by Mary Midgley - £16.99 Taylor & Francis Ltd (Routledge) (2011)
paperback
ISBN 13: 9780415610247 | ISBN 10: 0415610249
Myths, as Mary Midgley argues in this powerful book, are everywhere. In political thought they sit at the heart of theories of human nature and the social contract; in economics in the pursuit of self interest; and in science the idea of human beings as machines, which originates in the seventeenth century, is a today a potent force. Far from being the opposite of science, however, Midgley argues that myth is a central part of it. Myths are neither lies nor mere stories but a network of powerful symbols for interpreting the world.
Tackling a dazzling array of subjects such as philosophy, evolutionary psychology, animals, consciousness and the environment in her customary razor-sharp prose, The Myths We Live By reminds us of the powerful role of symbolism and the need to take our imaginative life seriously.
(Price & availability last checked: June 2019)
In booklists: Philosophy,
In categories: Politics & Philosophy,
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