In Love with Life: Reflections on the Joy of Living and Why We Hate to Die

Vanderbilt University philosopher Lachs (The Relevance of Philosophy to Life) describes why he believes life is worth living. Restricting himself to Western culture, the author posits that the pleasure adults take in leisure activities demonstrates that we are in love with life. (There are, he admits, truly destructive people who don't feel this joy of living and he contends that they should be held responsible for their actions.) He theorizes that when illness strikes or an unhappy love affair makes one feel that life is worthless, it is only a temporary reaction, something that interferes with a more basic love of life. Lachs firmly believes that humanity is far better off than in the past and credits technological advances that have resulted in longer life expectancy and previously unavailable opportunities for enjoyment. The author's musings read more like low-key advice on how to get the most out of living than philosophical insights. He recommends, for example, that people approach choosing a vocation or profession with an experimental attitude, take pride in what they do well and learn to embrace change--which also includes approaching death in such a way that its prospect doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of life. (Dec.)