If you're like many young intellectuals, Christianity may seem quaint at best, or even a sign of an anti-intellectual worldview. The doors of your mind and heart may shut prematurely. If so, this anthology may blow those doors open wide. Some of the world's most intriguing authors appear here, often in essays without wide circulation. They tackle big, often unspoken questions that resonate deeply. What if you could figure out everything--then what? Where do both science and the humanities stop short? What is a truly fulfilled life? Several chapters describe Jesus's profound impact on history and philosophy. Many signs point to something more. What might it mean to say that it is Jesus? This collection isn't about converting minds but energizing them--a set of ""intellectual calisthenics"" designed to invigorate and strengthen your academic and personal development.
If you're like many young intellectuals, Christianity may seem quaint at best, or even a sign of an anti-intellectual worldview. The doors of your mind and heart may shut prematurely. If so, this anthology may blow those doors open wide. Some of the world's most intriguing authors appear here, often in essays without wide circulation. They tackle big, often unspoken questions that resonate deeply. What if you could figure out everything--then what? Where do both science and the humanities stop short? What is a truly fulfilled life? Several chapters describe Jesus's profound impact on history and philosophy. Many signs point to something more. What might it mean to say that it is Jesus? This collection isn't about converting minds but energizing them--a set of "intellectual calisthenics" designed to invigorate and strengthen your academic and personal development. Introduction Robert Klitgaard PART I POSING BIG QUESTIONS 1. What If You Could Figure Out Everything? Then What? Annie Dillard 2. Are the Arts and Humanities Your Thing? How about Science? Do They Halt in the Same Way? Wilson Poon and Tom McLeish 3. Why Is Philosophy So Impractical? Roberto Mangabeira Unger 4. We Human Beings Are Vanishingly Small and Impermanent. Life Is Meaningless. Isn't it? William James 5. What Is a Full Human Life? Robert Klitgaard PART II INTRODUCING JESUS 6. What Is Special about Jesus? Adam Gopnik 7. What Does the Crucifixion Signify? Jack Miles 8. What Did Jesus Contribute to Western Philosophy? Leszek Kolakowski 9. How Can One Get from Here to There? Paul Kingsnorth