'To thine own self be true.' From Polonius's words in Hamlet right up to Oprah, we are constantly urged to look within. Why is being authentic the ultimate aim in life for so many people, and why does it mean looking inside rather than out? Is it about finding the 'real' me, or something greater than me, even God? And should we welcome what we find?

Thought-provoking and with an astonishing range of references, On Being Authentic is a gripping journey into the self that begins with Socrates and Augustine. Charles Guignon asks why being authentic ceased to mean being part of some bigger, cosmic picture and with Rousseau, Wordsworth and the Romantic movement, took the strong inward turn alive in today's self-help culture.

He also plumbs the darker depths of authenticity, with the help of Freud, Joseph Conrad and Alice Miller and reflects on the future of being authentic in a postmodern, global age. He argues ultimately that if we are to rescue the ideal of being authentic, we have to see ourselves as fundamentally social creatures, embedded in relationships and communities, and that being authentic is not about what is owed to me but how I depend on others.

About the Author

Charles Guignon teaches philosophy at the University of South Florida. He is the author of Heidegger and the Problem of Knowledge and editor of The Cambridge Companion to Heidegger.

Reviews

'I know of no better account of authenticity than On Being Authentic. Guignon evenhandedly and in plain non-technical English explains the attractions and dangers inherent in this widely held ideal, connects it with deeper cultural currents, and shows how it fits into contemporary thought. The book is a fine achievement, and I recommend it for all literate general readers.' John Kekes

'On Being Authentic traverses often very dense acreages of philosophical argument with considerable elegance. It never patronises the reader, or gives the impression of talking down to them. It is enthusiastic and engaging ... For anyone who, bemused at our culture's seemingly endless fascination with individual self-worth, seeks some firm guide as how we arrived here, On Being Authentic will prove to be an admirable starting point.' - Jonathan Sawday, Glasgow University

'A very important book. We urgently need to be able to think clearly about authenticity, and Charles Guignon is uniquely prepared to say something important on this matter.' - Charles Taylor, author of The Ethics of Authenticity

'a solid and readable overview of the modern concept of personal authenticity...a thoughtful introduction to the topic' Mentalhelp.net

"... traverses often very dense acreages of philosophical argument with considerable elegance. It never patronises the reader, or gives the impression of talking down to them. It is enthusiastic and engaging ... For anyone who, bemused at our culture's seemingly endless fascination with individual self-worth, seeks some firm guide as how we arrived here, On Being Authentic will prove to be an admirable starting point." - Jonathan Sawday, Glasgow University

Book Information
ISBN 9780415261234
Author Charles Guignon
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 222g