E-grāmata: Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know

Wise and wonderfully enjoyable. . . . timely and terrifically witty.' * John Banville, The Observer * 'Lucid, nuanced, ironic and stimulating.' -- The Wall Street Journal 'Lilla helps clarify why facts and strong arguments may not change the minds of many.' -- Financial Times 'A refreshing look at a timeless philosophical question: To know or not to know?' -- The Washington Post 'Superb reading this book feels like attending a brilliant lecture its best passages leave your mind fizzing with ideas.' -- Evening Standard 'The acuity of Lilla's analyses in this book, the range of the topics he covers and the breadth of his historical knowledge are dazzling. Ignorance and Bliss is remarkable.' -- TLS Mark Lilla is always a challenging, fascinating mind alert to all the power, paradox, and dangers of ignorance. -- Rory Stewart, author of Politics On the Edge and co-host of The Rest Is Politics 'In this intellectual travelogue, Lilla muses on the unavoidable conflicts that arise between the will to knowledge and the will to ignorance This is a book about more than knowledge and ignorance, though. It is also about truth and delusion, certainty and uncertainty, authority and freedom, and dependence and autonomy. Today, when the turn against reason and the resistance to knowledge are particularly strong, navigating these tensions is even more necessary Lilla is a fluid, perceptive, and engaging essayist, The enjoyment of the book is in experiencing a supple mind and lucid writer. A welcome reminder that ignorance is not the antithesis of knowledge but essential to self-knowledge.' -- Kirkus Reviews 'Lilla takes us on a tour through Greek mythology, religious texts, and history ... of brilliant insights into how the will to ignorance has held us from knowing ourselves.' -- The Hub 'Fascinating and challenging, the book makes a compelling argument.' * The Hindu * 'Lilla's conversational foray through a broad array of religious, philosophical, and historical examples produces many surprising, thought-provoking insights... This will provide the intellectually curious with more than enough to chew on.' -- Publishers Weekly 'A timely examination ... valuable insight.' * The Newton Review of Books * 'An informative introduction.' * York 3UA Newsmail newsletter * 'An exuberant, inexhaustible storyteller, Lilla finds the hidden, self-protective will to ignorance at the centre of our most cherished religious myths, philosophical systems, and literary masterpieces.' -- Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve and The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve Mark Lilla argues compellingly that a will to ignorance is as strong in human beings as any interest in knowledge. Writing with admirable clarity and subtle charm, Lilla gives us a highly original study of what our desire not to know means for our lives. -- John Gray, author of The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism 'Ignorance is bliss, a poet once said, and Mark Lilla offers us a learned, humane and astringent guide to our incorrigible attachment to ignorance and our wavering commitment to truth. At a time when our politics is debauched with lies and fake news, Lilla asks a question which challenges our alibis: what if the root of the problem lies not with our leaders, but with us?' -- Michael Ignatieff, professor at Central European University and author of On Consolation In these murky days when we all seem to be at sea, Mark Lillas elegant and perceptive handbook serves both as a compass and a hopeful sail. -- Alberto Manguel, author of Maimonides and A History of Reading