Belief and Unbelief by Michael Novak

Belief and Unbelief by Michael Novak

This is perhaps the most widely read of Michael Novak's books. Belief and Unbelief attempts to push intelligence and articulation as far as possible into the stuff of what so many philosophers set aside as subjectivity. It is an impassioned critique of the idea of an unbridgeable gap between the emotive and the cognitive — and in its own way, represents a major thrust at positivist analysis. Written in a context of personal tragedy as well as intellectual search, the book is grounded in the belief that human experience is enclosed within a person to person relationship with the source of all things — sometimes in darkness, other tunes in aridity, but always in deep encounter with community and courage. It is written with a deep fidelity to classical Catholic thought as well as a sense of the writings of sociology, anthropology, and political theory—from Harold Lasswell to Friedrich von Hayek. This third edition includes Novak's brilliant 1961 article "God in the Colleges" from Harper's — a critique of the technification of university life that rules issues of love, death, and personal destiny out of bounds, and hence leaves aside the mysteries of contingency and risk, in favor of the certainties of research, production, and consumption. For such a "lost generation" Belief and Unbelief will remain of tremendous interest and impact. When the book first appeared thirty years ago, it was praised by naturalists and religious thinkers alike. Sidney Hook called it "a remarkable book, written with verve and distinction." James Collins termed it "a lively and valuable essay from which a reflective, religiously concerned reader can draw immense profit." And The Washington Post reviewer claimed that "Novak has written a rich, relentlessly honest introduction to the problem of belief. It is a deeply personal book, rigorous in argument and open ended in conclusions."

MICHAEL NOVAK is one of the world's most influential living social philosophers. Since the 1960s he has played a prominent role in American political life, writing on everything from the ethics of the free market and welfare reform to the faith of the Founding Fathers. He has taught at Harvard and Stanford, and held chairs at Syracuse, Notre Dame, and the American Enterprise Institute, a leading international think tank. In 1994 Novak received the Templeton Prize ( the Nobel Prize of the life of the spirit ), an honor he shares with Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn, Desmond Tutu, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Charles Taylor. His writings have been translated into every major western language, as well as Chinese and Japanese. He has received the highest medals the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland can give to a foreigner.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781560007418
ISBN 10	1560007419
Title	Belief and Unbelief
Author	Michael Novak
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Taylor & Francis Inc
Year published	1994-01-30
Number of pages	266
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable