Michael Strawser - Böcker

Kierkegaard's God and the Good Life focuses on faith and love, two central topics in Kierkegaard's writings, to grapple with complex questions at the intersection of religion and ethics. Here, leading scholars reflect on Kierkegaard's understanding of God, the religious life, and what it means to exist ethically. The contributors then shift to psychology, hope, knowledge, and the emotions as they offer critical and constructive readings for contemporary philosophical debates in the philosophy of religion, moral philosophy, and epistemology. Together, they show how Kierkegaard continues to be an important resource for understandings of religious existence, public discourse, social life, and how to live virtuously.

Kierkegaard's God and the Good Life focuses on faith and love, two central topics in Kierkegaard's writings, to grapple with complex questions at the intersection of religion and ethics. Here, leading scholars reflect on Kierkegaard's understanding of God, the religious life, and what it means to exist ethically. The contributors then shift to psychology, hope, knowledge, and the emotions as they offer critical and constructive readings for contemporary philosophical debates in the philosophy of religion, moral philosophy, and epistemology. Together, they show how Kierkegaard continues to be an important resource for understandings of religious existence, public discourse, social life, and how to live virtuously.

Both/And is a new interpretation of Kierkegaard's writings which attempts to make sense of a very diverse authorship by offering a comprehensive interpretation of both Kierkegaard's so-called aesthetic and his religious writings. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) stands for a turning point in philosophy from a systematic philosophy - which, with its focus on objectivity, attempts to place itself on the secure path of science - to a "philosophy" that focuses its attention in subjectivity and openly acknowledges itself as fragmentary and provisional. Strawser examines Kierkegaard's works as religious, aesthetic/poetic, and philosophical and argues that irony runs through both the aesthetic and the religious works - indeed, Kierkegaard referred to himself as the Magister of Irony. But Strawser goes beyond these boundaries to draw in the interpretation of Kierkegaard's writing not a line which cuts off the aesthetic from the religious, but connects them. This is what Strawser calls the line from irony to edification. This line is the line of both/and, the line of connection. Strawser addresses the problematic but natural relationship between Kierkegaard and postmodernism and offers exciting possibilities. Strawser believes that contemporary postmodern philosophical considerations aid a critical reading of Kierkegaard, but such a reading must not be overwhelmed by them. Such a comprehensive reading is what Strawser offers the reader in Both/And.

Both/And is a new interpretation of Kierkegaard's writings which attempts to make sense of a very diverse authorship by offering a comprehensive interpretation of both Kierkegaard's so-called aesthetic and his religious writings. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) stands for a turning point in philosophy from a systematic philosophy - which, with its focus on objectivity, attempts to place itself on the secure path of science - to a "philosophy" that focuses its attention in subjectivity and openly acknowledges itself as fragmentary and provisional. Strawser examines Kierkegaard's works as religious, aesthetic/poetic, and philosophical and argues that irony runs through both the aesthetic and the religious works - indeed, Kierkegaard referred to himself as the Magister of Irony. But Strawser goes beyond these boundaries to draw in the interpretation of Kierkegaard's writing not a line which cuts off the aesthetic from the religious, but connects them. This is what Strawser calls the line from irony to edification. This line is the line of both/and, the line of connection. Strawser addresses the problematic but natural relationship between Kierkegaard and postmodernism and offers exciting possibilities. Strawser believes that contemporary postmodern philosophical considerations aid a critical reading of Kierkegaard, but such a reading must not be overwhelmed by them. Such a comprehensive reading is what Strawser offers the reader in Both/And.

Ironically, the philosophy of love has long been neglected by philosophers, so-called “lovers of wisdom,” who would seemingly need to understand how one best becomes a lover. In Kierkegaard and the Philosophy of Love, Michael Strawser shows that the philosophy of love lies at the heart of Kierkegaard’s writings, as he argues that the central issue of Kierkegaard’s authorship can and should be understood more broadly as the task of becoming a lover. Strawser starts by identifying the questions (How should I love the other? Is self-love possible? How can I love God?) and themes (love’s immediacy, intentionality, unity, and eternity) that are central to the philosophy of love, and he develops a rich context that includes analyses of the conceptions of love found in Plato, Spinoza, and Hegel, as well as prominent contemporary thinkers. Strawser provides an original and wide-ranging analysis of Kierkegaard’s writings—from the early The Concept of Irony and Edifying Discourses to the late The Moment, while maintaining the prominence of Works of Love— to demonstrate how Kierkegaard’s writings on love are relevant to the emerging study of the philosophy of love today. The most unique perspective of this work, however, is Strawser’s argument that Kierkegaard’s writings on love are most fruitfully understood within the context of a phenomenology of love. In interpreting Kierkegaard as a phenomenologist of love, Strawser claims that it is not Husserl and Heidegger that we should look to for a connection in the first instance, but rather Max Scheler, Dietrich von Hildebrand, Emmanuel Levinas, and most importantly, Jean-Luc Marion, who for the most part center their thinking on the phenomenological nature of love. Based on an analysis of the works of these thinkers together with Kierkegaard’s writings, Strawser argues that Kierkegaard presents readers with a first phenomenology of love, a point of view that serves as a unifying perspective throughout this work while also pointing to areas for future scholarship. Overall, this work brings seemingly divergent perspectives into a unity brought about through a focus on love—which is, after all, a unifying force.

