Nick Pappas is a graduate of the University of Chicago (English) and holds a degree from Harvard Law School. Over the past 20 years he's written a series of philosophical dialogues published by Algora Publishing, developing in some depth the philosopher character "Director," who converses with friends and acquaintances and brings out the richness of life enhanced by philosophy. Nick has also written numerous poems and short stories. Nick lives in Buffalo, NY, where he teaches high school English.  

A professional violinist and a consultant find themselves waiting and wondering if everything will turn out alright. The first, a character we'll call "Woman," finds that her conversational partner is actually a philosopher. What do...

A professional violinist and a consultant find themselves waiting and wondering if everything will turn out alright. The first, a character we'll call "Woman," finds that her conversational partner is actually a philosopher. What do philosophers love to do? Woman believes they love to talk. But "Director" indicates this isn't quite true. Philosophers love to philosophize. What does that mean? The answer to this comes through a reading of the book as a whole.

The dialogue in this book is philosophy. It does not rely on a structure of concepts arranged to articulate a whole, so it may not seem familiar to many as philosophy. Philosophy, as we need it today, is conversational. After all, what is more persuasive? An all-but-perfectly-tight series of arguments meant to compel a certain conclusion, or a looser discussion of the topic in question with someone you like and admire?

This does not mean Director's philosophizing is tame. He asks, 'If we feel fear, what do we seek?' Woman replies, 'I seek comfort. And you?' 'I seek to destroy the source of the fear.' This produces a laugh from Woman. As Director says in response, 'Laughter is better than fear.' But as we read on, we may wonder: Was he serious? What does it mean to destroy the source of the fear? And why does this question arise in a book about comfort? Woman declares that, 'People comfort themselves [...] by refusing to think.' Director and she question whether that is true comfort. This book is about that question.