetting, then you can commit suicide" really detracts from their credibility.

I also recognize, in defense of the authors, that the conversations are excerpted and probably taken out of context, being used to highlight the irrationality of the beliefs (which is what this book is about, after all) rather than to highlight their bedside manner, But I can see this turning off readers. Personally, I think that some combination of empathy and reasoning may be the ideal, and I would NOT recommend speaking to friends like this.

As a whole, I would recommend this book and think it has the potential to change the way you think, and in turn the way you feel. I know a few people with depression and anxiety issues, and this has also helped me understand them (what they're thinking and why it is so detrimental to their mental health). I am aiming to change the way I communicate with both myself and with these friends.
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D. B.

5.0 out of 5 starsA definite recommendation for the reader who suffers from depression or anxietyJanuary 20, 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I bought this book after reading about half of David Burns Feeling Good and seeing recommendations for this book in those reviews. Personally, I am glad that I read Feeling Good before I read this book, as Feeling Good was a fantastic introduction to the power of my own mind over my feelings. Personally, I suffer from depression, and I've been using both of these books as tools to try to work on recovering from my illness.

Concerning A Guide to Rational Living, yes I would recommend this book. It's not nearly as easy to digest as Feeling Good, so I do think it's important to start there, but there are some very helpful things in this guide that I didn't take from Feeling Good. I believe Feeling Good is the better place to start because it has a stronger emphasis on recording your automatic thoughts (described here as Irrational Beliefs by Ellis). Since Feeling Good taught me how important it was to write distorted thoughts, I was able to use the tools from that book as I went through Ellis and Harper's book.

Particular things in this book that were keys to my personal well being were the chapters, "Overcoming the Influences of the Past," and "Conquering Anxiety and Panic." Influences of the past was an integral chapter for me, because after I read through that chapter, I was able to reflect on my feelings towards my parents and forgive them for the things I still blamed them for. There was a very particular passage explaining that people create rules for themselves that allow them to continually revive the pains they felt when they were younger. I was able to address this rule within myself and find a new token of peace.

I haven't finished the book, I'll admit. I only just finished the chapter, "Conquering Anxiety and Panic." I feel this chapter too helped me to consider what it is that's bothering me with a particular issue I have been struggling with for years. No, I don't think this feeling is completely removed from me, but I have had the luxury of beginning to chip away at it with the tools in this chapter.

The book does suffer from one thing--constant redundancy. It seems that Ellis and Harper stumbled upon one cognitive rule and then tried to find 150+ different opportunities to rephrase it. They really enjoy the words, "terrible," "horrible," "awful," and "must." Though the book does occasionally become repetitive, it's message is no less powerful. You are acceptable, with flaws, with goods, with bads, and the way you view the world is bringing you more pain than you deserve. Through it's repetition, the book hopes to drill in your mind a new way of considering reality that allows you to treat yourself with more dignity and respect.

Much of the content is beautiful for the freedom it offers the reader once s/he digests and accepts the philosophy. I believe this book can be a powerful tool for you in overcoming the issues that have tortured you for years. It's not perfect (which you'll learn is a fantasy anyway), but it teaches you something useful, which is the most you could ask for.
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Patrick Reynolds

5.0 out of 5 starsThis is a great book. I found the behavioral model he describes ...November 21, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a great book. I found the behavioral model he describes to be pretty simple, easy to understand and pretty accurate. It's not the event that upsets us but what we think about it that determines if it is bad or not. I am applying much of what Dr. Ellis says to several areas of my life and have found them to be very accurate and helpful. I'm able to cope with being unemployed at the moment, my childhood, and a breakup of a friendship that I valued.

The only problem I have with the book is that some of the phrasing in it is pretty awkward or difficult to understand without having to read it several times. I am on the second read of this book and am highlighting areas that have helped me cope with some stressful situations. I highly recommend it to anyone who is having a problem coping with some difficult areas in his/her life.

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알라딘: 『제국의 위안부』, 지식인을 말한다



알라딘: 『제국의 위안부』, 지식인을 말한다

[eBook] 『제국의 위안부』, 지식인을 말한다 l 제국의 위안부 2

박유하 (지은이) | 뿌리와이파리 | 2018-06-13






종이책정가 18,000원
전자책정가 12,600원
판매가 12,600원 (0%, 0원 할인, 종이책 정가 대비 30% 할인)


페이지 수 400쪽 (종이책 기준) | ISBN : 9788964627266
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『제국의 위안부』, 지식인을 말한다 『제국의 위안부』, 법정에서 1460일




eBook > 역사 > 한국근현대사 > 항일시대



2014년 6월 16일, 위안부 할머니 아홉 분의 이름으로 ‘출판물에 의한 명예훼손’ 혐의로 민형사 고소와 함께 ‘출판금지… 등 가처분신청’을 당했던 <제국의 위안부> 저자 박유하 교수가, 피소 4년을 맞아 그동안 진행되어온 소송의 배경과 과정을 정리한 책 <'제국의 위안부', 법정에서 1460일>과 피소 전후로 한국과 일본, 법정과 학계 안팎에서 나왔던 학자들의 비판에 대한 반론을 담은 책 <'제국의 위안부', 지식인을 말한다>를 동시에 내놓았다.

2018년 6월 기준으로, ‘허위사실 적시에 의한 명예훼손’ 혐의로 기소된 형사소송은 ‘1심 무죄, 2심 유죄―벌금 1,000만원’을 거쳐 대법원에 상고 중, 가처분신청은 2015년 2월에 ‘일부 인용’ 결정이 나와 박유하 교수와 출판사가 ‘이의신청’과 함께 ‘제2판 34곳 삭제판’을 발행, 민사 손해배상청구소송은 1심에서 ‘원고 1인당 1,000만원의 손해배상’ 선고를 받고 항소 중이다.

