Philosophy Books
Penguin Books Ltd The New Leviathans
Book SynopsisBritain's best philosopher he knocks it out of the park with a book that details the unravelling of the Western order' Telegraph, Books of the YearEver since its publication in 1651, Thomas Hobbes'' Leviathan has unsettled and challenged how we understand the world. Condemned and vilified by each new generation, Hobbes'' cold political vision continues to see through any number of political and ethical vanities.In his wonderfully stimulating book The New Leviathans, John Gray allows us to understand the world of the 2020s with all its contradictions, moral horrors and disappointments through a new reading of Hobbes'' classic work. The collapse of the USSR ushered in an era of near-apoplectic triumphalism in the West: a genuine belief that a rational, liberal, well-managed future now awaited humankind and that tyranny, nationalism and unreason lay in the past. Since then, so many terrible events have occurred and so many poisonous ideas flourished, and yet still our liberal certainties treat them as aberrations which will somehow dissolve away. Hobbes would not be so confident.Filled with fascinating and challenging perceptions, The New Leviathans is a powerful meditation on historical and current folly. As a species we always seem to be struggling to face the reality of base and delusive human instincts. Might a more self-aware, realistic and disabused ethics help us all?
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Nature Penguin Great Ideas
Book SynopsisOriginally published anonymously, Nature was the first modern essay to recommend the appreciation of the outdoors as an all-encompassing positive force. Emerson's writings were recognized as uniquely American in style and content, and launched the idea of going for a walk as a new way of looking at the world. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
£7.59
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Ted Lasso and Philosophy
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsA Taste of Athens ix Part I Do the Right-est Thing 1 1 On the Pitch with Saint Augustine 3Sean Strehlow 2 Isaac Finds His Flow 13Elizabeth Schiltz 3 Ted Talk, Precursive Faith, and the Ethics of Belief 24David Baggett 4 Is Ted an Egoist? 35Robert Begley and Carrie-Ann Biondi Part II The Best Versions of Ourselves 45 5 Fear's a Lot Like Underwear 47Corey Latta 6 Lassoing Aristotle 56Joseph Forte 7 Ted Lasso's Personal Dilemma Squad 66R. Keith Loftin 8 The Affable Gaffer 76Andy Wible Part III Man City 85 9 Poop in the Punchbowl 87Caleb McGee Husmann and Elizabeth Kusko 10 Doing Masculinity Better 96Marcus Arvan 11 Inverting the Gender Pyramid 105Willie Young 12 Who Is Right, Ted or Beard? 116Michael W. Austin Part IV Mostly Football Is Life 125 13 Amplifying Emotion and Warmth at Richmond 127Lance Belluomini 14 Is This Indeed All a Simulation? 140Andrew Zimmerman Jones 15 Kansas City Candide Meets Compassionate Camus 150Kimberly Blessing 16 Ted's Chestertonian Optimism 162Austin M. Freeman Part V Smells Like Potential 171 17 What To Do with Tough Cookies 173David Baggett and Marybeth Baggett 18 Stoic Bossgirl 182Elizabeth Quinn 19 Why a Headbutt Might Have Hurt Nate Less 192Georgina Mills 20 Is Rupert Beyond Redemption? 201Marybeth Baggett Beard's Bookshelf 212Marybeth Baggett Starting Lineup 217 Index 222
£14.41
Arcturus Publishing The Republic
Book SynopsisPlato was born in Athens in 428BC. The ancient Greek philosopher was one of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy. His work covered themes as broad as politics, virtue, love, art and literature. He can reasonably be credited as the father of philosophy.Benjamin Jowett (1817-1893) was a British classical scholar, considered to be one of the greatest teachers of the 19th century. Jowett was educated The University of Oxford, where, unusually, he was elected a fellow while still an undergraduate. In 1855 he was appointed to the Regius Professorship of Greek. During his vacations, he undertook a translation of Plato's Dialogues, which was published to great acclaim in 1871.
£8.54
HarperCollins Focus The Stoic Habit
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£13.49
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Ubuntu
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£12.99
The University of Chicago Press The Human Condition
Book SynopsisArendt considers humankind from the perspective of the actions of which it is capable.
