- Overview
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A look at eleven philosophers who examined the age of “definite answers,” including Marx, Nietzsche, Freud and Heidegger, to see what they doubted and what questions they raised
- Book Intro
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What role can philosophy play in an age of science and an age of “definite answers”? Is philosophy useful at all? At a time when science shines brilliantly, the author, Lee Jinwoo argues that philosophy is necessary now more than ever. After all, philosophy is the questioning of things that everyone takes for granted. Philosophy starts from where science is certain of a correct answer. Science may develop artificial intelligence (A.I.) and solve various problems in the twenty-first century, but it cannot solve the problems that A.I. will cause, such as labor issues, the problem of new social classes and the gap between the rich and the poor, and the loss of humanity. The author pursues clues from the ideas of eleven modern philosophers who examined an age when science began to dominate other disciplines, and he examines what use philosophy has in this age of science.
Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Horkheimer, Adorno, Sartre, Benjamin, Popper, Arendt. The philosophers covered in this book are great thinkers whom people will all have heard of at least once. These great thinkers constantly questioned generally accepted ideas on history, consciousness, existence, language, and science with their unique awareness of problems and original thinking. Lee claims that these philosophers belong to a "school of doubt" for they pursued unlimited diversity of insight with their deep suspicions.
This book traces what the eleven members of the school of doubt doubted and the questions they asked. Rather than provide an overbearing explanation on the vast philosophical systems of these philosophers, the book ponders their key propositions and questions, and identifies relevant problems in our lives. For example, the book looks at how TV shows distort reality with the proposition of Horkheimer and Adorno that the "culture industry manipulates consumers," and it looks into the problem of the modern man, bored in relationships with other people, through Sartre’s proposition, "The Other holds a secret—the secret of what I am." In this book, readers can vividly see how each philosopher doubted an idea, asked questions, and reached the heart of their philosophy.
- About the Author
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Lee Jinwoo
Lee studied German language and literature at Yonsei University and received his master’s and doctorate degrees in philosophy from the University of Augsburg, Germany. He was a professor of philosophy at Keimyung University and served as the university’s president, while also being named chairman of the Korean Nietzsche Association, chairman of the Korean Philosophy Association, and chairman of the POSCO Education Foundation. He is currently a professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Sociology at POSTECH. Lee has published over 60 books and translations on various topics ranging from the origins of philosophy to modern scientific philosophy, thereby contributing to the ideological foundation of our society. Through various media and lectures such as JTBC’s Differential Class, tvN's Latest Bookstores, and KBS1’s Issues with Ssaem, the author has worked to reach out to the public and raise awareness of the joys of philosophy. Lee’s books include Nietzsche’s Life Lectures, Charatustra as Life Teachings, Hannah Arendt’s Political Lectures, The Philosophy of Doubt, Nietzsche: Experimental Thinking and Extreme Thinking, and Philosophy on Earth.
- Recommendation
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Recommended by the National Library of Korea librarians in 2017
- Selection
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Selected as the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA) Sejong Book in the general knowledge category in the second half of 2017