Andreas Elpidorou
Andreas Elpidorou
philosopher at the university of louisville

andreas elpidorou

philosopher

at the university of louisivlle

 
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 Books

Propelled

How boredom, frustration, and anticipation lead us to the good life

 
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What if ubiquitous pleasure and instant fulfillment make our lives worse, not better? What if discontent isn't an obstacle to the good life but one of its essential ingredients? Propelled makes a lively case for the value of discontent and illustrates how boredom, frustration, and anticipation are good for us.


KIRKUS REVIEWS’ BEST BOOKS OF 2020

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Elpidorou is rigorously thoughtful and quotably readable as he discusses unpalatable emotions that most people want to avoid. ... The cumulative effect is a strong and ultimately persuasive case that when life gives you lemons, you should simply value the lemons—a counterintuitive argument, to be sure, but one that the author convincingly backs up over the course of his book.

A smart and thought-provoking reassessment of the value of boredom and frustration.
— Kirkus reviews (starred review)
 
Engaging, erudite, instructive, and abounding with insight, Propelled takes a fresh look at unloved emotions and demonstrates their key roles in a life worth living. Essential reading for anyone interested in emotions, and for all of us who suspect that there is more to the good life than good cheer.
— Dr. Jesse J. Prinz, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at CUNY and author of Gut Reactions
 
In an age in which people are hungry for happiness, Elpidorou offers a provocative thesis: that some unpleasant emotional experiences such as frustration and boredom are central to the good life. He illustrates his points with examples from pop culture icons such as Christopher Nolan and Ariana Grande. The foundation of his book, however, is an expert reporting of research from psychology, economics, and philosophy.
— Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, author of The Upside of Your Dark Side
 
An astute and lively investigation, as Elpidorou delicately locks together the puzzle pieces of boredom, frustration and anticipation to reveal their vital roles in the pursuit of happiness.
— Mary Mann, author of Yawn: Adventures in Boredom

For all inquiries concerning rights, please contact Laurie Abkemeier (DeFiore & Company Literary Agency)

 

 
 
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Who?

Andreas Elpidorou is an academic philosopher and writer. He is a Professor of Philosophy and the Director of the Liberal Studies Program at the University of Louisville. He specializes in the philosophical study of the mind and has published extensively on the nature of emotions (especially, boredom), consciousness, and cognition. He is best known for his work on the function and value of boredom. His articles "The Bright Side of Boredom" and “The Quiet Alarm” sparked worldwide attention: he has been featured in BBC News, Forbes, Nautilus, Nature, Fast Company, Vogue, Business Insider, and more, and made appearances both on the radio and television.

At the University of Louisville, Andreas regularly teaches courses on emotions, the good life, and metaphysics. He is the co-author of Consciousness and Physicalism: A Defense of a Research Program (Routledge, 2018) and the co-editor of Philosophy of Mind and Phenomenology: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches (Routledge, 2016). In spring 2020, he published with Oxford University Press, Propelled: How Boredom, Frustration, and Anticipation Lead us to the Good Life, a book exploring how boredom, frustration, and anticipation can help us live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

He blogs (rarely!) at Psychology Today.

Education + Career

Andreas earned his Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Virginia (2006) and his Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston University (2013). Before joining the faculty in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Louisville, he taught as a visiting lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Boston University (2012-2013). In 2018, he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. In 2021, he was promoted to Full Professor.

He was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship (2002-6), a Leventis Foundation scholarship (2009-11), and an Earhart Foundation fellowship (2012-13). For the 2016-17 year, he was a faculty fellow at the Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society at the University of Louisville.