This book is for those who would like to make up their own minds about some of the basic questions of life, and want an impartial guide to many of the diverse answers from philosophy, science (cosmology, physics, genetics, and evolutionary biology), Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, as well as some practical psychological guidance for their inquiries. The book focuses on worldviews, the big questions of life, and how the reader can discover true and meaningful answers that relate to their personal philosophy of life. The goals of the book are to expand the readers' knowledge and to deepen their wisdom so that they are better equipped to make up their own minds about some of their fundamental questions, and thus live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. This makes the book especially relevant to philosophical practice's ambitions and concerns. The author is equally at home in science, philosophy, psychology, and the spiritual traditions of both East and West. The various compelling theories and traditions are distilled to their essence and applied to our personal lives. As Richard de la Chaumière combines eloquent prose with lucid summaries, reading this book is not only enriching in ways no other book of this kind is, but also immensely pleasurable. Of course, "we" would have done it differently. We would have expanded here, omitted there, chosen some other philosophers, and emphasized this point instead of that one; it is always easy to criticize, much harder to write a similar book. Who wouldn't be so engaged with the reading that he wouldn't be inspired to correct and improve it? The details of this kind of criticism are unimportant: they bear more testimony to our involvement with the subject than to real flaws in the book. As it stands, it is a rare achievement, and even more so because Dr. de la Chaumière is not a philosopher or an historian of ideas but a licensed psychologist. True, in addition to his doctorate in psychology, his studies included philosophy, science, and religion. He has spend many years researching the diverse answers to some of mankind's most elusive yet persistent questions, which form the bulk of perennial philosophy: Is there a God? Why are we here? How should we live? How do we know what's true? True, his inquiries took him down many roads, but his principle focus was the knowledge as well as the wisdom he could discover in philosophy, science, psychology, and Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. True, after having found answers for himself and aware of the many pitfalls in pursuing such ultimate questions, he saw the practical need for writing a comprehensive and accessible guide for others, who like him before, want to make up their own minds about some of the fundamental questions of life. Yet, the author has chosen to do his PhD in Psychology and to practice as a licensed psychologist. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but philosophers should be warned that this choice transpires and accounts for the uneasiness one may feel at times qua philosopher. For example, in Chapter 4, which focuses on self-knowledge, the author assumes that our observations are partly our construction, and presents 12 contrasting pairs of truth seekers. The intent is to help thee readers determine their own psychological reality, and decide which type of truth they are in order to further their self-knowledge. In psychologizing philosophy, this chapter is clearly reductive, and might be found objectionable by philosophers, but not necessarily by practical philosophers. This distinction is important, for What's It All About? is important for philosophical practitioners. It is equally important for various medical activities, such as teaching, giving lectures and workshops to the general public, as well as private consultations. Its main assets for philosophical practitioners are its interdisciplinary approach, its emphasis on epistemology, and the psychological guidelines it provides for the search that is the book's goal as well as the goal of philosophical practice. Any of these points would be sufficient to acclaim this book as a novelty. Their able combination makes it an absolute must, no less than a pleasure, for philosophical practitioners. Let me elaborate. The liberal tradition separates the public sphere of moral and political conduct from the private sphere of ethics and values, leaving us unguided in designing our worldviews. Searching to further our self-education, we turn to books to help us make sense of the most important aspects of our lives. Usually, however, most expositions which are relevant to our quest are compartmentalized: science books, world religions exposes, world philosophies compilations, etc. This adds practical difficulties and unnecessary contingencies to an already uneasy search for the right questions and their possible answers. Some expositions attempt to be more comprehensive, however, they usually accomplish this goal only partially, by opposing religion to science or philosophy. De la Chaumière's book, however, attempts to unite scientific knowledge and the wisdom traditions available to us. I was asked to review it, for those are exactly the subjects I teach my students: Sciences, Philosophy of Science and Epistemology, Western as well as Eastern philosophies, Religions, and a course on New Age, so that they'll know the difference. I mention teaching, for it is also a form of philosophical practice. I recommend this book as a good instruction to, and a good summary of, 2-3 years of curriculum, as well as a necessary synthesis of the different courses I teach, as a substitute to anyone who cannot or would not attend those classes, as a do-it-yourself