Author Description

In The Philosophy Game, the telling of a simple story weaves the threads of philosophical understanding into a complete and satisfying tapestry. Philosophy first came alive for Gus Falconer when, while still a student, he fell in love with a girl from France. She was always at the back of his mind as he worked away at his honours thesis - an exploration of ethics that sat well with his feelings both for her and for the universe that had her within it. Just as he was preparing to go to Paris to spend Easter with her, however, she broke up with him. His carefully crafted ideas seemed to stop making sense and he resolved to leave philosophy behind. A decade later, Gus was teaching English in a rural Scottish school. He enjoyed it, on the whole, as he did his weekends rock climbing with Fiona, his girl friend. But, when he found himself unexpectedly put forward for promotion, he looked ahead and saw a life all mapped out for him. He wasn't sure if he liked it, and the big philosophical questions that he had once put aside resurfaced and launched him on a philosophical quest once more. He became increasingly obsessed with his philosophical mission, and both his teaching and his relationship with Fiona began to suffer. Would he be able to keep his life on track? Would he reach the philosophical clarity he was seeking? And if so, what would it look like and what kind of life would it offer him?