이 책은 ‘나눔의집’이라는 지원단체의 이면에서 ‘지식인’들이 이 소송에 어떤 식으로 관여하고 지탱해왔는지를 고발한다. 그리고 단순한 반론을 넘어 ‘지식인’들의 어떤 사고가 그런 비판을 만들었는지를 분석한다. 저자는 말한다. 이른바 ‘지식인’들조차 자신의 ‘상식’에 기대어 비판/비난에 나섰는데, 그들은 낯선 연구 방법을 만났을 때 “유보”하는 자세를 몰랐다고.
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들어가면서

제1부 반발에서 피소까지
1. 서경식의 공격
2. 발간 직후의 서평
3. 가부장적 오만의 비판문법
―이재승의 『제국의 위안부』 비판에 답한다
1) 감정적 ‘혼란’의 연원―가부장적 사고와 법지상주의
2) 논지 비판에 대해
3) 책임과 포지션
4) 책임이란 무엇인가
4. 박노자의 공격
1) 페이스북에서의 논쟁
2) 박노자에 대한 추가답변
3) 정영환의 『무엇을 위한 ‘화해’인가』 「해제」에 대해―짜깁기와 정치성

제2부 피소 이후
1. ‘세계’의 인식과의 싸움―『제국의 위안부』를 말한다
2. 인식은 어떻게 폭력을 만드는가―서경식의 비판에 대해
3. 기억의 정치학을 넘어서―『제국의 위안부』 피소 1년
1. 위안부 문제를 둘러싼 인식의 변화
2. ‘세계의 생각’의 편향된 이해
3. 역사와 마주하는 방식

제3부 비전문가들의 헤이트스피치
1. 일본군 위안부 문제와 1965년체제―정영환의 『제국의 위안부』 비판에 답한다 1
1. 오독과 곡해―정영환의 “방법”
2. “방법” 비판에 대해서
3. 『화해를 위해서』 비판에 대해서
4. 정영환의 잘못된 이해
2. 비판이 지향하는 곳은 어디인가?―정영환의 『제국의 위안부』 비판에 답한다 2
1) 민족과 젠더
2) 전후/현대 일본과 재일교포 지식인
3) 지식인의 사고와 폭력
4) 비판과 포지션
3. ‘젊은 역사학자’들의 비판에 대한 반론
1. 비판 방식에 대해 2. 비판 내용에 대해 3. 비판 태도에 대해
4. 누구를 위한 거짓말인가
―정영환의 『누구를 위한 ‘화해’인가: '제국의 위안부'의 반역사성』에 대해
1. 정영환의 비판과 한국의 언론보도
2. 정영환의 비판의 근본적 문제
3. 오류와 거짓말
5. 헤이트스피치 『제국의 변호인 박유하에게 묻다』
1. 의구심
2. 비판의 양상
3. 식민지 트라우마

제4부 위안부 문제 연구자/운동가/페미니스트의 개입
1. 김부자―의도적 혼동과 왜곡
2. 양징자―관리되는 ‘위안부’의 감정
3. 이나영―페미니즘의 ‘퇴락’
4. 김창록―가치 결정 주체로서의 가부장주의
5. 양현아―가부장제가 허락한 페미니즘
6. 정희진―페미니스트의 오류
7. 박경신―가부장적 국가주의
8. 임경화―이데올로기의 정치
9. 강성현―의구심이 가 닿는 곳

제5부 도쿄 대학 3·28 연구집회에 답한다
1. ‘위안부’ 할머니들이 고소고발의 주체다
2. ‘형사조정’의 기회를 주었다
3. 고소 사태와 정대협은 무관하다
4. 일본(군)의 책임을 부정했다
5. 선행연구를 무시했다
6. 사료가 아닌 (일본인 남성의) 소설을 사용했다
7. 자료를 조작했다
8. 자의적이다
9. 한국어판과 일본어판이 다르다
10. ‘동지적 관계’는 없다
11. ‘강제연행’을 부정했다
12. 전략적 한일화해론이다

에필로그

부록: 탄원과 성명
1. 『제국의 위안부』 가처분신청 기각을 요청하는 탄원 성명서(2014. 7.)
2. 일본·미국 지식인 67인, 박유하 교수 기소에 대한 항의성명(2015. 11.)
3. 『제국의 위안부』 형사 기소에 대한 지식인 194명 성명(2015. 12. 2.)
4. 패소 이후 『제국의 위안부』 소송 지원 동참 호소문(2017. 12. 7.)
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첫문장
2008년 9월, 한국의 진보지를 대표하는 『한겨례』는 재일교포 서경식 교수의 칼럼을 싣는다.

그래서 나는 이 책을 읽는 분들께 먼저 말하고 싶다. 이 싸움은 나와 ‘위안부’ 할머니들의 싸움이 아니라는 것. 그리고 ‘위안부’ 할머니들조차 생각은 하나가 아니라는 것. 생각해보면 너무나 당연한 이야기인데도, 우리는 그동안 ‘위안부’의 목소리를 오로지 하나로만 인식해오지 않았을까. (…) 그런데 2000년대 들어 그런 차이는 가려지기 시작했고, 결국 중심화된 발화/(정형적 피해자)스토리와 같지만은 않은 할머니들의 목소리는 묻혀버리고 말았다. 우리 앞에 놓인 건 극도로 정형화된 ‘위안부’ 이야기이고, 거기서 벗어나는 이야기들은 거의 관심을 받지 못한다.(‘들어가면서’)