£19.95
Harvard University Press Commentary on Plotinus Volume 1 Ennead I
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£28.00
Princeton University Press Death in a Shallow Pond
£18.00
Simon & Schuster Competitive Advantage
Book SynopsisCOMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE introduces a whole new way of understanding what a firm does. Porter''s groundbreaking concept of the value chain disaggregates a company into ''activities'', or the discrete functions or processes that represent the elemental building blocks of competitive advantage. Now an essential part of international business thinking, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE takes strategy from broad vision to an internally consistent configuration of activities. Its powerful framework provides the tools to understand the drivers of cost and a company''s relative cost position. Porter''s value chain enables managers to isolate the underlying sources of buyer value that will command a premium price, and the reasons why one product or service substitutes for another. He shows how competitive advantage lies not only in activities themselves but in the way activities relate to each other, to supplier activities, and to customer activities. That the phrases ''competitive advantage'' and ''sustainable competitive advantage'' have become commonplace is testimony to the power of Porter''s ideas. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE has guided countless companies, business school students, and scholars in understanding the roots of competition. Porter''s work captures the extraordinary complexity of competition in a way that makes strategy both concrete and actionable.Trade ReviewFinancial Times The most influential management book of the past quarter century....A veritable goldmine of analytical concepts and tools to help companies get a much clearer grasp of how they can create and sustain competitive advantage.Philip Kotler S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University Michael Porter has done it again. Having defined the "what" and "why" of competitive strategy in his earlier book, he now define the "how" in Competitive Advantage.Newsday A sharp, aggressive, and cogently reasoned book about competition that your smarter rivals will try to get to first.The Washington Post A brilliant structural analysis of what competitive advantage might mean....Antitrust Law & Economics Review A superb guide for business managers but also necessary background study for judges, antitrust agency officials, and economic experts in antitrust cases.
£15.29
Harvard University Press Creating Capabilities
Book SynopsisThis is a primer on the Capabilities Approach, Martha Nussbaum’s innovative model for assessing human progress. She argues that much humanitarian policy today violates basic human values; instead, she offers a unique means of redirecting government and development policy toward helping each of us lead a full and creative life.Trade ReviewA remarkably lucid and scintillating account of the the human development approach seen from the perspective of one of its major architects. -- Amartya Sen, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in EconomicsNussbaum, who has done more than anyone to develop the authoritative and ground-breaking capabilities approach, offers a major restatement that will be required reading for all those interested in economic development that truly enhances how people live. -- Henry Richardson, Georgetown UniversityA marvelous achievement: beautifully written and accessible. With Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum is one of the founders of the 'capability approach' to justice; the most innovative and influential development in political philosophy since the work of John Rawls. This book, for the first time, puts in one place all the central elements of Nussbaum's systematic account of the approach, together with its sources and implications. -- Jonathan Wolff, University College LondonThe very best way to be introduced to the capability approach to international development. It is also a wonderfully lucid account of the origins, justification, structure, and practical implications of her version of this powerful approach to ethically-based change in poor and rich countries. -- David Alan Crocker, The University of Maryland School of Public PolicyOffering a forceful and persuasive account of the failings of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as an accurate reflection of human welfare, the distinguished philosopher Nussbaum provides a framework for a new account of global development based on the concept of capabilities...The author argues that human development is best measured in terms of specific opportunities available to individuals rather than economic growth figures...This small book provides a strong foundation for beginning to think about how economic growth and individual flourishing might coincide. * Publishers Weekly *Nussbaum looks at what it really means for a country to experience prosperity. Traditionally, a country's economic well-being was measured by its gross domestic product. Nussbaum takes a more personal approach by focusing on how economic prosperity plays out in ordinary citizens' lives. She analyzes the life of a woman in India by taking a