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Quest for Meaning: Values, Ethics, and the Modern Experience

By: The Great Courses, Robert H. Kane
Narrated by: Robert H. Kane
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Summary

Is there an ethics that we can all agree on without stifling pluralism and freedom? What would such an ethics look like? Most important, how should you, as a thoughtful person, find your way among the moral puzzles of the modern world and its cacophony of voices and opinions? These are just some of the engaging and perplexing questions you'll tackle as you join Professor Kane for this thought-provoking, 24-lecture examination of the problems surrounding ethics in the modern world.

The contemporary issues you'll consider include conflicts between public and private morality, the degree to which the law should enforce morality, the teaching of values in the schools, the role of religion in public life, the limits of liberty and privacy, individualism versus community, and the loss of shared values and the resulting discontent about politics and public discourse. Professor Kane's approach is as searching and comprehensive as any you could ask for. His lectures range over a rich array of literary, religious, and philosophical sources representing thousands of years of civilization. Most intriguingly, they spur you to ponder the possibility of recovering the ancient quest for wisdom and virtue in a way that respects the insights of modern thought and the achievements of modern pluralism. Whatever your thinking on such questions, whatever your own personal question for true meaning, you can rest assured that it will be immeasurably enriched by the harvest of reflection you glean from these compelling lectures.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1999 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)1999 The Great Courses
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What listeners say about Quest for Meaning: Values, Ethics, and the Modern Experience

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Better than expected

I was expecting an overview of ethical ideas, and whilst this does include that, it also goes beyond.

It provides an ethical framework of it's own which stands up to scrutiny, or at least mine.

I don't agree with all of the claims made in this lecture series, but The Moral Sphere is a wonderful proposition that can provide a meaningful guide to living.

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Brilliant and inspiring.

I loved this course and found, while sometimes in disagreement with the ideas being presented, I was challenged to review my own ideas. Totally enjoyable.

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Crystallised my vague thinking

I found this course challenging and rewarding. It's far from the first philosophy that I've read, so what I needed was a framework from which to hang it. This course was brilliant for contextualising some existing knowledge and creating new lines of thought.

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1 person found this helpful

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Quest for Meaning

I absolutely enjoyed listening to the philosophical sessions: they are informative, fascinating, provocative and funny.

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2 people found this helpful

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Great teacher, easy to follow

Hard to compare with equivalent courses, without listening to them but I found the teacher very engaging, clear and full of character. And I got a lot out of the arguments, which were easy to follow, despite my lack of philosophy education.

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Brilliant and prescient

I loved this lecture series. Robert H Kane is a wonderful lecturer - with both a superb knowledge of his subject and an equally impressive ability to convey complex ideas to people like me with no prior philosophical training.

I thought that the final lecture was especially brilliant. In half an hour the prof masterfully drew together the key ideas of the series - and left us with a number of very prescient questions that go to the heart of what it is to be human in an interconnected world. I found the course ultimately uplifting - and I loved the lecturer's usage and elaboration of the words 'quest' and 'aspiration'.

I think these lectures were recorded at the end of the twentieth century - but if anything the content is even more relevant now 20 years on. THANK YOU.

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A real gem!

I never knew philosophy could be so insightful. I assumed this would just be a stereotypical boring lectures, but I was engaged the whole way through! I thought it was quite balanced and comprehensive as well. Thank you for your work!

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Kane explains it well

Brilliant narration, good flow, and clarity . A good lecture to make sense of modern day confusions.

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    1 out of 5 stars

Christian conservatism disguised as ethics.

I gave this audiobook several chances but it kwpt disappointing me with Christian morals and browbeating. I would not recommend this to anyone who is not a Christian conservative.

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3 people found this helpful