이 책은 2014년 6월 중순부터 시작해 2017년 1월에 형사 1심에서 무죄를 받았지만 같은해 10월에 2심에서 유죄라는 판결을 받게 되기까지의 네 개의 재판에서의 공방, 그리고 고발 직전과 이후의 상황을 정리해본 책이다. 이 3년 반 동안, 나는 법정은 물론 법정 바깥을 향해서도 끊임없이 쓰고 항의하고 정정을 요청해야 했다. 국가와 국민, 때로 해외로부터의 집단공격에 맞서는 일이기도 했던 그 작업은 내게는 두더지 때리기 게임과도 같았고, 그래서 나는 자주 도로감에 시달렸다. (…) 언론 기사뿐 아니라 학술지에 실린 글도 마찬가지였는데, 그런 글들이 양쪽 다 자주 ‘범죄 증거자료’로 법정에 제출되었기 때문에, 나는 반론의 의미가 없는 글에조차 반론을 해야 했다.(‘들어가면서’)

P.24 : 『제국의 위안부』는 원래 일본을 향해 쓴 책이다. 즉 일본의 책임을 묻기 위해 쓴 글이다. 다만 나의 시도는 기존 연구와 지식인, 그리고 지원단체와는 다른 논지와 방식으로 이루어졌다. 그동안 전쟁범죄로만 다루어져왔던 위안부 문제를 제국주의의 문제로 생각해야 한다는 점, 따라서 조선인 위안부에 한정해서 보았을 때는 식민지지배가 야기한 문제라는 점, 그러나 그동안 일본이 그것을 명확히 인식한 적은 없었다는 점, 그러니 그에 기반한 사죄와 보상이 새롭게 필요하다는 것이 이 책의 중심 취지였다. 그러나 동시에, 그것을 위해서는 사태 자체를 정확히 알아야 했고, 20여 년에 걸친 운동이 이 문제를 해결하지 못하고 있는 이유에 대해서도 말해야 했다.


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소개 :
서울에서 태어나 서울에서 자랐다. 게이오 대학과 와세다 대학 대학원에서 일본문학을 전공하고, 「일본 근대문학과 내셔널 아이덴티티」로 박사학위를 받았다. 한국에서는 아직 무명이었던 오에 겐자부로와 가라타니 고진 등 현대 일본의 지성을 번역, 소개하는 한편 일본 근대문학을 ‘다시 읽는’ 작업을 해왔다. 민족주의를 넘어선 대화를 모색하는 한일 지식인모임 ‘한일, 연대 21’을 조직하는 등 탈제국/탈냉전적인 시각에서 동아시아의 역사화해를 위한 연구와 활동에서 적극적으로 참여하고 있다. 현재 세종대 일문과 교수로 재직 중이다.
주요 저서로...





“검사의 구형 ‘징역 3년’은 그 ‘지식인’들이 만든 것이었다”

―『제국의 위안부』 비판/비난에 대한 반론,
그리고 한국의 ‘지식인’들에게 던지는 근본적 질문!

왜, 학술공간과 광장이 아니라 법정인가?
“『제국의 위안부』 고소고발 사태란, 정말은 학술공간에서 이루어졌어야 할 논의를 그렇게 법정에서 이루어지도록 만든 사태이기도 하다. 나에게 비판적이었던 한일 ‘지식인’들은 이 기간 동안 나를 공론의 장에 부르지 않았을 뿐 아니라, 재판도 대중의 마녀사냥적 비난도 방관했다. (…) 이 책은 학계가 만들어주지 않았기에 내가 직접 만든, ‘공론의 장’의 첫 시도다.”(6쪽)

2014년 6월 16일, 위안부 할머니 아홉 분의 이름으로 ‘출판물에 의한 명예훼손’ 혐의로 민형사 고소와 함께 ‘출판금지… 등 가처분신청’을 당했던 『제국의 위안부』 저자 박유하 교수가, 피소 4년을 맞아 그동안 진행되어온 소송의 배경과 과정을 정리한 책 『'제국의 위안부', 법정에서 1460일』과 피소 전후로 한국과 일본, 법정과 학계 안팎에서 나왔던 학자들의 비판에 대한 반론을 담은 책 『'제국의 위안부', 지식인을 말한다』를 동시에 내놓았다.
2018년 6월 기준으로, ‘허위사실 적시에 의한 명예훼손’ 혐의로 기소된 형사소송은 ‘1심 무죄, 2심 유죄―벌금 1,000만원’을 거쳐 대법원에 상고 중, 가처분신청은 2015년 2월에 ‘일부 인용’ 결정이 나와 박유하 교수와 출판사가 ‘이의신청’과 함께 ‘제2판 34곳 삭제판’을 발행, 민사 손해배상청구소송은 1심에서 ‘원고 1인당 1,000만원의 손해배상’ 선고를 받고 항소 중이다.