close look at her situation to see what capabilities and opportunities she--and women like her--might have. The key is not to look simply at the hand they've been dealt, but whether their particular society affords them opportunities to win with it. Nussbaum calls this the "capabilities approach," and it offers a novel way to measure prosperity on a national level by seeing how well a country can provide life-changing prospects for all its citizens...By demonstrating the philosophical underpinnings of this approach and how the theory plays out in the real world, Nussbaum makes a compelling case. Not only is this a more realistic measure of wealth, but it is also a far more compassionate one. For readers who enjoy economics laced with humanity. -- Carol J. Elsen * Library Journal *In her new book, Creating Capabilities, the philosopher and legal scholar Martha Nussbaum argues that we need to refocus our ideas about development on the scale of individuals: on concrete human lives and the way they actually unfold. Quantitative measures like per capita GDP, she writes, are poor measures of development; they can't capture the shape and texture of individual lives, even though individual lives are what matter. Development isn't about how rich your nation is, on average--it's about whether people can live in a way "worthy of human dignity."...Nussbaum's book comes at an interesting time, just as growth in the rich world is slowing. That slowdown makes her ideas relevant for rich people, too. Dignified life in the rich world isn't only about being "well-fed," either...Even amid a slowdown, there are other dimensions in which life can keep improving. -- Josh Rothman * Boston Globe online *Renowned philosopher Nussbaum concisely captures the essential ideas of a new paradigm of social and political thought, the "human development and capabilities" approach to global social justice, founded on the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen, and now used by the World Bank, the IMF, the Arab Human Development Report, and the United Nations Development Programme. -- S. A. Mason * Choice *
£16.16
The University of Chicago Press The Concept of the Political Expanded Edition
Book SynopsisArgues that liberalism's basis in individual rights cannot provide a reasonable justification for sacrificing one-self for the state. This edition highlights the author's intellectual journey through the turbulent period of German history leading to the Hitlerian one-party state.Trade Review"The best introduction to Schmitt's thought." - Mark Lilla, New York Review of Books"
£19.95
Hodder & Stoughton Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness,
Book SynopsisA must-have for anyone who practises yoga or is interested in the teachings of the East.B.K.S. Iyengar, whose teachings on yoga are followed throughout the world, reflects upon his lifetime's experience on the yoga path. The structure of the book follows the different aspects of that path (from Freedom Awaits, through The Physical Body, The Energy Body, The Mental Body, The Intellectual Body, The Divine Body to Living in Freedom) and provides a learning framework for yoga as well as an invaluable discourse on life.'Iyengar knows what the body needs, and he's introduced to the West the Easterner's best path to health and well-being' - TIME Magazine'Revelations from a lifetime of studying yoga' - The Washington Post 'Light on Life is rich in yoga philosophy and methodology. But unlike his previous writings, this new book is full of autobiographical anecdotes' - The New York Times 'Mr Iyengar reveals in Light on Life the 'heart of yoga' that he personally discovered through more than 70 years of disciplined, daily practice ... [including] the precise ways that yoga can transform our lives and help us live in harmony with the world around us' - Yoga Journal'The Michelangelo of yoga' - BBC TV
£15.29
Hachette Books The Portable Atheist
Book SynopsisChristopher Hitchens's personally curated New York Times bestselling anthology of the most influential and important writings on atheism, including original pieces by Salman Rushdie and Ian McEwan
£17.09
Harvard University Press We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£15.15
Ebury Publishing Wisdom Of Insecurity
Book SynopsisA classic look at man''s search for certainty from the acclaimed expert on Eastern philosophyIn this fascinating book, Alan Watts explores man''s quest for psychological security, examining our efforts to find spiritual and intellectual certainty in the realms of religion and philosophy. The Wisdom of Insecurity underlines the importance of our search for stability in an age where human life seems particularly vulnerable and uncertain.Watts argues our insecurity is the consequence of trying to be secure and that, ironically, salvation and sanity lie in the recognition that we have no way of saving ourselves.Alan Watts was the foremost Western expert on Eastern thought, specialising in Zen Buddhism. He was the author of a number of books on the philosophy and psychology of religion, which have continued to be in popular demand over the past forty years.Trade ReviewThe perfect guide for a course correction in life -- Deepak Chopra
£11.69
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Essays by Montaigne
