Meaning and Authenticity: Bernard Lonergan and Charles Taylor on the Drama of Authentic Human Existence (Lonergan Studies) (Hardcover)

by Brian J. Braman (Author)
Key Phrases: expressivist turn, epiphanic art, cognitional theory, Bernard Lonergan, Charles Taylor, Martin Heidegger (more...)

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Product Description

The language of self-fulfillment, self-realization, and self-actualization (in short, 'authenticity') has become common in contemporary culture. The desire to be 'authentic' is implicitly a desire to shape one's self in accordance with an ideal, and the concern for what it means to be authentic is, in many ways, the modern form of the ancient question -what is the life of excellence?- However, this notion of authenticity has its critics, Christopher Lasch, for instance, who equates it with a form of narcissism and Theodor Adorno who views it as a glorification of privatism.

Brian J. Braman argues that, despite criticisms, it is possible to speak about human authenticity as something that addresses contemporary concerns as well as the ancient preoccupation with the nature of the good life. He refers to the theories of Bernard Lonergan and Charles Taylor, thinkers who placed a high value on the search for human authenticity. Lonergan discusses authenticity in terms of a three-fold conversion with intellectual, moral, and religious implications while Taylor views it as a rich, vibrant, and important addition to conversations about what it means to be human.

Meaning and Authenticity presents an engaging dialogue between two thinkers, both of whom maintain that there is a normative conception of authentic human life that overcomes moral relativism, narcissism, privatism, and the collapse of the public self.

About the Author

Brian J. Braman is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at Boston College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802098029
• ISBN-13: 978-0802098023
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #815,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK IS GREAT, March 15, 2008

By	Edgar J. Valdez - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Braman is one of the premier Lonergan Scholars in the country. In this book Braman is able to take something as dense and intricate as Lonergan's philosophy of authenticity and make it attainable for anyone with the desire to know. No wonder he is so loved by his students. Get this book!