그 지식인들은 그저 기존의 운동과 연구를 지키려 했다
그런데 이 소송에 관해 생각하기 위해 반드시 확인해두어야 할 사항이 세 가지가 있다.
첫째, 소송의 주체는 과연 누구인가?
둘째, 『제국의 위안부』는 정말로, 원고 측과 검찰이 주장하는, “강제연행을 부정하고, 위안부를 ‘자발적으로 간 매춘부’라고 한 책”인가? 
셋째, 형사 1심 무죄 판결이 말해 준 것처럼 그게 아니라면, 원고 측과 검찰은 도대체 왜 박 교수를 고소고발하고 기소했는가?
고소고발 이후, 수많은 사람들이 이런 기초적인 사항에 대한 확인 없이 원고와 검찰의 주장만을 믿고, 책을 읽지 않은 채로, 혹은 확증편향적인 읽기를 통해 박유하 교수를 비난해왔다. 하지만 『제국의 위안부』 소송에 대해 말하려면 이 세 가지에 대한 정확한 판단이 먼저 필요하다.
그리고 더 중요한 것은, 관심도에 비해 너무나도 척박한 한국의 위안부 문제 연구 정황(우리의 ‘위안부 문제’ 이해는 사실 일본인들의 연구에 90퍼센트 이상을 의존해왔다)에 안타까움을 느낀 저자가 스스로 연구하고 고찰/사유 결과를 발표했을 뿐인 한 권의 책이 민형사 고소고발 대상이 되고 국가에 의해 기소당하는 사태가 되었을 때 ‘지식인’들이 어떻게 대응했는지, 그리고 그 이전에 어떻게 관여했는지이다.
저자 박유하 교수는 말한다.
“나는 위안부 할머니의 ‘다른 목소리’를 대변했을 뿐이다.”
“그들은 그저 기존의 운동과 연구를 지키려 했다.”
“검사의 구형 ‘징역 3년’은 그 ‘지식인’들이 만든 것이었다.”
고소고발 이후, 수많은 언론과 대중과 정치가와 학자들의 비난과 손가락질을 받았지만, 그 중심에는 기존 위안부 문제 관련 운동가와 학자와 페미니스트들, 말하자면 위안부 문제에서의 주류 관계자들이 있었다. 국가에 의한 개인의 처벌에 그들은 직간접으로 가담했고, 『제국의 위안부』가 위안부 문제를 ‘부정’하는 이들의 주장과 같지 않다는 것을 누구보다 잘 알 터이면서도 아무도 과도한 대중의 비난에 이의를 제기하지 않았다. 물론 소송 자체를 취하하라거나 박유하 교수에 대한 공격을 멈추라고 말하는 이도 없었다. 그들은 때로, “법정에 가는 건 반대하지만, 책은 엉터리”라는 그럴듯한 표현으로 엉터리 학자 이미지를 유포하거나, 한발 더 나아가 “일본 우익”이며 “나치”며 “아이히만”과 비슷한 인물로 취급하거나, 그런 말로 비난하는 이들을 방치하는 방식으로 가담했다.

‘위안부 문제의 현재’와 지식인
이 책은 ‘나눔의집’이라는 지원단체의 이면에서 ‘지식인’들이 이 소송에 어떤 식으로 관여하고 지탱해왔는지를 고발한다. 그리고 단순한 반론을 넘어 ‘지식인’들의 어떤 사고가 그런 비판을 만들었는지를 분석한다. 저자는 말한다. 이른바 ‘지식인’들조차 자신의 ‘상식’에 기대어 비판/비난에 나섰는데, 그들은 낯선 연구 방법을 만났을 때 “유보”하는 자세를 몰랐다고.
사실, 『제국의 위안부』는 역사학계의 문서중심주의와 정형화된 피해자모델중심주의에 대한 첨예한 비판이기도 했다. 일본에서 『제국의 위안부』에 대한 반응이 뜨거웠던 것은 그 결과로서의 새로운 시각에 대한 공감이 만든 것이었고, 학계에서는 전문분야를 넘어 많은 학자들이 그 시도의 첨단성을 상찬했다. (『대화를 위해서-'제국의 위안부'라는 물음을 펼치다』 참조) 
몇 년 전부터 서구/일본학계에서는 그간의 위안부문제연구와는 다른 시각으로 쓰여진 연구가 나오고 있다. 책 말미에 저자는 금년 2월 일본에서 나온 ‘전쟁과 성폭력의 비교사를 향해서’라는 제목의 학술서를 인용하면서 이렇게 말한다.

“나에게 『제국의 위안부』를 쓰게 만든 것도 바로 이런 인식이었다. 『제국의 위안부』에서 인용한 증언들을 ‘예외’로 치부하고 싶어하거나, 한발 더 나아가 거짓말로 생각하고 싶어했던 학자들의 비난은, 결국 이런 부분에 대한 인식이 없었던 결과였다고, 나는 생각한다.”

따라서 다시 말할 수 있다. 이 책을 읽지 않고 ‘위안부 문제’와 한국사회의 ‘지식인’에 대해 논할 수는 없다고.

The Lessons of History: Will Durant, Ariel Durant: 8601420220881: Amazon.com: Books

The Lessons of History: Will Durant, Ariel Durant: 8601420220881: Amazon.com: Books




The Lessons of History Paperback – February 16, 2010
by Will Durant (Author), Ariel Durant (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 379 customer reviews
Kindle $7.34



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Editorial Reviews

Review


"The Durants' masterpiece belongs in any home library and occupies a shelf in many."
--Dana D. Kelley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
About the Author


Will Durant (1885–1981) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize (1968) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977). He spent more than fifty years writing his critically acclaimed eleven-volume series, The Story of Civilization (the later volumes written in conjunction with his wife, Ariel). A champion of human rights issues, such as the brotherhood of man and social reform, long before such issues were popular, Durant’s writing still educates and entertains readers around the world. See all Editorial Reviews


Product details

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1/14/10 edition (February 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 143914995X
ISBN-13: 978-1439149959
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.3 x 8.4 inches

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Customer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
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Top customer reviews

L. Alexander

5.0 out of 5 starsThe Lessons Still Ring TrueAugust 7, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

"The Lessons of History" is a collection of short essays based on Will and Ariel Durant’s acclaimed eleven volume "The Story of Civilization". It begins with a great disclaimer: "Only a fool would try to compress a hundred centuries into a hundred pages of hazardous conclusions. We proceed."

And they succeed! The book packs a wealth of insights into a hundred pages. The authors discuss, in turn, the forces that have shaped history. The forces considered include natural (geography, biology), human behavior (character, morality), and human constructs (religion, economic systems, and government). The last essay considers the question "Is progress real?".

The essay on economics argues that wealth inequality is a natural and inevitable consequence of the "concentration of ability" within a minority of a society, and this has occurred regularly throughout history. The authors state: "The relative equality of Americans before 1776 has been overwhelmed by a thousand forms of physical, mental, and economic differentiation, so that the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest is now greater than at any time since Imperial plutocratic Rome."