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsTo the Reader xliii Book I 1 8 On Idleness 3 9 On Liars 5 14 That the Way We See Good and Evil Depends on the Opinion We Have of Them 13 20 To Study Philosophy Is to Learn How to Die 39 21 On the Power of Imagination 63 23 On Custom, and That We Should Not Easily Change an Established Law 77 26 On the Education of Children 99 28 On Friendship 147 30 On Moderation 165 31 On Cannibals 175 39 On Solitude 193 Book II 209 1 On the Inconstancy of Our Actions 211 6 Use Makes Perfect 221 10 On Books 235 11 On Cruelty 251 18 On Giving the Lie 271 30 On a Monstrous Child 277 35 On Three Good Women 281 Book III 291 1 On Profit and Honesty 293 2 On Repentance 313 5 On Some Verses of Virgil 331 6 On Coaches 411 8 On the Art of Conversation 435 9 On Vanity 465 13 On Experience 541
£12.59
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA very useful collection, welcome both for the intrinsic merit and historical significance of the ideas and arguments the volume contains, and for its pedagogical potential. --Peter Loptson, Canadian Philosophical Reviews
£14.24
Austin Macauley Publishers The Complexity of Being Human
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Analysing the Cultural Unconscious Science of the
Book SynopsisLilian Munk Rösing is Associate Professor at the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen. She has published four books (three in Danish, one in English) and a large number of articles combining psychoanalysis with literary and cultural criticism. Latest publication: Pixar with Lacan: The Hysteric's Guide to Animation (2016).Trade ReviewThe problem of applied psychoanalysis has historically been unsolvable. But now, the appearance of Analysing the Cultural Unconscious provides a whole new way of thinking about moving from a psychoanalysis focused on the individual to cultural psychoanalysis. Assembling a wide array of top psychoanalytic theorists, this collection opens up a previously unexplored path to thinking psychoanalytically about culture. * Todd McGowan, Professor, University of Vermont, United States *Tremendously smart, topical and diverse in its address, this collection really does ‘work’ the signifier as it promises. These superb essays remind one (not that it is possible to forget) that psychoanalysis is always speaking – out of turn, out of time, but never untimely. * Sigi Jöttkandt, Senior Lecturer in English, University of New South Wales, Australia *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Science and the Signifier I.1 “The Cunning of the Signifier”, Henrik Jøker Bjerre (Aalborg University, Denmark) I.2 “The Echo of the Signifier in the Body: On Drives Today”, Juliet Flower MacCannell (University of California, USA) I.3 “Secret in the Body – the Fantasy Structure of Genes and Brains”, Renata Salecl (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and Birkbeck College, UK) Part II: From Couch to Culture II.1 “Drives and Culture”, Mladen Dolar (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and European Graduate School, Switzerland) II.2 Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac and the Four Discourses, Kirsten Hyldgaard (Aarhus University, Denmark) II.3 “Courtly Capitalism”, Center for Wild Analysis II.4 “Is there a Way out of the Capitalist Discourse?”, René Rasmussen (University of Copenhagen) Part III: Application III.1 “Examples and Surplus-Meaning”, Brian Benjamin Hansen (VIA University College, Denmark) III.2 "Literature as Philosophy of the Real: Ethics and Sexual Difference in Coetzee’s Disgrace", Kari Jegerstedt (University of Bergen, Norway) III.3 “When I am Beside Myself”, Linus Nicolai Carlsen (University of Copenhagen) III.4 “Analysis Sounds Boring – Is there an Analytical Potential in Modern Electronic Music?”, Anders Ruby (Aarhus University, Denmark) Part IV: Materiality and the Signifier IV.1 “Lol V. Stein to the Letter”, Ida Nissen Bjerre (University of Copenhagen) IV.2 "Lacan and the Archeology of the Subject", Carin Franzén (Linköping University, Sweden) IV.3 “The Signifiers of Cherry Ripe – On the Trauma and Repetition of an Art-historical Motif”, Jakob Rosendal (The Women’s Museum, Denmark) (editor: Lilian Munk Rösing, University of Copenhagen) IV.4 “Colour of Flesh, Flesh of Colour”, Lilian Munk Rösing (University of Copenhagen)
£75.00
Columbia University Press Thinking in Transit
Book Synopsis
£19.80
Adams Media Corporation Philosophy 101
Book SynopsisDiscover the world''s greatest thinkers and their groundbreaking notions!Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy theories, principles, and figures of philosophy into tedious discourse that even Plato would reject. Philosophy 101 cuts out the boring details and exhausting philosophical methodology, and instead, gives you a lesson in philosophy that keeps you engaged as you explore the fascinating history of human thought and inquisition. From Aristotle and Heidegger to free will and metaphysics, Philosophy 101 is packed with hundreds of entertaining philosophical tidbits, illustrations, and thought puzzles that you won''t be able to find anywhere else. So whether you''re looking to unravel the mysteries of existentialism, or just want to find out what made Voltaire tick, Philosophy 101 has all the answers--even the ones you didn''t know you were looking for.
