Overcoming Cynicism, William James and the Metaphysics of Engagement [Paperback]

Combating the notion of a healthy' cynicism, Overcoming Cynicism demonstrates that the cynic engages not in genuine critique, but rather in a denial of the possibility of fruitful change. Mustain first uses two historical versions of cynicismancient Greek and Victorianto describe competing currents within the cynical attitude. Shebrings this historical discussion to bear upon two contemporary sources of cynicism, Christian fundamentalism and scientism, and offers an alternative path which seeks to confront the real problems we encounter in our experiences of relations relations without either explaining those problems away or making them fundamental.

Megan R. Mustain is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Chapter 1 - Historical Cynicism: Diogenes and the Victorians
Chapter 2 - Contemporary Sources of Cynicism: Fundamentalism and Scientism
Chapter 3 - A Diagnosis of Disconnection at the Heart of Cynicism
Chapter 4 - In Search of Alternatives: Coping with Relatedness
Chapter 5 - Engaging and Reconstructing Relations: Concluding Remarks and a Path Forward

Bibliography
Index

Examines the metaphysical underpinnings of cynical philosophies both past and present in an attempt to diagnose and ameliorate contemporary forms of cynicism.