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Reasonable Pleasures: The Strange Coherences of Catholicism
The fact of pleasure is obvious to us, but its relation to reason is less understood. We are beings who laugh and run, sing and dance, but we too seldom reflect on why we do these things. Above all, we are beings who think and who want to know whether our lives make sense. In this thought-provoking study of the relationship between our reason and our experience of pleasure, popular professor and author Fr. James Schall shows how reason, religion and pleasure are not in conflict with one another. Religion has to do with how man relates to God. Catholicism is not so much a religion as a revelation. It records and recalls how God relates to man. The popular mood of our time is that neither religion nor revelation has much to do with real life. Yet when we look at things as having meaning and order, they fit together in surprising ways. This coherence should bring us joy, and teach us how reason, religion and pleasure can work together for our benefit. Schall shows us in this book why we have many reasons to think that our lives make sense, that our pleasures can be reasonable, and our reason itself is a pleasure.
218 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2013
9 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
James V. Schall
91 books86 followersFr. James V. Schall, SJ was Professor of Political Philosophy at Georgetown University.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
He was born in Pocahontas, Iowa, January 20, 1928. Educated in public schools in Iowa, he graduated in 1945 from Knoxville, Iowa High, and then attended University of Santa Clara. He earned an MA in Philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1945.
After time in the U.S. Army (1946-47), he joined the Society of Jesus (California Province) in 1948. He received a PhD in Political Theory from Georgetown University in 1960, and an MST from University of Santa Clara four years later. Fr. Schall was a member of the Faculty of Institute of Social Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome, from 1964-77, and a member of the Government Department, University of San Francisco, from 1968-77. He has been a member of the Government Department at Georgetown University since 1977.
Fr. Schall has written hundreds of essays on political, theological, literary, and philosophical issues in such journals as The Review of Politics, Social Survey (Melbourne), Studies (Dublin), The Thomist, Divus Thomas (Piacenza), Divinitas (Rome), The Commonweal, Thought, Modern Age, Faith and Reason, The Way (London), The New Oxford Review, University Bookman, Worldview, and many others. He contributes regularly to Crisis and Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
He iss the author of numerous books on social issues, spirituality, culture, and literature.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 27, 2013
Schall at his best. The chapter on Play and Sports alone is worth the price of the book. Schall is a master teacher, a great scholar, and one of the preeminent philosophers of our time.
November 26, 2018
This was a very good book. Fr. Schall's writing was packed with ideas that stayed with me, forcing me to read it slowly. Fr. Schall conveyed to the reader that God loves us, and that He wants us to enjoy life here on earth. Most importantly, he points out that life is not serious, as it is just our time on earth before we enter into that eternal bliss for which we were made.
January 4, 2021
Fantastic book,
I rarely read a book written by a contemporary Jesuit; however, I am ver happily surprised by the deep content in this book. You don’t need a philosophy degree to enjoy this fantastic book.
I rarely read a book written by a contemporary Jesuit; however, I am ver happily surprised by the deep content in this book. You don’t need a philosophy degree to enjoy this fantastic book.
August 2, 2014
Not my favorite of Schall's books, but still a lot of goodness packed inside. Perhaps ironically, I enjoyed the chapter on hell the most.
April 29, 2017
A small and concise book written by a good Jesuit, this book discusses the Reasonable Pleasures of the Human Being, not merely in his mind - although Contemplation is mentioned many times, and not merely in his body - although the reality of the Incarnation and Resurrection is mentioned, but rather Reasonable Pleasures that lead us to noble things without necessarily violating the common things of life. Its a good book for someone to read to get a good idea where the Catholic faith is coming from, having rejected the Stoic Apatheia as well as the Hedonist sensuality, but urges us on from the creation to the creator.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews