Overview

Existentialism: An Introduction has established itself as the most comprehensive and accessible book on the subject available. In this fully revised and expanded second edition, Kevin Aho draws on a wide range of existentialist thinkers from both the secular and religious traditions, adding a wealth of new material on existentialism's relationship with Marxist thought and its impact on feminist phenomenology and critical race theory.  Chapters center on the key themes of freedom, authenticity, being-in-the-world, alienation, and nihilism. Aho also addresses important but often overlooked issues in the canon of existentialism, including the role of embodiment, existentialism's contribution to ethics, political theory and environmental and comparative philosophies, as well as its influence on the allied health professions.  By tracking its many and significant influences on modern thought, Kevin Aho shows why existentialism cannot be easily dismissed as a moribund or outdated movement, but instead endures as one of the most important and vibrant areas of contemporary philosophy. Existentialism remains so influential because it forcefully deals with what it means to be human and engages with fundamental questions such as ""Who am I?"" and ""How should I live?""  Existentialism: An Introduction is the ideal text for upper-level philosophy students and for anyone interested in the movement's key figures and concepts.

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9781509539628

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Reviews

A clear and fresh introduction to existentialism packed with insights from an impressively wide range of writers including philosophers, poets, and psychotherapists. It's a timely and astute examination of existentialism's legacy that shows its relevance for modern challenges such as eco-anxiety and the medicalization of the human condition. Skye Cleary, Columbia University This is a remarkably impressive introduction to existentialism, demonstrating its wide applicability and contemporary relevance. I most strongly recommend this book to students and specialists alike. Patrick Baert, University of Cambridge

Surely the best overview of the movement available today. Aho clarifies the place of existentialist philosophy in world thought, carefully and fairly examines all its major figures, and shows its relations to recent thought and movements. With his clear and energetic writing, Aho brings existentialism to life. Charles Guignon, University of South Florida Historically comprehensive and philosophically acute, Kevin Aho's Existentialism is a wonderful introduction to the '-ism' that isn't, to 'the noth-ing' that burst forth in philosophy and literature like a series of coordinated attacks on existing reality, exposing the hollow core of modernity and thereby opening up our future. Iain Thomson, University of New Mexico Kevin Ahos book is a commendable effort to show why existentialism is still relevant today as a tool of understanding what it means to be a human being in the world. Drawing from the writings of the giants of existentialist thought, the author makes a compelling argument for the contemporary relevance of the philosophy and why it is useful as a critique of both the modern individual and society. Ahos work provides a lucid account of what needs to be known about existentialism and its protagonists. Political Studies Review

“A clear and fresh introduction to existentialism packed with insights from an impressively wide range of writers including philosophers, poets, and psychotherapists. It’s a timely and astute examination of existentialism’s legacy that shows its relevance for modern challenges such as eco-anxiety and the medicalization of the human condition.” Skye Cleary, Columbia University “This is a remarkably impressive introduction to existentialism, demonstrating its wide applicability and contemporary relevance. I most strongly recommend this book to students and specialists alike.” Patrick Baert, University of Cambridge

Author Information

Kevin Aho is Professor of Philosophy at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is the author of Contexts of Suffering: A Heideggerian Approach to Psychopathology (2019), Heidegger’s Neglect of the Body (2009), co-author of Body Matters: A Phenomenology of Sickness, Disease, and Illness (2008), and editor of Existential Medicine: Essays on Health and Illness (2018).

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