Grief: A Philosophical Guide

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An engaging and illuminating exploration of griefand why, despite its intense pain, it can also help us grow.

Experiencing grief at the death of a person we love or who matters to usas universal as it is painfulis central to the human condition. Surprisingly, however, philosophers have rarely examined grief in any depth. In Grief, Michael Cholbi presents a groundbreaking philosophical exploration of this complex emotional event, offering valuable new insights about what grief is, whom we grieve, and how grief can ultimately lead us to a richer self-understanding and a fuller realisation of our humanity.

Drawing on psychology, social science, and literature as well as philosophy, Cholbi explains that we grieve for the loss of those in whom our identities are invested, including people we don't know personally but cherish anyway, such as public figures. Their deaths not only deprive us of worthwhile experiences; they also disrupt our commitments and values. Yet grief is something we should embrace rather than avoid, an important part of a good and meaningful life. The key to understanding this paradox, Cholbi says, is that grief offers us a unique and powerful opportunity to grow in self-knowledge by fashioning a new identity. Although grief can be tumultuous and disorienting, it also reflects our distinctly human capacity to rationally adapt as the relationships we depend on evolve.

An original account of how grieving works and why it is so important, Grief shows how the pain of this experience gives us a chance to deepen our relationships with others and ourselves.

Reviews

"[A] clear-eyed, meticulously argued study. . . . By bringing grief to philosophy Mr. Cholbi brings philosophy closer to the other humanities; hes as incisive a critic as he is a philosopher."---Hamilton Cain, Wall Street Journal
"An informative, sweeping, and provocative examination of grief as a complex phenomenon when undertaken in response to the death of others."---Glenn C. Altschuler, Psychology Today
"Fascinating, insightful, and accessible. . . . This well-written, engaging, and thought-provoking book is a brilliant example of applied philosophy. It is relevant to important debates within medicine (for example, recent controversy about definitions of a prolonged grief disorder). It will be interesting and helpful for clinicians caring for those who are bereaved, for philosophers of emotions, and of course, for all of us who, sooner or later, have to navigate the long, dark, and winding valley of loss."---Dominic Wilkinson, Journal of Applied Philosophy
"One of the strengths of Cholbis book is in the range of authors from whom he takes accounts of grief: from the personal disclosures of C.S. Lewis to Joan Didion to the fiction of Tolstoy, Camus, and Shakespeare, just to name a few. . . . Excellent. . . . Grief certainly fulfills its aim of encouraging other philosophers to consider the existential phenomenon of grief. Cholbi has prompted such a conversation here in a significant, thoroughgoing, and engaging way."---Brad Deford, Philosophy in Review
"[A] clearly written guide, which addresses many of the most important philosophical issues surrounding grief."---Becky Millar, Philosophical Quarterly
"There is much to like about Cholbi's book. It is short, densely argued, and shows great familiarity with the relevant philosophical, literary, and psychological literatures."---John Danaher, Philosophers Magazine
"The ideas [Cholbi] contributes to the experiences of grief were surprisingly comforting. . . . Michael Cholbis newest book is definitely one to consider for your next read. I think we could all benefit from understanding the experience of grief a little more."---Joi Foote, Redbrick
"[A] wise book."---Dave Luhrssen, Shepherd Express
"Cholbis book is a valuable addition to the contemporary analytic literature on the emotions and on grief"---Ashley Atkins, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

Author Bio

Michael Cholbi is Chair in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He has written and edited many books, including Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions. He is the founder of the International Association for the Philosophy of Death and Dying (IAPDD). Twitter @MichaelCholbi