On Being Human: An Operator's Manual

by David V. White Narrated by Sean Runnette

Overview

If you have asked yourself questions like “How should I live?” “On what shall I base my decisions?” or “What is truly important?” On Being Human will be a source of help and guidance.

Modern thought tends to divide life into categories, but in the process of living, all the currents mix and mingle, and worthwhile answers only come from finding a harmonious relation to the whole. Seeking holistic understanding, this book ranges through psychology, art, science, religion, relationships, culture, mythology, philosophy, and the world's wisdom traditions. Each of us must come to terms with the full scope of human questions, emotions, and possibilities. This wide-ranging book will provide assistance for those who wish to bring all these currents together in a coherent way.

About the Author:

Retiring at the age of 35 after successful involvement in business, politics, and education, David began to consider more carefully what was truly important in his life. Following several years of study, travel, practice, and experiences of many kinds, there came a deepening sense of what it means to live a human life. His understanding developed further through dialogue with hundreds of participants in seminars and workshops he has presented during the past twenty years. In this book, he shares the insights gained in the process of his personal exploration and exchange with others.

Recommendation:

"When you read On Being Human you acquire a wise new friend who respects and cares for your well-being and is devoted to increasing your understanding of yourself and how to overcome life's complexities. David combines the rational, emotional and spiritual dimensions in considering what makes life worthwhile." - Phillip Moffitt, past editor-in-chief of Esquire Magazine and author of Dancing with Life and Emotional Chaos to Clarity.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2013-09-06
A wide-ranging, well-researched guide to examining what life's all about. In his debut work, White, in an easy-to-read format, guides readers through issues that have perplexed and challenged him over the years--and that have troubled sages and other thinkers for centuries. He begins by addressing how people make the decisions, both major and mundane, that shape their lives; he then explores the forces that guide people's determinations, such as culture, reason, intuition and mere whim, and discusses them all in depth. White goes on to ask how people know what reality truly is and introduces a wide variety of worldviews across the globe (and across time), showing that concepts of "truth" or "reality" can differ depending upon one's time and place. The same is true of human values, the author writes, and he then addresses the larger question of where such values come from, examining biology as well as culture. Overall, he advocates keeping an open mind when discovering one's own values, choices and telos, or purpose in life. The author's depth of research is impressive, as he quotes and discusses writers and thinkers as diverse as Friedrich Nietzsche and Henry David Thoreau. Despite this erudite approach, however, White's book functions more as a self-help guide than a pure work of philosophy. For example, he sometimes uses dialogues to further illustrate and enliven his arguments, setting up discussions between "Skeptico" and "Wisdom Seeker," and he also adds "Thought Experiments" to help readers better understand the material. Some readers, especially those facing existential or mere midlife crises, will likely find White's work thought-provoking. A fine introduction to exploring life's biggest questions.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176667585
Publisher:	Meaningful Life Books
Publication date:	09/26/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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