Product Description

Surveillance cameras; security checks at airports; barred store windows: we see manifestations of societal fears all around us, and daily news reports of the latest household danger or raised level of terrorism threat continually stoke our sense of impending doom. In "A Philosophy of Fear", Lars Svendsen explores the underlying ideas and issues behind this powerful emotion, as he investigates how and why fear has insinuated itself into every aspect of modern life. Svendsen delves into science, politics, sociology and literature to explore the nature of fear.He examines the biology behind the emotion, from the neuroscience underlying our 'fight or flight' instinct, to how fear induces irrational actions in our attempts to minimize risk. The book then turns to the realms of the political and social, investigating the role of fear in the philosophies of Machiavelli and Hobbes, the rise of the modern 'risk society', and how fear has eroded social trust. Entertainment such as the television show "Fear Factor", competition in extreme sports, and the political use of fear in the ongoing 'War on Terror' all come under Svendsen's probing gaze, as he considers whether we can ever disentangle ourselves from the continual state of alarm that defines our age.Svendsen's view is ultimately positive, arguing for the possibility of a brighter future, in which a humanist optimism triumphs. An incisive and thought-provoking meditation, "A Philosophy of Fear" pulls back the curtain that shrouds dangers both imagined and real, forcing us to confront our fears, and why we cling to them so fixedly.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #284135 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Lars Svendsen is a doctor of philosophy and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Bergen. He is the author of many books, including the bestselling A Philosophy of Boredom (Reaktion, 2004), and Fashion: A Philosophy (Reaktion, 2006).

Customer Reviews

An insightful and thoughtful text
This relatively short text (131 pages plus references) is well written and clearly structured. The author covers definitions of fear, referencing widely, and also looks at the culture of fear which he sees underlying todays world. The media and politicians are examined for their contribution to this situation and I therefore found the book very helpful to me in understanding the use of fear in modern society. Fear is not treated as an emotion to be avoided at all cost and I felt that overall the book had a good balance.
It is fair to say that this is primarily an academic text with appropriate citations which is well referenced. However, I did not feel that this diminished the readability. I found it a very interesting read.