The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom - Hardcover
In the soul of the marionette, john gray draws together the religious, philosophic and fantastical traditions that question the very idea of human freedom. We flatter ourselves about the nature of free will and yet the most enormous forces - biological, physical, metaphysical - constrain our every action. Many writers and intellectuals have always understood thisbut instead of embracing our condition we battle against it, with everyone from world conquerors to modern scientists dreaming of a 'human dominion' almost comically at odds with our true state. This is a stimulating and enraging meditation on everything from cybernetics to the fairground marionettes of the title.
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About the Author:
John Gray is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including Straw Dogs and Al Qaeda and What It Means to Be Modern. A regular contributor to The New York Review of Books, he is a professor of European thought at the London School of Economics.
Review:
“[The Soul of the Marionette] is pervaded by the signature skepticism of its author, a British philosopher. Trapped in bodies, burdened by mortality, and ‘cursed with self-reflective thought,’ we are limited in our freedom. Gray dismisses modern rationalism, with its faith in human progress, as a kind of Gnosticism made from ‘scraps of decayed Christianity,’ whose central myth is that knowledge will set us free. Spirited tours through the lives and work of various artists add texture to his provocative arguments.” ―The New Yorker
“Illusion-piercing sobriety.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“[A]n intelligently written, thought-provoking book.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Gray connects the dots among science fiction (including that of Stanislaw Lem), Borges, the human-sacrificing Aztecs, global warming, and the loss of privacy (and freedom) that the cyberrevolution has wrought, challenging readers to make some leaps of logic and come to counterintuitive conclusions.” ―Kirkus Reviews
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- PublisherAllen Lane/Penguin
- Publication date2015
- ISBN 10 1846144493
- ISBN 13 9781846144493
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages192
- Rating
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The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom
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Allen Lane/Penguin
(2015)
ISBN 10: 1846144493
ISBN 13: 9781846144493
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The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom
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(2015)
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ISBN 13: 9781846144493
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The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom
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Allen Lane/Penguin
(2015)
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ISBN 13: 9781846144493
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Book Description Hardback. 1. In The Soul of the Marionette, John Gray draws together the religious, philosophic and fantastical traditions that question the very idea of human freedom. We flatter ourselves about the nature of free will and yet the most enormous forces - biological, physical, metaphysical - constrain our every action. Many writers and intellectuals have always understood this, but instead of embracing our condition we battle against it, with everyone from world conquerors to modern scientists dreaming of a 'human dominion' almost comically at odds with our true state. This is a stimulating and enraging meditation on everything from cybernetics to the fairground marionettes of the title. In good condition. Some light pencil underlining and notes in margins. Seller Inventory # 23494162
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The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom
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Allen Lane
(2015)
ISBN 10: 1846144493
ISBN 13: 9781846144493
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Good. Ex-library book, usual marking. Clean copy in good condition. With Dust Cover. Quick dispatch from UK seller. Seller Inventory # mon0000466889
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The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom
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(2015)
ISBN 10: 1846144493
ISBN 13: 9781846144493
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 179 pages. The dust jacket has a little wear. The page edges are lightly tanned and foxed. Books listed here are not stored at the shop. Please contact us if you want to pick up a book from Newtown. Seller Inventory # 174949
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