This chapter utilizes Raymond Geuss’s recent book A Philosopher Looks at Work as an entry point to discuss some contemporary issues and directions of research in the philosophy of work. It discusses the fundamental features that make up our traditional conception of work, including its definition, organization, and value for individuals and society; delineates some of the anomalies and ideological features of the conception; pinpoints some contemporary trends in our organization of work; and considers its future. Along the way, it comments on other recent popular books on work, in particular, David Graber’s Bullshit Jobs and Axel Honneth’s The Working Sovereign: Labour and Democratic Citizenship, putting them in conversation with Geuss.
Chapter 20 · Abstract