Detachment as a Way of Life

How much should we care about what happens around us? If we care too much we risk pain, suffering, and despair, but if we don’t care at all we lose something central to our humanity. In Detachment as a Way of Life, Douglas Edwards charts a middle path between these extremes, arguing that a detached life – when properly conceived – allows you to protect yourself from harm without sacrificing everything you value. Edwards offers a wide-ranging and comparative exploration of the concept of detachment, encompassing Eastern, Western, ancient and modern philosophical approaches. Written in lively and engaging prose, he explores the detached lives offered by Stoic, Epicurean, Platonic, Buddhist, Skeptical, and Daoist views, and develops the idea of detachment as transformation and flexibility. Through consideration of existentialist philosophies of commitment, rebellion, and alienation, Edwards shows how a detached life is a desirable and authentic life. He also discusses the practical exercises offered by different philosophical traditions of detachment to help ease the pain of human existence. As we think about what matters to us, Detachment as a Way of Life offers an engaging and inspiring vision for assessing what is important in our lives.