Hindsight

The Promise and Peril of Looking Backward

Nonfiction, Health & Well Being, Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
Cover of the book Hindsight by Mark Freeman, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mark Freeman ISBN: 9780190452889
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: December 31, 2009
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Mark Freeman
ISBN: 9780190452889
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: December 31, 2009
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Although the idea of hindsight is frequently associated with the biases, distortions, and outright lies of memory--as in the infamous "20-20" scenario or the conviction that one "knew it all along"--Mark Freeman maintains that this process of looking backward over the terrain of the past can also serve as a profound source of insight, understanding, and self-knowledge. Consider Tolstoy's harrowing tale of Ivan Ilych, revisiting his past on the eve of his death, only to realize that the life he had been living was a lie. Consider as well the many times in our own lives when, upon reviewing the past, we are able to see what we could not, or would not, see earlier on. Hindsight is also intimately connected to what Freeman calls narrative reflection: Through the distance conferred by time, we can look back on past experiences and see them anew, as episodes in an evolving story. As important as "being in the now" and "living in the moment" are, it is no less important to pause at times and, by looking backward, seek to discern those aspects of experience that might otherwise escape our notice. Far from necessarily leading to deception and lies, therefore, hindsight can lead to wisdom and indeed truth--of a sort, Freeman contends, that is only available in retrospect. In addition to serving as a central site of self-knowledge, hindsight plays an integral role in the process of moral growth. For, through hindsight, there emerges the opportunity not only to see the possible errors of our ways but to transcend them and thereby to move on to better ways of being in the world. Drawing on psychology, philosophy, literature, and personal experience, this wide-ranging volume offers an insightful and engaging exploration of the role of hindsight both in discerning the personal past and in deepening moral life.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Although the idea of hindsight is frequently associated with the biases, distortions, and outright lies of memory--as in the infamous "20-20" scenario or the conviction that one "knew it all along"--Mark Freeman maintains that this process of looking backward over the terrain of the past can also serve as a profound source of insight, understanding, and self-knowledge. Consider Tolstoy's harrowing tale of Ivan Ilych, revisiting his past on the eve of his death, only to realize that the life he had been living was a lie. Consider as well the many times in our own lives when, upon reviewing the past, we are able to see what we could not, or would not, see earlier on. Hindsight is also intimately connected to what Freeman calls narrative reflection: Through the distance conferred by time, we can look back on past experiences and see them anew, as episodes in an evolving story. As important as "being in the now" and "living in the moment" are, it is no less important to pause at times and, by looking backward, seek to discern those aspects of experience that might otherwise escape our notice. Far from necessarily leading to deception and lies, therefore, hindsight can lead to wisdom and indeed truth--of a sort, Freeman contends, that is only available in retrospect. In addition to serving as a central site of self-knowledge, hindsight plays an integral role in the process of moral growth. For, through hindsight, there emerges the opportunity not only to see the possible errors of our ways but to transcend them and thereby to move on to better ways of being in the world. Drawing on psychology, philosophy, literature, and personal experience, this wide-ranging volume offers an insightful and engaging exploration of the role of hindsight both in discerning the personal past and in deepening moral life.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Take Me Home by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Spirit Song by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Mercury's Wings by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book The Levites and the Boundaries of Israelite Identity by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Mercy, Mercy Me by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Little Lord Fauntleroy Level 1 Oxford Bookworms Library by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Congenital and Perinatal Infections by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Focus on Grammar and Meaning by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Scars of War, Wounds of Peace by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book The Firm : The Inside Story Of The Stasi by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book The Polygamous Wives Writing Club by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Why Horror Seduces by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Victims' Stories and the Advancement of Human Rights by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Introduction to Risk Calculation in Genetic Counseling by Mark Freeman
Cover of the book Migraine by Mark Freeman
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy