Life In Action

Any sound practical philosophy must be clear on practical concepts—concepts, in particular, of life, action, and practice. This clarity is Michael Thompson’s aim in his ambitious work. In Thompson’s view, failure to comprehend the structures of thought and judgment expressed in these concepts has disfigured modern moral philosophy, rendering it incapable of addressing the larger questions that should be its focus. In three investigations, Thompson considers life, action, and practice successively, attempting to exhibit these interrelated concepts as pure categories of thought, and to show how a proper exposition of them must be Aristotelian in character. He contends that the pure character of these categories, and the Aristotelian forms of reflection necessary to grasp them, are systematically obscured by modern theoretical philosophy, which thus blocks the way to the renewal of practical philosophy. His work recovers the possibility, within the tradition of analytic philosophy, of hazarding powerful generalities, and of focusing on the larger issues—like “life”—that have the power to revive philosophy. As an attempt to relocate crucial concepts from moral philosophy and the theory of action into what might be called the metaphysics of life, this original work promises to reconfigure a whole sector of philosophy. It is a work that any student of contemporary philosophy must grapple with.

As one of the biggest stars to burst into U.S. theaters, Jackie Chan has wowed audiences with death-defying stunts. But who really is this lightning-fast Charlie Chaplin of martial arts moviemaking? Now, in I Am Jackie Chan, he tells the fascinating, harrowing, ultimately triumphant story of his life: How the rebellious son of refugees in tumultuous 1950s Hong Kong became the disciplined disciple of a Chinese Opera Master. How the dying art of Chinese opera led Jackie to the movie business. And how he broke into Hollywood big time by breaking almost every bone in his body.

Producing high-quality video used to be a difficult enterprise--restricted by costly equipment and hard-to-come-by technology. But, today, aspiring filmmakers, journalists, vloggers, live-streamers, coaches, educators, and editors have the tools for creating incredible videos right at their fingertips--literally. David Basulto, founder of iOgrapher and leader in the world of mobile filmmaking, has taught thousands of video enthusiasts across the globe how to turn their phones and tablets into powerful video-making machines. Now he shares his invaluable wisdom in this complete guide to mobile filmmaking, including: - How to select lights, microphones, cases, lenses, tripods, and mixers - Which programs and apps work best - Workflows and practices for creating everything from films to live streams to educational aids and more The future of filmmaking is now. And LIFE. CAMERA. ACTION. is your one-stop guide for bringing your video visions to life today.

Engaging in action is at the heart of our most meaningful experiences. And given the fast-paced, goal-driven nature of modern society, engagement in action is also central to how we perceive ourselves. Action has traditionally been viewed as an end product of the counseling process, but now a bold new redefinition makes counseling not only a driver of action, but an action in itself. Counseling and Action couples a timely update on the multiple roles of action in counseling with an action-based framework for enhancing progress between client and professional. Grounded in the core concepts of contextual action theory as well as key aspects of counseling (e.g., identity, intentionality, emotion), the book explicates an approach that is responsive to client complexities and the larger social conditions that frame them. Expert-penned chapters apply theory to practice, illustrating levels of engagement in action as counselor and client negotiate goals and work toward their realization. And an especially useful section offers guidelines for intervening with specific populations and addressing particular issues. Among the topics covered: Designing projects for career construction. Agentic action in context. Counseling intentional addiction recovery grounded in relationships and social meaning. The action of mindfulness in counseling. A contextual action theory perspective on self-efficacy in individual counseling. Counseling processes and procedures through the lens of contextual action theory. With its forceful argument for a quantum leap in both theory and practice, Counseling and Action is transformative reading for professionals, educators, and graduate students in social work, psychotherapy, psychology, and counseling.

A collection of essays by the celebrated philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe. This collection includes papers on human nature and practical philosophy, together with the classic 'Modern Moral Philosophy'

Money cannot buy happiness, says Fernando Espuelas. Success cannot be measured in wealth, power, or fame. Success and happiness come from looking inside ourselves to discover who we genuinely are and what we truly need to find happiness. And then striving to live the best life we can: for our loved ones, our community, and ourselves. Espuelas describes this philosophy-of introspection as the catalyst for action- with the Spanish word voy: "I go." He shows how to visualize success and then to create a plan to work toward it every day. Espuelas's twelve principles and their accompanying exercises are developed from his own life and the lives of people who have used the powers of optimism, persistence, honesty, and courage to overcome obstacles like fear, doubt, and prejudice.

This multi-author anthology is a short introduction to the world of existential psychotherapy, and specifically Existential Analysis. It gives concrete answers and demonstrates a way to apply this thinking in practice, providing outlines of its theoretical background, including Alfried Langle's four fundamental motivations. The main themes of the book are: working with emotionality and subjective experience and its importance for a fulfilling life; meaning and happiness; and spirituality and temporality. It covers psychological disorders and their treatment in adults and children, and also deals with disability and handicap.

A study of the word pair "action and reaction" embracing philosophy, semantics, literature, and science. What do biologists mean when they say that to live is to react? Why was the term abreaction invented and later abandoned by the first generation of psychoanalysts? What is meant by reactionary politics? These are but a few of the questions the internationally renowned scholar Jean Starobinski answers in his conceptual history of the word pair, action and reaction. Not simply a history of ideas, Action and Reaction is also a semantic and philological history, a literary history, a history of medicine, and a history of the biological sciences. By concentrating on the moment when scientific language and ordinary language diverge, Starobinski uncovers a genealogy of the human and natural sciences through their usage of action and reaction as metaphors. Newton's law--to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction--becomes a point of departure for an exploration of the lexical and metaphorical traces left in its wake. Starobinski analyzes the scientific, literary, and political effects of the use of the terms action and reaction to describe and explain the material universe, the living body, historical events, and psychological behavior. In what he calls a "polyphonic score"--a kind of mosaic--he uses his subject to offer new insights into the work of philosophers (Aristotle, Leibniz, Kant, Nietzsche, Jaspers), scientists (Newton, Bichat, Bernard, Bernheim, Freud), and writers (Diderot, Constant, Balzac, Poe, Valry). Ultimately, the book explores the power and danger of metaphorical language and questions the convergence and collapse of scientific and moral explanations of the universe.