Assholes: A Theory is a 2012 non-fiction book by Aaron James. An associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Irvine, James attempts a precise academic definition of the term. According to James, an asshole "allows himself to enjoy special advantages in social relations out of an entrenched sense of entitlement that immunizes him against the complaints of other people." As Martin Patriquin writes in Maclean's, the author "spends 214 quite convincing pages arguing that “assholeness” is less inattention than a permanent state of mind [...]" Seekers of philosophical meaning will find much to ponder with James, concludes Alex Balk in Slate

Don't take this personally*, but assholes seem to be everywhere lately, and we need a rigorous theory to account for and deal with them. In the spirit of the mega-selling On Bullshit, philosopher Aaron James has done just that, providing us all** (in Aristotelian terms) with some much-needed catharsis.

*Unless you happen to be Donald Trump or Kanye West or Dick Cheney, in which case you may take it personally.