Effort and grace : on the spiritual exercise of philosophy
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Effort and grace : on the spiritual exercise of philosophy
（Re-inventing philosophy as a way of life）
Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, c2020
- : pbk
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Note
"First published in Great Britain 2020"--T.p. verso
Includes bibliographical references (p. [213]-226) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Philosophy and theology have long harboured contradictory views on spiritual practice. While philosophy advocates the therapeutic benefits of daily meditation, the theology of grace promotes an ideal of happiness bestowed with little effort. As such, the historical juxtaposition of effort and grace grounding modern spiritual exercise can be seen as the essential tension between the secular and sacred.
In Effort and Grace, Simone Kotva explores an exciting new theory of spiritual endeavour from the tradition of French spiritualist philosophy. Spiritual exercise has largely been studied in relation to ancient philosophy and the Ignatian tradition, yet Kotva's new engagement with its more recent forms has alerted her to an understanding of contemplative practice as rife with critical potential.
Here, she offers an interdisciplinary text tracing the narrative of spiritual exertion through the work of seminal French thinkers such as Maine de Biran, Felix Ravaisson, Henri Bergson, Alain (Emile Chartier), Simone Weil and Gilles Deleuze. Her findings allow both secular philosophers and theologians to understand how the spiritual life can participate in the contemporary philosophical conversation.
Table of Contents
Preface
1 The spiritual exercise of philosophy: two ideals
2 The spiritual life: Maine de Biran
3 Grace: Felix Ravaisson
4 Effort: Henri Bergson and Alain (Emile Chartier)
5 The paradox of attention: Simone Weil
6 Epilogue: Reclaiming attention
Bibliography
Index
by "Nielsen BookData"
