【内容简介】

　　智识生活是什么？它能为我们带来哪些方面的益处？普通人如何过上一种富有思想的智识生活？

　　在这个浮躁功利的时代，人人都奔波忙碌，几乎每种事物和每个人做事的价值都以“有用与否”这个尺度来衡量。久而久之，人变成了工具，工作毫无意义，生活疲惫无着。哪里可以寻得持久的快乐、内心的笃定以及人格的庇护？

　　在希茨看来，智识生活可以培育人的内在价值，找回人之为人的尊严，重启自由思考的能力。很少有体验能像智识生活那样让人备感充实，而这种智识生活来源于纯粹的学习、必要的闲暇以及沉思。

　　希茨从自己的人生经历出发，遵循一种始于柏拉图和亚里士多德的思辨传统，通过文学、图像、故事和案例来展示她眼中真正的智识生活是什么样子。她以令人振奋的典范为向导，身体力行地投入当地社群的集体中，亲身验证智识生活在不同阶层践行的可能性。她意识到，学习是普通人就能做到的高级活动，以学习为目的的智识活动能够滋养人的内心生活，创造幸福价值。

　　她带领我们回眺人类过往的精神高度，思考现代人所面临的种种困惑：学习是如何被追名逐利所腐蚀的？智识生活对个人的幸福和人类社会的繁荣有何种作用？在人类遭受的苦难和不公向我们提出的要求面前，人文学科又该如何发挥其“无用之用”的力量？

　　智识生活让人遁入内在的静修空间，又通往超越自我的现实。往复其间，我们得以记住自己本来的模样，仍对前路抱有迷人想象；也会对窗外的小鸟好奇，对浩瀚的星空生畏。如此，浪漫重新降临。

　　作者简介

　　[美]泽娜·希茨

　　在剑桥大学、芝加哥大学接受古典学和古代哲学教育，在普林斯顿大学获得古代哲学博士学位，毕业后先后在麦吉尔大学、奥本大学和马里兰大学巴尔的摩分校任职，现任教于圣约翰学院。

　　希茨因在人文领域中展现出非凡的潜力，荣获2020年度希特奖，该奖是美国备受青睐的人文学科荣誉，旨在奖励在人文领域做出贡献和成就的新星。

【 Content Introduction 】

What is intellectual life? In what ways can it benefit us? How can ordinary people live a thoughtful intellectual life?

In this era of impetuous utility, everyone is busy, and the value of almost every thing and everyone's work is measured by the scale of "useful or not". Over time, people become tools, work is meaningless, life is tired. Where can we find lasting happiness, inner certainty, and protection of character?

In Hitz's view, the intellectual life can cultivate one's inner worth, restore one's dignity as a human being, and restore one's ability to think freely. Few experiences are as fulfilling as the intellectual life that comes from pure learning, necessary leisure, and contemplation.

Drawing from her own life experience, Hitz follows a speculative tradition that began with Plato and Aristotle, using literature, images, stories, and cases to show what she sees as true intellectual life. Guided by inspiring examples, she engages with local communities and demonstrates first-hand the possibilities of intellectual life at different levels. She realized that learning is a high-level activity that ordinary people can do, and that intellectual activities aimed at learning can nourish people's inner life and create happiness values.

She takes us back to the spiritual heights of the human past and considers the puzzles faced by modern people: how has learning been corrupted by the pursuit of fame and profit? What role does intellectual life play in the well-being of individuals and the prosperity of human society? How can the humanities use their "useless" power in the face of the demands that human suffering and injustice make on us?

The intellectual life allows one to retreat into an inner retreat and to a reality beyond oneself. In the process, we get to remember who we were and still have a fascinating vision of what lies ahead. I will also be curious about the birds outside the window and afraid of the vast stars. And so romance is reborn.

About the author

[US] Zeena Hitz

He was educated in classics and ancient philosophy at the University of Cambridge and the University of Chicago, received a doctorate in ancient philosophy at Princeton University, and served at McGill University, Auburn University, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where he now teaches at St. John's College.

For demonstrating extraordinary potential in the humanities, Hitz is the recipient of the 2020 Hitt Prize, a highly regarded humanities honor in the United States that rewards rising stars for their contributions and achievements in the humanities.