On Suffering: Philosophical Reflections on What It Means to be Human

On Suffering is a non-technical, philosophical-literary essay on what it means to be human and is addressed to all those, be they professional philosophers or simply existing individuals concerned with the meaning of life, who have an abiding interest in the central questions of philosophy--with basic issues having to do with the human condition and the nature of consciousness, as well as with the relation between mind and body, self and world. It is concerned throughout to elucidate the meaning of human happiness and the "good life." The book makes abundant use of the best of ancient wisdom and seeks to draw out the numerous and far-reaching implications of a philosophical understanding of things--concerning, above all, human freedom and responsibility--for everyday living, as well as for the practice of medicine and psychological counseling and therapy.