Teaching Communication is an innovative series designed to help communication instructors develop a course for the first time or to guide teacher-trainers as they work with new teachers in formal classroom settings or informal mentoring sessions. Providing theoretically grounded research-based guidelines for teaching communication effectively, each volume in the series provides robust suggestions for what to teach and how to teach various communication topics. Volume II: Communication Studies contains a comprehensive and contemporary discussion of topics and issues about the teaching of communication studies. The chapters—written by key voices in the communication discipline—address conceptual as well as practical issues related to communication studies instruction. Opening chapters cover strategies and approaches for teaching introductory, foundational, and core courses, such as public speaking, the hybrid course, communication theory, and research methods. Additional chapters address courses that showcase relational topics and issues, such as interpersonal and family communication, intercultural communication, gender and communication, and nonverbal communication. Others emphasize the importance of communication in professional and workplace contexts (e.g., group and organizational communication), and closing chapters expand communication skills development to public engagement contexts, such as teaching persuasion, health and environmental communication, and ethics. Providing readers with the knowledge and skillsets they need to become effective educators, the Teaching Communication series is an exemplary resource for courses and programs in teaching communication. Chapters and contributors: Series Preface - Deanna D. Sellnow and Michael G. Strawser, Volume II PrefaceChapter 1. Teaching Public Speaking - Lindsey B. AndersonChapter 2. Teaching the Hybrid Introductory Communication Course - Melissa A. Broeckelman-PostChapter 3. Teaching Communication Theory - J. Kevin BargeChapter 4. Teaching Communication Research Methods - Joann Keyton and Pavitra KavyaChapter 5. Teaching Interpersonal Communication - Elizabeth Graham and Scott A. MyersChapter 6. Teaching Family Communication - Dawn O. BraithwaiteChapter 7. Teaching Intercultural Communication - Yea-Wen Chen and Brandi LawlessChapter 8. Teaching Gender and Communication - Meggie Mapes and Alaina WalbergChapter 9. Teaching Nonverbal Communication - Laura K. Guerrero and Valerie ManusovChapter 10. Teaching Mediated Communication Technologies - Nick Bowman, Stephanie Kelly, KJ Rocker, Kyle R. Vareberg, and David WestermanChapter 11. Teaching Business and Professional Communication - Stephen A. Spates and Shawn T. WahlChapter 12. Teaching Organizational Communication and Leadership - Roth Smith and Lance LippertChapter 13. Teaching Group Communication - Angela M. Hosek, Caroline Waldbuesser, and Carly DensmoreChapter 14. Teaching Health Communication - Heather J. Carmack and Margaret M. QuinlanChapter 15. Teaching Political Communication - Jerry L. MillerChapter 16. Teaching Persuasion - Kevin R. Meyer and Stephen K. HuntChapter 17. Teaching Rhetorical Criticism - Jim A. Kuypers, Joseph M. Valenzano, III, and Jason A. EdwardsChapter 18. Teaching Argumentation and Advocacy - Matthew deTarChapter 19. Teaching Sport Communication - Gregory A. Cranmer and Samuel HakimChapter 20. Teaching Environmental Communication - Maria BlevinsChapter 21. Teaching Communication Ethics - Brenden E. Kendall

This volume continues a conversation that has been ongoing for decades: How do we as instructional communication researchers lend our expertise to help solve problems inside and outside of the academy?In Instructional Communication in Professional Contexts, communication scholar and volume editor Michael G. Strawser brings together various researchers and professionals in communication studies to address and explore the current state of instructional communication as it can be employed outside the academy in five key areas in industry: learning and development; organizational; health; technology; and risk and crisis.For each of these areas, an overview of the historical impact of instructional research is presented, followed by a discussion of current perspectives and future directions. Throughout, the book helps communication scholars, students, and practitioners better understand the innate ability of instructional communication research to solve problems beyond the walls of academe.

The Internship Handbook is designed to prepare students and then guide them through the internship experience. It combines theoretical knowledge to help readers better understand their personalities, traits, values, and strengths with practical activities such as discussion questions and activities to streamline the internship process.The handbook begins with self-assessment, encouraging readers to engage in self-awareness and exploration to identify their personal strengths and professional values. Succeeding chapters detail how to navigate the job market, emphasizing the importance of networking, and presenting strategies for the application process. The book offers insight into the dynamics of securing an internship, thriving within one, and transitioning smoothly at its conclusion. It places a strong emphasis on the development of soft skills alongside the acquisition of professional competencies, describing internships as pivotal to gaining practical experience while facilitating reflection on personal growth and career paths.The Internship Handbook is an excellent resource for students embarking upon the internship experience. It could also be used in courses or programs focused on career development and professional readiness.

In Spinoza and the Philosophy of Love, Michael Strawser provides a new reading of Spinoza as a philosopher of love, and one who centers his thought on an ethically qualified conception of noble love. Strawser examines the threefold conception of love found in Spinoza’s Ethics and argues that what is most important for Spinoza’s philosophy is a unified conception of love centered on nobility (amor sive generositas). This active conception of love can conquer hatred and bring people together. Situating Spinoza’s philosophy of love within both Jewish and Western philosophical traditions, Strawser investigates questions in the philosophy of love together with Spinoza and thinkers such as Saadia Gaon, Maimonides, Leone Ebreo, Tullia d’Aragona, and René Descartes. He shows how Spinoza deepens our understanding of amorous perfectionism and how this reading of Spinoza’s philosophy of love serves as both a corrective to problematic readings, such as those found in Isaac Bashevis Singer and Emmanuel Levinas, and a counter to speciesism. With careful examination of Spinoza’s writings, Strawser demonstrates that the goal of his philosophy is best understood as the love of other people who are to be helped and united with in friendship. Ultimately, Spinoza’s philosophy of love calls for collective nobility.