This leads into the essay on socialism, which strives to counteract the forces that drive wealth inequality. The authors survey "socialist experiments" in ancient Sumeria, Egypt, Rome, China, and South America - all centuries before the industrial revolution. It was fascinating to read this history which contains a mixture of failures and successes. The authors argue that the trend is towards a synthesis of capitalism and socialism (rather than one system winning outright).

The next essay discusses the various forms of government and descibes the special circumstances that enabled democracy to take root and flourish in the American colonies. The authors argue that many of the favorable conditions that were present in the years following the American Revolution have disappeared. The essay ends with the haunting warning: "If race or class war divides us into hostile camps, changing political argument into blind hate, one side or other may overturn the hustings with the rule of the sword. If our economy of freedom fails to distribute wealth as ably as it has created it, the road to dictatorship will be open to any man who can persuasively promise security to all; and a martial government, under whatever charming phrases, will engulf the democratic world."

Hopefully this review has provided a flavor for how the authors have distilled the insights they have gained from years of study. It should not come as a surprise that the lessons gleaned from several thousand years of recorded history continue to ring true today.

This is a book that I wish I'd read in high school or perhaps Freshman year of college. It's a wonderfully written study of how we got to where we are today.
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Jonas Wied Pedersen

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat short bookJune 7, 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have read this book three times and I keep discovering new gems in this collection of essays by the Durants. I recommend this surprisingly short (=concise) work. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

- “Democracy is the most difficult of all forms of government, since it requires the widest spread of intelligence, and we forgot to make ourselves intelligent when we made ourselves sovereign.”
- “[…] the Church dares not alter the doctrines that reason smiles at, for such changes would offend and disillusion the millions whose hopes have been tied to inspiring and consolatory imaginations.”
- “[…] the first condition of freedom is its limitation; make it absolute and it dies in chaos.”
- “History is so indifferently rich that a case for almost any conclusion from it can be made by a selection of instances.”

50 people found this helpful

Paul Reinke

5.0 out of 5 starsA refined, comprehensive and erudite conversation between reader and writer about History.April 19, 2016
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Durant packs more meaning into one sentence than many do in pages of prose. Deeply erudite yet lyrically fluid writing provides pleasure in the reading. One doesn't need a broad education in the Humanities and Social Sciences to get the best from this work, but it certainly helps if one has had it.

Durant's strategy for explaining the how and why of History's lessons make sense and helps readers understand to compartment their own world, yet maintain the connectedness among all the compartments.

A delightful work that reminded me of what I once loved about History and Historiography.

11 people found this helpful

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Christopher J Finlayson

5.0 out of 5 starsA preposterous premise, realiseMay 29, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Durant tries to pull lessons from his study of civilisation - covering 100 centuries in 100 pages. The book makes assertions without the detailed history, but the author pulls it off with dense prose and keen insight.

A few of the most interesting ideas:
- Freedom and equality are diametrically opposed
- The disparity of man’s abilities make inequality inevitable in a complex society, only unable men desire equality and able men are better at bending societal rules
- societies get less religious as they get more educated, however, as long as there is poverty, there will be religion
- man’s motivations haven’t changed much over the centuries, we just have the luxury of inheriting a richer set of culture

5 people found this helpful

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Andrew Maile

4.0 out of 5 starsA good book for a western civilization or world histroy course.......July 19, 2016
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The Durants discuss some large themes, from their life long study of world history, in broad brush strokes. A great book to include in a syllabus for a college junior's philosophy, or western civilization, course. All the chapters are great jumping off points for various discussions about the individual, society, and the relationships between the two. Politics, economics/finance, war, science, technology, religion are all woven together for the open minded to consider in our current tempestuous world.
It's an easy read, clear flowing language with digestible chapters that leave much for further discussion(s).

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See all 379 reviews

Meditations - Wikipedia



Meditations - Wikipedia



Meditations
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This article is about the writings by Marcus Aurelius. For other uses, see Meditation (disambiguation).
Meditations
First page of the 1792 English translation by Richard Graves
Author Marcus Aurelius
Original title Unknown, probably untitled
Country Roman Empire
Language Koine Greek
Published Unknown, likely before 850


Meditations (Medieval Greek: Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν, translit. Ta eis heauton, literally "things to one's self") is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoicphilosophy.

Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations in Koine Greek[1] as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement.[2] It is possible that large portions of the work were written at Sirmium, where he spent much time planning military campaigns from 170 to 180. Some of it was written while he was positioned at Aquincum on campaign in Pannonia, because internal notes tell us that the first book was written when he was campaigning against the Quadi on the river Granova (modern-day Hron) and the second book was written at Carnuntum.

It is unlikely that Marcus Aurelius ever intended the writings to be published and the work has no official title, so "Meditations" is one of several titles commonly assigned to the collection. These writings take the form of quotations varying in length from one sentence to long paragraphs.


Contents
1Structure and themes
2Reception
3Quotations
4Editions
5See also
6References
7Further reading
8External links
8.1Studies
8.2Translations
Structure and themes[edit]

Ruins of the ancient city of Aquincum, in modern Hungary – one site where Marcus Aurelius worked on Meditations.

The Meditations is divided into 12 books that chronicle different periods of Marcus' life. Each book is not in chronological order and it was written for no one but himself. The style of writing that permeates the text is one that is simplified, straightforward, and perhaps reflecting Marcus' Stoic perspective on the text. Depending on the English translation, Marcus' style is not viewed as anything regal or belonging to royalty, but rather a man among other men, which allows the reader to relate to his wisdom. Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations at his base in Sirmium, in modern Serbia, and also while positioned at the city of Aquincum, while on campaign in Pannonia, which included modern Hungary.

