A Philosophy of Tragedy

(Paperback)

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A Philosophy of Tragedy explores the tragic condition of humanity in the modern age. Christopher Hamilton draws as much on literature as he does on philosophy, including the tragic theatre, and does not simply propose an account of our tragic condition, but explores the nature of philosophy itself, providing a critique of philosophy's self-understanding.

Reviews

humane, decent, gracefully written, and full of learning * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *
A Philosophy of Tragedy aims for a perspective that will account for the permanent condition of tragedy and for the specific contours of tragedy today. This sets the book apart from a growing industry of more self-orientated accounts which seek to tell us how to find meaning in our fallen world. Its guiding question is not how can I find meaning in the world but who am I as I write philosophy (and by extension who am I as I read this book). This implicates author and reader in the tragic view of life and makes us all take a seat at the adults table. * TLS *
Hamilton treats philosophical ideas in a highly distinctive manner, similar to that in which critics write about literary texts: he aims to give a clearer and more intense sense of their lived value. He does so moreover with great skill, and in a way that restores the feeling of vertiginous wonder which lies at the origin of philosophy but which it almost always leaves behind. Hamilton shows how philosophical reflection on human life may bring us closer to, rather than drawing us away from, its object. * Sebastian Gardner, Professor of Philosophy, University College London *

Author Bio

Christopher Hamilton is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion at Kings College London. He is the author of four books, including Living Philosophy: Reections on Life, Meaning and Morality (2001) and How to Deal with Adversity (2014).