The Department of Philosophy is delighted to announce the publication of a new book written by members of the department and edited by Dr. Paul O'Grady. The book emerged from an extra–mural course where lecturers presented different philosophical perspectives on the current economic crisis. The introduction establishes the contribution philosophy is capable of making in contemporary Irish society, noting that philosophy thrives in circumstances where old certainties are jettisoned. Various topics such as religious belief, atheism, consumerism, Buddhism, Pragmatism, art, the thought of Kant, Plato and the Stoics and the very value of consolation itself are discussed.

The motivation of the book is to make philosophy accessible and to let its relevance to contemporary life be seen. All the contributors have taught at TCD and present a vivid cross section of the diversity and richness of contemporary philosophical thought. As the country debates the kinds of policies which ought to shape our collective future, these essays present reflections on fundamental values, making sense of questions about meaning, knowledge and human purpose. The very diversity of contribution shows the wealth of resources available in the philosophical tradition to address these questions, a wealth invaluable for creating a genuinely pluralistic society.

Paul O'Grady, the editor, is a lecturer in Philosophy and Fellow of TCD.