A central theme to Meditations is the importance of analyzing one's judgment of self and others and the development of a cosmic perspective. As he said "You have the power to strip away many superfluous troubles located wholly in your judgment, and to possess a large room for yourself embracing in thought the whole cosmos, to consider everlasting time, to think of the rapid change in the parts of each thing, of how short it is from birth until dissolution, and how the void before birth and that after dissolution are equally infinite".[3] He advocates finding one's place in the universe and sees that everything came from nature, and so everything shall return to it in due time. Another strong theme is of maintaining focus and to be without distraction all the while maintaining strong ethical principles such as "Being a good man".[4]

His Stoic ideas often involve avoiding indulgence in sensory affections, a skill which will free a man from the pains and pleasures of the material world. He claims that the only way a man can be harmed by others is to allow his reaction to overpower him. An order or logos permeates existence. Rationality and clear-mindedness allow one to live in harmony with the logos. This allows one to rise above faulty perceptions of "good" and "bad" – things out of your control like fame and health are (unlike things in your control) irrelevant and neither good nor bad.

Reception[edit]


Marcus Aurelius has been lauded for his capacity "to write down what was in his heart just as it was, not obscured by any consciousness of the presence of listeners or any striving after effect". Gilbert Murraycompares the work to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confessions and St. Augustine's Confessions. Though Murray criticizes Marcus for the "harshness and plainness of his literary style", he finds in his Meditations"as much intensity of feeling...as in most of the nobler modern books of religion, only [with] a sterner power controlling it". "People fail to understand Marcus", he writes, "not because of his lack of self-expression, but because it is hard for most men to breathe at that intense height of spiritual life, or, at least, to breathe soberly".[5]

D.A. Rees calls the Meditations "unendingly moving and inspiring", but does not offer them up as works of original philosophy.[6] Bertrand Russell found them contradictory and inconsistent, evidence of a "tired age" where "even real goods lose their savour". Using Marcus as an example of greater Stoic philosophy, he found their ethical philosophy to contain an element of "sour grapes". "We can't be happy, but we can be good; let us therefore pretend that, so long as we are good, it doesn't matter being unhappy".[7] Both Russell and Rees find an element of Marcus' Stoic philosophy in the philosophical system of Immanuel Kant.[6][7]

German philosopher Georg Hegel offers a critique of Stoicism that follows similar lines, albeit covering different trajectories. In his Phenomenology of Spirit, Hegel attacks the preoccupation with the inner self as a severing, fatalistic barrier to consciousness. A philosophy that reduces all states of harm or injustice to emotional states "could only appear on the scene in a time of universal fear and bondage." The Stoic refusal to meet the world is anathema to Life, a central value in Hegel's philosophical work: "whether on the throne or in chains, in the utter dependence of its individual existence, its aim is to be free, and to maintain that lifeless indifference which steadfastly withdraws from the bustle of existence..." M.L. Clarke concurs in his historical work on philosophical ideas, The Roman Mind, where he states "[p]olitical liberty could hardly flourish after so many years of despotism and the indifference to public affairs which it bred. And philosophy fostered the same spirit."

In the Introduction to his 1964 translation of Meditations, the Anglican priest Maxwell Staniforth discussed the profound impact of Stoicism on Christianity.[8] Michael Grant called Marcus Aurelius "the noblest of all the men who, by sheer intelligence and force of character, have prized and achieved goodness for its own sake and not for any reward".[9]Gregory Hays' translation of Meditations for The Modern Library made the bestseller list for two weeks in 2002.[10]

The book has been described as a prototype of reflective practice by Seamus Mac Suibhne.[11] United States President Bill Clinton said that Meditations is his favorite book,[12] and United States Secretary of Defense James Mattis carried his own personal copy of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius throughout his deployments as a Marine Corps officer.[13]

"Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which is remembered"

Quotations[edit]


This section is a candidate to be copied to Wikiquote using the Transwikiprocess.