£11.69
John Wiley and Sons Ltd On the Origin of Species
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAn Introduction by John van Wyhe vii About John van Wyhe xxv About Tom Butler-Bowdon xxv On the Origin of Species 1
£10.79
Little, Brown Book Group The Strange Order Of Things
Book Synopsis''Damasio undertakes nothing less than a reconstruction of the natural history of the universe ... [A] brave and honest book'' The New York Times Book ReviewThe Strange Order of Things is a pathbreaking investigation into homeostasis, the condition of that regulates human physiology within the range that makes possible not only survival but also the flourishing of life. Antonio Damasio makes clear that we descend biologically, psychologically and even socially from a long lineage that begins with single living cells; that our minds and cultures are linked by an invisible thread to the ways and means of ancient unicellular existence and other primitive life-forms; and that inherent in our very chemistry is a powerful force, a striving toward life maintenance that governs life in all its guises, including the development of genes that help regulate and transmit life.The Strange Order of Things is a landmark reflection that spans the Trade Review'Damasio undertakes nothing less than a reconstruction of the natural history of the universe. ... [A] brave and honest book' The New York Times Book Review'Bold and important ... Damasio, by unseating the mind from its elevated throne within the brain, delivers an onslaught on one of the core dogmas of conventional neuroscience ... Compelling and refreshingly original' Nature'In The Strange Order of Things, Antonio Damasio presents a new vision of what it means to be human. For too long we have thought of ourselves as rational minds inhabiting insentient mechanical bodies. Breaking with this philosophy, Damasio shows how our minds are rooted in feeling, a creation of our nervous system with an evolutionary history going back to ancient unicellular life that enables us to shape distinctively human cultures. Working out what this implies for the arts, the sciences and the human future, Damasio has given us that rarest of things, a book that can transform how we think--and feel--about ourselves' John Gray, Literary Review'These pages make enthralling reading ... It is indispensable for any psychoanalyst--and not only for psychoanalysts, of course. Damasio is the closest thing we have in the post-truth era to a great public intellectual' Mark Solms, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association'Nietzsche would have given four cheers for this intricately argued book, which is at once scientifically rigorous and humanely accommodating, and, so far as this reviewer can judge, revolutionary ... The Strange Order of Things is a fresh and daring effort to identify the true spring and source of human being - of the being, in fact, of all living things - namely feeling' John Banville, The Guardian'A radical revision of how we understand mind, feeling, consciousness, and the construction of cultures ... Damasio draws a visionary link between biology and social science in a fascinating investigation of homeostasis--the delicate balance that underpins our physical existence, ensures our survival, and defines our flourishing' Maria Popova, Brain Pickings'Almost a quarter century after Descartes' Error, Antonio Damasio has done it again--created a grand exploration of the inextricable relationship between mind, body and the source of human feelings. Along the way, Damasio takes the reader on an adventure that starts with the single-celled organisms that existed billions of years ago, proceeds through the development of nervous systems and brains, and culminates with the origin of consciousness and human cultures. Thought-provoking and highly original, this book can change the way you look at yourself, and your species' Leonard Mlodinow, author of Subliminal'The Strange Order of Things is a foundational book. It provides the concepts, the language, and the knowledge to explain in an integrated framework the interplay between Nature and Culture at the heart of the human condition. Damasio unveils the codes and protocols that make humans human ... This is the beginning of a new scientific revolution' Manuel Castells, author of Networks of Outrage and Hope'Following Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio may be the neuroscientist whose popular books have done the most to inform readers about the biological machinery in our heads, how it generates thoughts and emotions, creates a self to cling to, and a sense of transcendence to escape by...