Skip to main content

On Thoughtlessness

An Existential Examination of Death Denial, Meaning, and Play

On Thoughtlessness cover

On Thoughtlessness

An Existential Examination of Death Denial, Meaning, and Play

Quantity
Pre-order. Available Feb 04 2027
$120.92 RRP $151.15 Website price saving $30.23 (20%)

Payment for this pre-order will be taken when the item becomes available

Description

Expanding the study of thoughtlessness, this book considers its role in situations such as group hate and the existential themes of avoidance of thinking about death and despair.

Within the framework of existentialism, the author argues, there are different lenses through which to conceive our relationship to meaning, such as avoidance of thinking about the possibility of our death, and episodic-sometimes lasting-feelings that the world, and our place in it, is meaningless. Making this foray into existential thinking reveals a new light in which to view thoughtlessness; or, one's inability, or lack thereof, to conceive of a position outside of one's immediate conscious awareness. The picture becomes more complex, however, as the author explores the realms of social theory and psychoanalysis and their connections to thoughtlessness. Ultimately, thoughtlessness can be overcome both individually and socially by reducing our reliance on a thin notion of objectivity and reintroducing a notion of play in language and interpretation.

Accessibility Information

Additional accessibility information

  • PDF/UA-2, 1.4
  • accessibility@bloomsbury.com

Hazards

The publication contains no hazards

Support for non-visual reading

Has alternative text descriptions for images

Navigation

  • Page list to go to pages from the print source version
  • Elements such as headings, tables, etc for structured navigation
  • All or substantially all textual matter is arranged in a single logical reading order

Table of Contents

Introduction: On Thoughtlessness
1. Hatred without Thought
2. The Denial of Death and Thoughtlessness
a. Existentialism: Being-toward-Death and Despair
b. The Denial of Death and Terror Management Theory
c. Defenses
d. Limitations
3. Thoughtlessness and Meaninglessness
a. Absurdity
b. Ambiguity
c. Automaticity
4. Meaningfulness, Inward and Outward
a. Ambiguity
b. As-structure
c. As-if-structure
d. Antidotes
i. Virtue
ii. Narrative
iii. Play
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published Feb 04 2027
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Pages 256
ISBN 9798216259053
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Matthew P. Meyer

Matthew P. Meyer is assistant professor of philoso…

Related Titles

Environment: ACC-Hukd Staging