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Summary
In this book, Untangling Heroism, Ari Kohen explores the idea of heroism in contemporary society. He argues that there are three distinct categories of heroism that can be traced back to the earliest Western literature and that can be used to explain the confusion around what makes a hero. Kohen examines the Homeric heroes Achilles and Odysseus and Plato’s Socrates, and then compares the three to each other. He argues that in a post-Socratic world, we have chosen to place a premium on heroes who make other-regarding choices over self-interested ones. His analysis and rethinking of the heroism concept will be relevant to scholars across the disciplines of political science, philosophy, literature, and classics.
Q&As
What motivates people to act heroically and what prevents them from being heroes?
People are motivated to act heroically by a desire to make a difference and to help others, while fear of failure or fear of the unknown can prevent them from being heroes.
In what ways are classical conceptions of heroism relevant to understanding heroism today?
Classical conceptions of heroism are relevant to understanding heroism today because they provide insight into the motivations and characteristics of heroes, as well as the ways in which distinct heroic categories can be useful at different times.
What is the difference between Achilles, Odysseus, and Socrates in terms of heroism?
Achilles is a battlefield hero, Odysseus is a suffering hero, and Socrates is an other-regarding hero.
How does Ari Kohen's argument for the existence of three categories of heroism relate to post-Socratic society?
Kohen's argument for the existence of three categories of heroism relates to post-Socratic society in that it suggests that in a post-Socratic world, we have chosen to place a premium on heroes who make other-regarding choices over self-interested ones.
What is the importance of "other-regarding" choices over self-interested ones in regards to heroic action?
The importance of other-regarding choices over self-interested ones in regards to heroic action is that when humans face the fact of their mortality, they are able to think most clearly about the sort of life they want to have lived, and only in doing that does heroic action become a possibility.
AI Comments
👍 This book provides an insightful and comprehensive analysis of the concept of heroism in classical and contemporary contexts.
👎 This book is extremely expensive and may be inaccessible to some readers.
AI Discussion
Me: It's about the idea of heroism in contemporary society. The author suggests that there are three categories of heroes that can be traced back to classical literature—epic poetry and the dialogues of Plato—and that those categories can help us think about heroism today.
Friend: Interesting. What are the implications of this article?
Me: Well, the article suggests that when we recognize our mortality, we are more likely to think about the kind of life we want to have lived—one that is heroic in nature. It also suggests that we place a premium on heroes who make other-regarding choices rather than self-interested ones. So, it encourages us to think about the kind of heroes we want to be and how we can make heroic choices in our own lives.
Action items
- Read the book "Untangling Heroism: Classical Philosophy and the Concept of the Hero" to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of heroism.
- Research other examples of contemporary heroes to compare and contrast with the classical heroes discussed in the article.
- Reflect on how the concept of heroism has changed over time and how it can be applied to modern-day situations.
Technical terms
- Google Books
- A service from Google that allows users to search for and read books online.
- Advanced search
- A feature of Google Books that allows users to refine their search results by using specific criteria.
- ISBN
- International Standard Book Number, a unique identifier for books.
- Page count
- The total number of pages in a book.
- Format
- The type of book, such as paperback, hardcover, or ebook.
- Publisher
- The company that published the book.
- Language
- The language in which the book is written.
- Epic poetry
- A type of narrative poem, usually about heroic deeds and events that are significant to a culture or nation.
- Dialogues
- A type of literary work in which characters discuss a topic or topics.
- Other-regarding hero
- A hero who makes decisions based on what is best for others, rather than what is best for themselves.
- Self-interested hero
- A hero who makes decisions based on what is best for themselves, rather than what is best for others.
- Kleos
- A Greek term for the glory and honor that a hero receives for their heroic deeds.
- Nostos
- A Greek term for the journey home that a hero takes after completing their heroic deeds.
- Polytropic
- A term used to describe a hero who is able to adapt to different situations and take on different roles.