[the book] mounts his boldest argument yet for the egalitarian role of the brain' Kevin Berger, Nautilus'Damasio takes his reader on an intellectual journey he has made himself, one of discovery, surprise, and insight. He explains his points thoroughly but does not simplify what is complicated. He is handy with a metaphor and avoids unnecessary jargon. In a world in which specialisation has become so refined that the discourse of a given discipline often becomes wholly unintelligible to those outside it, Antonio Damasio conveys his thoughts with clarity and grace and summons the works of composers and writers and philosophers' Siri Hustvedt, Los Angeles Review of Books'Damasio's books are marvels of scientific effervescence, of conceptual invention, and, in the end, of modesty, of that sense of the limits of knowledge that only knowledge is capable of imposing' Le Monde'Here is a new, strange and unassailable definition of life' Slate 'Ever since his first book, Damasio has not wavered in his efforts to rehabilitate emotions and feelings within cognitive processes. In The Strange Order of Things he nails down the effort and goes well beyond' Les Echos '[Damasio] exerts a considerable influence on the fashioning of contemporary thought and on all debates concerning neurology. Damasio is one of the great thinkers of our time. A pioneer in his field' L'Express'[Damasio] has introduced something baroque in a science that has been centered in one single organ, the brain. The Strange Order of Things vibrates with a baroque sensibility' Le Figaro'This disturbing book shakes our conceptions of the mechanisms behind life, mind and culture. The author brings them together in a single perspective centered on homeostasis ... It is incredibly, formidably, refreshing ... A strange and ambitious book, which draws on multiple disciplines and moves across time and space to give us, very simply, a new definition of life' Revue Medicale Suisse
£11.69
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Philosophers Toolkit
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAcknowledgements xiii Alphabetical Table of Contents xv Preface xix Internet Resources for Philosophers xxi 1 Basic Tools for Argument 1 1.1 Arguments, premises, and conclusions 1 1.2 Deduction 7 1.3 Induction 9 1.4 Validity and soundness 15 1.5 Invalidity 19 1.6 Consistency 21 1.7 Fallacies 25 1.8 Refutation 28 1.9 Axioms 31 1.10 Definitions 34 1.11 Certainty and probability 38 1.12 Tautologies, self‐contradictions, and the law of non‐contradiction 42 2 More Advanced Tools 47 2.1 Abduction 47 2.2 Hypothetico‐deductive method 51 2.3 Dialectic 55 2.4 Analogies 58 2.5 Anomalies and exceptions that prove the rule 61 2.6 Intuition pumps 64 2.7 Logical constructions 66 2.8 Performativity and speech acts 69 2.9 Reduction 72 2.10 Representation 76 2.11 Thought experiments 80 2.12 Useful fictions 82 3 Tools for Assessment 85 3.1 Affirming, denying, and conditionals 86 3.2 Alternative explanations 90 3.3 Ambiguity and vagueness 93 3.4 Bivalence and the excluded middle 97 3.5 Category mistakes 100 3.6 Ceteris paribus 102 3.7 Circularity 104 3.8 Composition and division 108 3.9 Conceptual incoherence 110 3.10 Contradiction/contrariety 112 3.11 Conversion, contraposition, obversion 115 3.12 Counterexamples 118 3.13 Criteria 121 3.14 Doxa/para‐doxa 123 3.15 Error theory 125 3.16 False dichotomy 128 3.17 False cause 129 3.18 Genetic fallacy 132 3.19 Horned dilemmas 135 3.20 Is/ought gap 138 3.21 Masked man fallacy 141 3.22 Partners in guilt 143 3.23 Principle of charity 145 3.24 Question‐begging 149 3.25 Reductios 152 3.26 Redundancy 154 3.27 Regresses 156 3.28 Saving the phenomena 158 3.29 Self‐defeating arguments 161 3.30 Sufficient reason 164 3.31 Testability 167 4 Tools for Conceptual Distinctions 171 4.1 A priori/a posteriori 172 4.2 Absolute/relative 176 4.3 Analytic/synthetic 179 4.4 Belief/knowledge 182 4.5 Categorical/modal 185 4.6 Cause/reason 186 4.7 Conditional/biconditional 189 4.8 De re/de dicto 191 4.9 Defeasible/indefeasible 194 4.10 Entailment/implication 196 4.11 Endurantism/perdurantism 199 4.12 Essence/accident 202 4.13 Internalism/externalism 205 4.14 Knowledge by acquaintance/description 208 4.15 Mind/body 211 4.16 