Martha C. Nussbaum is a professor at the University of Chicago, affiliated with the Law School and the Philosophy Department. Her work delves deeply into ethics, political philosophy, and psychology, often exploring how individuals can lead flourishing lives within their societies. Nussbaum is renowned for her ability to connect ancient philosophical ideas with contemporary issues, emphasizing empathy, compassion, and the development of human capabilities as foundational to a just society. Her approach is characterized by rigorous argumentation and a commitment to applying philosophical concepts to real-world challenges.
This work presents a compelling argument for the importance of the humanities in modern society, emphasizing their role in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and cultural understanding. The author, a leading public intellectual, passionately defends the value of humanities education amidst growing skepticism, highlighting its impact on personal and societal development. Through insightful analysis, the book challenges prevailing notions and advocates for a renewed appreciation of the arts and humanities in shaping informed citizens.
A philosopher and a lawyer-economist examine the challenges of the last third
of life. They write about friendship, sex, retirement communities,
inheritance, poverty, and the depiction of aging women in films. These essays,
or conversations, will help readers of all ages think about how to age well,
or at least thoughtfully, and how to interact with older family members and
friends.
From one of the world’s most celebrated moral philosophers comes a thorough examination of the current political crisis and recommendations for how to mend our divided country.For decades Martha C. Nussbaum has been an acclaimed scholar and humanist, earning dozens of honors for her books and essays. In The Monarchy of Fear she turns her attention to the current political crisis that has polarized American since the 2016 election.Although today’s atmosphere is marked by partisanship, divisive rhetoric, and the inability of two halves of the country to communicate with one another, Nussbaum focuses on what so many pollsters and pundits have overlooked. She sees a simple truth at the heart of the the political is always emotional. Globalization has produced feelings of powerlessness in millions of people in the West. That sense of powerlessness bubbles into resentment and blame. Blame of immigrants. Blame of Muslims. Blame of other races. Blame of cultural elites. While this politics of blame is exemplified by the election of Donald Trump and the vote for Brexit, Nussbaum argues it can be found on all sides of the political spectrum, left or right.Drawing on a mix of historical and contemporary examples, from classical Athens to the musical Hamilton, The Monarchy of Fear untangles this web of feelings and provides a roadmap of where to go next.
The cosmopolitan political tradition defines people not according to
nationality, family, or class but as equally worthy citizens of the world.
Martha Nussbaum pursues this noble but flawed vision, confronting its inherent
tensions over material distribution, differential abilities, and the
ideological conflicts inherent to pluralistic societies.
The Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics practiced philosophy not as a detached
intellectual discipline but as a worldly art of grappling with issues of daily
and urgent human significance. In this classic work, Martha Nussbaum maintains
that these Hellenistic schools have been unjustly neglected in recent
philosophic accounts of what the classical tradition has to offer. By
examining texts of philosophers such as Epicurus, Lucretius, and Seneca, she
recovers a valuable source for current moral and political thought and
encourages us to reconsider philosophical argument as a technique through
which to improve lives. Written for general readers and specialists, The
Therapy of Desire addresses compelling issues ranging from the psychology of
human passion through rhetoric to the role of philosophy in public and private
life.
From one of the world's most celebrated moral philosophers comes a thorough examination of the current American political crisis and recommendations for how to mend a divided country.
In this volume based on her 2014 Locke Lectures, Martha C. Nussbaum provides a
bracing new view that strips the notion of forgiveness down to its Judeo-
Christian roots, where it was structured by the moral relationship between a
score-keeping God and penitent, self-abasing, and erring mortals.
Martha Nussbaum asks: How can we sustain a decent society that aspires to
justice and inspires sacrifice for the common good? Amid negative emotions
endemic even to good societies, public emotions rooted in love--intense
attachments outside our control--can foster commitment to shared goals and
keep at bay the forces of disgust and envy.