  • Be like a rocky promontory against which the restless surf continually pounds; it stands fast while the churning sea is lulled to sleep at its feet. I hear you say, "How unlucky that this should happen to me!" Not at all! Say instead, "How lucky that I am not broken by what has happened and am not afraid of what is about to happen. The same blow might have struck anyone, but not many would have absorbed it without capitulation or complaint." (IV. 49, trans. Hicks)
  • If thou art pained by any external thing, it is not this that disturbs thee, but thy own judgment about it. And it is in thy power to wipe out this judgment now. (VIII. 47, trans. George Long)
  • A cucumber is bitter. Throw it away. There are briars in the road. Turn aside from them. This is enough. Do not add, "And why were such things made in the world?" (VIII. 50, trans. George Long)
  • Put an end once for all to this discussion of what a good man should be, and be one. (X. 16,[14])
  • Soon you'll be ashes or bones. A mere name at most—and even that is just a sound, an echo. The things we want in life are empty, stale, trivial. (V. 33, trans. Gregory Hays)
  • Never regard something as doing you good if it makes you betray a trust or lose your sense of shame or makes you show hatred, suspicion, ill-will or hypocrisy or a desire for things best done behind closed doors. (III. 7, trans. Gregory Hays)
  • Not to feel exasperated or defeated or despondent because your days aren't packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human—however imperfectly—and fully embrace the pursuit you've embarked on. (V. 9, trans. Gregory Hays)
  • Let opinion be taken away, and no man will think himself wronged. If no man shall think himself wronged, then is there no more any such thing as wrong. (IV. 7, trans. Méric Casaubon)
  • Take away your opinion, and there is taken away the complaint, [...] Take away the complaint, [...] and the hurt is gone (IV. 7, trans. George Long)
  • [...] As for others whose lives are not so ordered, he reminds himself constantly of the characters they exhibit daily and nightly at home and abroad, and of the sort of society they frequent; and the approval of such men, who do not even stand well in their own eyes has no value for him. (III. 4, trans. Maxwell Staniforth)
  • Shame on the soul, to falter on the road of life while the body still perseveres. (VI. 29, trans. Maxwell Staniforth)
  • Whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning of time. The twining strands of fate wove both of them together: your own existence and the things that happen to you. (V. 8, trans. Gregory Hays)
  • Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good. (IV. 17, trans. George Long)
  • Of the life of man the duration is but a point. (II. 17, trans. C.R. Haines)
  • Words that everyone once used are now obsolete, and so are the men whose names were once on everyone's lips: Camillus, Caeso, Volesus, Dentatus, and to a lesser degree Scipio and Cato, and yes, even Augustus, Hadrian, and Antoninus are less spoken of now than they were in their own days. For all things fade away, become the stuff of legend, and are soon buried in oblivion. Mind you, this is true only for those who blazed once like bright stars in the firmament, but for the rest, as soon as a few clods of earth cover their corpses, they are 'out of sight, out of mind.' In the end, what would you gain from everlasting remembrance? Absolutely nothing. So what is left worth living for? This alone: justice in thought, goodness in action, speech that cannot deceive, and a disposition glad of whatever comes, welcoming it as necessary, as familiar, as flowing from the same source and fountain as yourself. (IV. 33, trans. Scot and David Hicks)
  • "Why do you hunger for length of days? The point of life is to follow reason and the divine spirit and to accept whatever nature sends you. To live in this way is not to fear death, but to hold it in contempt. Death is only a thing of terror for those unable to live in the present. Pass on your way, then, with a smiling face, under the smile of him who bids you go.”
  • Do not then consider life a thing of any value. For look at the immensity of time behind thee, and to the time which is before thee, another boundless space. In this infinity then what is the difference between him who lives three days and him who lives three generations? (IV. 50, trans. George Long)
  • When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own—not of the same blood or birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. (II. 1, trans. Gregory Hays)
  • All things are interwoven with one another; a sacred bond unites them; there is scarcely one thing that is isolated from another. Everything is coordinated, everything works together in giving form to one universe. The world-order is a unity made up of multiplicity: God is one, pervading all things; all being is one, all law is one (namely, the common reason which all thinking persons possess) and all truth is one—if, as we believe, there can be but one path to perfection for beings that are alike in kind and reason. (VII. 9, trans. Maxwell Staniforth)
  • Marcus Aurelius wrote the following about Severus (a person who is not clearly identifiable according to the footnote): Through him [...] I became acquainted with the conception of a community based on equality and freedom of speech for all, and of a monarchy concerned primarily to uphold the liberty of the subject. (I. 14, trans. Maxwell Staniforth)
Editions[edit]

Xylander edition (1558)

The editio princeps of the original Greek (the first print version) was published by Conrad Gessner and his cousin Andreas in 1559. Both it and the accompanying Latin translation were produced by Wilhelm Xylander. His source was a manuscript from Heidelberg University, provided by Michael Toxites. By 1568, when Xylander completed his second edition, he no longer had access to the source and it has been lost ever since.[15][16] The first English translation was published in 1634 by Meric Casaubon.

Some popular English translations include:



See also[edit]
Arethas of Caesarea
John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners
Sirmium
References[edit]

Jump up^ "Close imitation of Attic was not required because Marcus Aurelius wrote in a philosophical context without thought of publication. Galen's many writings in what he calls 'the common dialect' are another excellent example of non-atticizing but highly educated Greek." Simon Swain, (1996), Hellenism and Empire, p. 29. Oxford University Press.
Jump up^ Iain King suggests the books may also have been written for mental stimulation, as Aurelius was removed from the cultural and intellectual life of Rome for the first time in his life. Source: Thinker At War: Marcus Aurelius published August 2014, accessed November 2014.
Jump up^ John Sellars, "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy" Marcus AureliusOctober 23rd 2011
Jump up^ John Roberts, "Oxford Reference Online" Aurelius,Marcus October 23rd 2011
Jump up^ Murray, Gilbert (2002) [1912]. Five Stages of Greek Religion (3rd ed.). Dover Publications. pp. 168–69. ISBN 0-486-42500-2.
^ Jump up to:a b D.A. Rees, Introduction pp. xvii. In Farquhrson, A. S. L. (1992) [1944]. Meditations. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-679-41271-9.
^ Jump up to:a b Russell, Bertrand (2004) [1946]. History of Western Philosophy. London: Routledge. pp. 248–56. ISBN 0-415-32505-6.
Jump up^ Marcus Aurelius (1964). Meditations. London: Penguin Books. pp. 2–27. ISBN 978-0-140-44140-6.
Jump up^ Grant, Michael (1993) [1968]. The Climax of Rome: The Final Achievements of the Ancient World, AD 161–337. London: Weidenfeld. p. 139. ISBN 0-297-81391-9.
Jump up^ The Washington Post Bestseller List June 9th, 2002
Jump up^ Mac Suibhne, S. (2009). "'Wrestle to be the man philosophy wished to make you': Marcus Aurelius, reflective practitioner". Reflective Practice. 10(4): 429–36. doi:10.1080/14623940903138266.
Jump up^ "An American reader: Bill Clinton". latimes.com.
Jump up^ "Fiasco". Armed Forces Journal.
Jump up^ "MARCUS AURELIUS, Meditations". Loeb Classical Library.
Jump up^ Marcus Aurelius, De seipso, seu vita sua, libri 12 ed. and trans. by Xylander. Zurich: Andreas Gessner, 1558.
Jump up^ van Ackeren 2012, p. 54.
Further reading[edit]
Annas, Julia. 2004. "Marcus Aurelius: Ethics and Its Background." Rhizai: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science 2:103–119.
Berryman, Sylvia Ann. 2010. The Puppet and the Sage: Images of the Self in Marcus Aurelius Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 38: 187-209.
Ceporina, Matteo. 2012. "The Meditations." In A Companion to Marcus Aurelius. Edited by Marcel van Ackeren, 45–61. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Dickson, Keith. 2009. "Oneself as Others: Aurelius and Autobiography." Arethusa 42.1: 99-125.
Gill, Christopher. 2012. "Marcus and Previous Stoic Literature." In A Companion to Marcus Aurelius. Edited by Marcel van Ackeren, 382–395. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Hadot, Pierre. 2001. The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press.
Kraye, Jill. 2012. "Marcus Aurelius and Neostoicism in Early Modern Philosophy." In A Companion to Marcus Aurelius. Edited by Marcel van Ackeren, 515–531. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Rees, D. A. 2000. "Joseph Bryennius and Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations." Classical Quarterly 52.2: 584–596.
Rutherford, R. B. 1989. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: A Study.Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
Wolf, Edita. 2016. "Others as Matter of Indifference in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations." Acta Universitatis Carolinae. Graecolatina Pragensia 2:13-23.
External links[edit]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Meditations