philosophical practice, and as a reading accompanying meetings with clients. I would like to stress the importance of epistemological emphasis os the book: all too often, Philosophy's difference from New Age worldviews and practices as well as Psychological procedures is obscured by an ignorance of epistemology. The short course in epistemology this book provides (Chapter 3) can and should be reading material accompanying philosophical counseling sessions as well as philosophy lectures to the general public. The author's psychological education and practice, which could be a possible hinderance for philosophers, does not disturb much of the reading of the practically oriented philosopher. For we live in a psychologized world and some psychologization of philosophy is necessary in our attempt to reach the general public, as well as student of other disciplines than philosophy. This book gives us examples of how to do it. Moreover, the author's training and biography surfaces in his concern for the psychological well-being of his readers. Having led this quest himself, he is aware of its psychological dangers. This is an important point that I have emphasized in the past, at least regarding philosophy, and is worth emphasizing again: philosophy is a dangerous enterprise. Is objective is not to console but to search for the truth. That search has to be unsettling because it begins by ricking the foundations of what we think we know. Acquiring epistemological virtues requires psychological violence. Disciplining thought is constraining the heart's demands unless the heart is educated in willing not any truth, but one well founded. Although these are my words, not the author's, his own experience of the search have led him to the same conclusions, resulting in some practical psychological guidance for the readers' inquiries. His sensitivity to the psychological aspect of the quest, which might be overlooked by a thoroughly trained and therefore psychologically hardened philosopher, is a welcome addition to the enterprise of the philosophical practice. A thorough education in Western philosophy is, to my mind, an obvious prerequisite of philosophical practice. This education, however, should be supplemented by a thorough knowledge of neighboring disciplines such as sciences and religions. As we live in a global world, knowledge of Eastern Philosophies and religions must supplement our Western education. therefore, this book could serve as a good introduction to philosophical practitioners who would like to broaden their knowledge. Finally, Philosophical practitioners should find an interest in this book for the same reasons any educated reader will: as an aid for an honest, much-needed, and thoroughly interdisciplinary guide for persons seeking surer foundations for their personal lives; as a truly inspiring book, which pictures humanity's quest for truth and wisdom as a heroic enterprise. This book is divided into six chapters. The first chapter outlines the basic questions most humans will deliberate on at one time or another during their lifetime: How ought one to live? Is there life after death? Why am I here? Is life worth living? and many more. Chapter 2 inquires into the reasons for asking such questions as well as for not asking them. The author elaborates on the decline of religion and the advancement of science, on the questionable need for a new story, and on the perils of asking the basic questions. He examines several answers that have already been discovered, and provides different points of departure for truth seekers. The third chapter focuses on epistemology: the branch of philosophy that studies the nature, acquisition, and possibility of knowledge. It aims to help the reader determine if any answers are at all possible and, if so, which answers to the basic questions are acceptable. The author begins by discussing our evolutionary history and continues by examining our philosophical heritage left to us by the ancient Greek philosophers. The discussion then turns to the scientific revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, examines the role played by Descartes, Gassendi, Galilei, Bacon, and Newton, and introduces us to the criticism of empiricism by Hume, Locke, and Kant. Most importantly, the chapter ends by discussion the claim to knowledge of various sources such as authority, introspection, and altered states of consciousness, among others. Chapter 4 focuses on self-knowledge. Assuming that our observations are partly our constructions, the author presents 12 contrasting pairs of truth seekers: the intent is to help the readers determine their own psychological reality, and decide which type of truth seekers they are in order to further their self-knowledge. Chapter 5 looks at alternative worldviews: the scientific worldview (cosmology, physics, and biology), the naturalistic and evolutionary philosophy, and spirituality. It ends with a presentation of the hope five different religions might offer: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Finally, Chapter 6 briefly revisits the main steps of the road traveled and presents some final thoughts for the readers who are on their own individual paths of truth seeking: objectivity requires detachment, but not without respect and "compassion for each other as creatures so capable of error and delusion... why don't we all pull together, not apart, help not harm each other? Rather than fighting over our beliefs, let's keep our mind open and public forums available to all for open dialogue, a joint venture in the spirit of collaboration, not competition." Let me conclude by expressing my complete agreement with the author's sentiment. -Lydia B. Amir, Ph.D. Philosophical Practice, Journal of the APPA