A collection of 25 philosophical writings from antiquity to modernity that concern the self-directed question of what is the good life. Organized into sections on religious ways, the use of reason, self-exploration, self realization, and social involvement, the book contains essays and excerpts from works by such authors as Plato, Lao Tzu, Augustine, William James, Descartes, Spinoza, Rousseau, Sartre, Marx, and Buber. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR