Books by William Cooney

This book is divided into two parts, part one examines the brief history of happiness and summarizes the latest information from the areas of brain science as well as the field of positive psychology. Part two proposes that it is not happiness which is the true goal of human living.

The authors of this book consult fifteen thinkers, from various fields, who have a profound understanding of the important role that education plays in our world. Each chapter opens with an Introduction and concludes with a discussion and questions.

The Quest for Meaning explores the deep-seated human need to create a life that is meaningful. In an effort to understand this need, author William Cooney examines the works of philosophers from Plato to Sartre as well as the insights of artists, poets, writers, psychologists, and film-makers. He discusses the nature of humanness, creation, freedom, and choice, all of which are facets of a meaningful life. Cooney also addresses postmodernism, arguing that it does not offer real guidance for those seeking a life of significance. Maintaining that some ways of creating meaning are preferable to others, he concludes that it is up to each individual to craft a meaningful life and that this process must take place within a context of giving and receiving.