The Mystery of Being Volume I: Reflection and Mystery (Gifford Lectures 1949-1950)

About this book

The Mystery of Being contains the most systematic exposition of the philosophical thought of Gabriel Marcel a convert to Catholicism and the most distinguished twentieth-century exponent of Christian existentialism. Its two volumes are the Gifford lectures which Marcel delivered in Aberdeen Scotland in 1949 and 1950. Marcels work fundamentally challenges most of the major positions of the atheistic existentialists (Sartre Beauvoir Camus) especially their belief in an absurd meaningless godless universe. These volumes deal with almost all of the major themes of Marcels thought: the nature of philosophy our broken world mans deep ontological need for being i.e. for permanent eternal values our incarnate bodily existence primary and secondary reflection participation being in situation the identity of the human self intersubjectivity mystery and problem faith hope and the reality of God and immortality.