Individualism and Community: The Startling Roles of Authenticity and Honor in Living Meaningfully

This book is a philosophical investigation of the concepts of honor and authenticity, informed by the paradoxes of the individual-community continuum. To achieve this difficult balancing act, the author refines our concepts of both honor and authenticity. Raymond Angelo Belliotti begins by investigating honor as a moral and social framework, analyzing its historical significance, particularly within the Roman aristocracy, and its portrayal in The Godfather. He then turns to military honor codes, exploring their ethical implications and challenges. From there, the discussion transitions to existentialist notions of authenticity as articulated by Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus, assessing both their insights and limitations. Ultimately, the work argues for a revised understanding of authenticity. Marrying the notions of authenticity and honor, the reader is offered a path toward living a more meaningful and purposeful life.

Raymond Angelo Belliotti is SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy Emeritus. Belliotti is the author of 26 other books, including Dante’s Inferno: Moral Lessons from Hell (Palgrave, 2020).