Invulnerability: On Securing Happiness

Steven Luper

Many influential thinkers—such as Buddha, Socrates, Epicurus, and Epictetus—have confidently claimed that the prospect of dying need not alarm us in the least, and that we can be completely happy no matter what our circumstances. Is this gospel of invulnerability mere sham and self-deception, or is it a practical philosophy of life? Invulnerability presents a closely reasoned, unflinchingly honest treatment of this issue, comparing the Western approach of "optimizing" with the Eastern approach of "adapting." Luper's conclusion is surprising and will challenge many readers' prejudices while offering some relief from despair.

"His work serves as a balm for the kinds of concerns that have long haunted many existentialists, and it may well enrich studies in literature and psychology whose focus is on questions regarding the meaning of life and death." —Choice

"Luper's clearly written, yet heartfelt book will serve to widen the narrow horizons of contemporary moral debate, and not just within academia."
—David E. Cooper
University of Durham