The meaning of things

"Socrates famously said that the unconsidered life is not worth living. As the phrase suggests, the 'considered life' is a life enriched by thinking about things that are important -- values, aims, society, the enemies of human flourishing, and the meanings of life. To give thought to these matters is, as A.C. Grayling says, 'like inspecting a map before a journey'." "This book aims to give us 'sketch maps' to life. In a series of linked commentaries on topics such as courage, sorrow, love, death, hope, betrayal, blame, religion, poverty and depression, the author gives us not a continuous treatise but reflections on the daily life of the human condition. He shows us through the rich history of philosophical thought that seeking to understand what life means and what it holds in store can be enlightening and uplifting." [Book jacket].