Greek Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Meditations

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Meditations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

Library resources about
Marcus Aurelius's Meditations

Online books
Resources in your library
Resources in other libraries

Studies[edit]
Sellars, John. "Marcus Aurelius". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Translations[edit]
The Thoughts Of The Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. translated by George Long, at Wikisource
Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a new translation from the Greek original, with a Life, Notes, &c., by R. Graves, 1792, at Google Books
Multiple editions of the Meditationsat the Internet Archive
The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius at Project Gutenberg, gutenberg.org
The Meditations public domain audiobook at LibriVox

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Confessions (Rousseau) - Wikipedia



Confessions (Rousseau) - Wikipedia






Confessions (Rousseau)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Confessions
"The Stealing of The Apple" Aldus edition, 1903
Author Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Original title Les Confessions
Country Switzerland
Language French
Genre Autobiography

Publication date 1782–1789
ISBN 978-0140440331
OCLC 14003975


The Confessions is an autobiographical book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In modern times, it is often published with the title The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in order to distinguish it from Saint Augustine's Confessions. Covering the first fifty-three years of Rousseau's life, up to 1765, it was completed in 1769, but not published until 1782, four years after Rousseau's death, even though Rousseau did read excerpts of his manuscript publicly at various salons and other meeting places.


Contents
1Background, contents
2Debate over Truthfulness of the Confessions
3See also
4Notes
5Bibliography
6Further reading
7External links
Background, contents[edit]

The Confessions was two distinct works, each part consisting of six books. Books I to VI were written between 1765 and 1767 and published in 1782, while books VII to XII were written in 1769–1770 and published in 1789.[citation needed] Rousseau alludes to a planned third part, but this was never completed. Though the book contains factual inaccuracies—in particular, Rousseau's dates are frequently off, some events are out of order, and others are misrepresented, incomplete, or incorrect[1]—Rousseau provides an account of the experiences that shaped his personality and ideas. For instance, some parts of his own education are clearly present in his account of ideal education, Emile, or On Education.

Rousseau's work is notable as one of the first major autobiographies. Prior to the Confessions, the two great autobiographies were Augustine's own Confessions and Saint Teresa's Life of Herself. However, both of these works focused on the religious experiences of their authors; 

the Confessions was one of the first autobiographies in which an individual wrote of his own life mainly in terms of his worldly experiences and personal feelings. Rousseau recognized the unique nature of his work; it opens with the famous words: "I have resolved on an enterprise which has no precedent and which, once complete, will have no imitator. My purpose is to display to my kind a portrait in every way true to nature, and the man I shall portray will be myself." His example was soon followed: not long after publication, many other writers (such as Goethe, Wordsworth, Stendhal, and De Quincey) wrote their own similarly-styled autobiographies.

The Confessions is also noted for its detailed account of Rousseau's more humiliating and shameful moments. For instance, Rousseau recounts an incident when, while a servant, he covered up his theft of a ribbon by framing a young girl—who was working in the house—for the crime. In addition, Rousseau explains the manner in which he disposes of the five children he had with Thérèse Levasseur.

Debate over Truthfulness of the Confessions[edit]

According to historian Paul Johnson, Rousseau's autobiography contains many inaccuracies.[2] Will & Ariel Durant have written that the debate regarding the truthfulness of the book hinges on Rousseau's allegation that Grimm and Diderot had connived to give a mendacious description of his relationship with Mme d'Épinay, Mme. d'Houdetot, and themselves. As stated by Durant, most scholarly opinion prior to 1900 was against Rousseau, but subsequently several scholars including Frederika Macdonald, Pierre-Maurice Masson, Mathew Johnson, Émile Faguet, Jules Lemaître, and C.E. Vaughn have reached judgments in favor of Rousseau.[3]

See also[edit]

Let them eat cake, a saying deriving from this book
The New Confessions, a novel by William Boyd (1987)
--------------------
Notes[edit]

Jump up^ For instance, the biography of his mother; see Damrosch 9.
Jump up^ Johnson 17.
Jump up^ Will Durant (1967). The Story of Civilization Volume 10:Rousseau and Revolution. p. 5.

Bibliography[edit]
Damrosch, Leo (2007). Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Restless Genius. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780618872022.
Johnson, Paul (2009). Intellectuals. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-187147-4.
Further reading[edit]
Hartle, Ann (1999). "Augustine and Rousseau". In Gareth B. Matthews. The Augustinian Tradition. University of California Press. pp. 263–. ISBN 978-0-520-21001-1.
de Man, Paul (1979). "Excuses". Allegories of Reading: Figural Language in Rousseau, Nietzsche, Rilke, and Proust. Yale University Press. pp. 278–. ISBN 978-0-300-02845-4.
Riley, Patrick (2004). Character and Conversion in Autobiography: Augustine, Montaigne, Descartes, Rousseau, and Sartre. University of Virginia Press. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-0-8139-2292-8.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (1987). Rousseau: Confessions. Cambridge University Press. pp. 9–. ISBN 978-0-521-31500-5.