176 pages
English language
Published by Routledge.
This is a collection of essays by Bertrand Russell first published in 1935. In the 1932 essay which gives the title to the volume, Russell propose people work for a maximum of 4 hours-per-day to think, socialise, etc. Other essays treat about sociology, philosophy and economy and also technical architectural problems are discussed in a social frame proposing solutions.
CONTENTS (original edition)
Preface
I In praise of idleness (1932)
II "Useless" knowledge
III Architecture and social questions
IV The modern Midas
V The ancestry of fascism
VI Scylla and Charybdis; or, communism and fascism
VII The case for socialism
VIII Western civilization
IX On youthful cynicism (1929)
X Modern homogeneity (1930)
XI Men versus insects (1933)
XII Education and discipline
XIII Stoicism and mental health (1928)
XIV On comets
XV What is the soul?
Easy to read philosophy. I don't agree with some of the author's opinions, and also, some ideas and information are pretty outdated, but surprising to see how some of the concerns of the 1930s are still existing today. If I, a non-philosopher, can read and understand it, you can too!