Necessary/contingent 215 4.17 Necessary/sufficient 219 4.18 Nothingness/being 221 4.19 Objective/subjective 225 4.20 Realist/non‐realist 227 4.21 Sense/reference 230 4.22 Substratum/bundle 232 4.23 Syntax/semantics 234 4.24 Universal/particular 236 4.25 Thick/thin concepts 239 4.26 Types/tokens 241 5 Tools of Historical Schools and Philosophers 245 5.1 Aphorism, fragment, remark 245 5.2 Categories and specific differences 248 5.3 Elenchus and aporia 251 5.4 Hegel’s master/slave dialectic 254 5.5 Hume’s fork 257 5.6 Indirect discourse 260 5.7 Leibniz’s law of identity 263 5.8 Ockham’s razor 267 5.9 Phenomenological method(s) 270 5.10 Signs and signifiers 273 5.11 Transcendental argument 276 6 Tools for Radical Critique 281 6.1 Class critique 281 6.2 Différance, deconstruction, and the critique of presence 284 6.3 Empiricist critique of metaphysics 286 6.4 Feminist and gender critiques 289 6.5 Foucaultian critique of power 292 6.6 Heideggerian critique of metaphysics 296 6.7 Lacanian critique 298 6.8 Critiques of naturalism 300 6.9 Nietzschean critique of Christian–Platonic culture 303 6.10 Pragmatist critique 305 6.11 Sartrean critique of ‘bad faith’ 308 7 Tools at the Limit 311 7.1 Basic beliefs 311 7.2 Godel and incompleteness 314 7.3 Hermeneutic circle 316 7.4 Philosophy and/as art 319 7.5 Mystical experience and revelation 322 7.6 Paradoxes 325 7.7 Possibility and impossibility 328 7.8 Primitives 332 7.9 Self‐evident truths 334 7.10 Scepticism 337 7.11 Underdetermination and incommensurability 341 Index 345
£15.95
Profile Books Ltd How To Think: A Guide for the Perplexed
Book SynopsisHow to Think is a contrarian treatise on why we're not as good at thinking as we assume - but how recovering this lost art can rescue our inner lives from the chaos of modern life. Most of us don't want to think, writes the American essayist Alan Jacobs. Thinking is trouble. It can force us out of familiar, comforting habits, and it can complicate our relationships with like-minded friends. Finally, thinking is slow, and that's a problem when our habits of consuming information (mostly online) leave us lost in the echo chamber of social media, where speed and factionalism trump accuracy and nuance. In this clever, witty book, Jacobs diagnoses the many forces that prevent thought - forces that have only worsened in the age of Twitter, such as "alternative facts," and information overload. He also dispels the many myths we hold about what it means to think well. (For example: it's impossible to "think for yourself.") Drawing on sources as far-flung as the novelist Marilynne Robinson, the basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, the British philosopher John Stuart Mill and the Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, Jacobs digs into the nuts and bolts of the cognitive process, offering hope that each of us can reclaim our mental lives from the whirlpool of what now passes for public debate. After all, if we can learn to think together, perhaps we can learn to live together.Trade ReviewWitty, engaging, and ultimately hopeful, Jacobs's guide is sorely needed in a society where partisanship too often trumps the pursuit of knowledge. -- Publishers WeeklyAs much as this book is a manual, it's also a self-portrait of a particular mind, whose style and skills are ballast against the cognitive turbulence of our time. Reading How to Think feels like riding in a small but sturdy boat, Alan Jacobs your pilot through turbulent waters - and if you're eager to get where he's taking you, you're also grateful for the chance to simply watch him do his thing. -- Robin Sloan, author of 'Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore'
£8.54
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Dungeons Dragons Philosophy
Book SynopsisDo demons and devils have free will? Does justice exist in Menzoberranzan? What's the morality involved with player characters casting necromancy and summoning spells? Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy probes the rich terrain of philosophically compelling concepts and ideas that underlie Dungeons & Dragons, the legendary fantasy role-playing game that grew into a world-wide cultural phenomenon. A series of accessible essays reveals what the imaginary worlds of D&D can teach us about ethics, morality, metaphysics and more. Illustrates a wide variety of philosophical concepts and ideas that arise in Dungeons & Dragons gameplay and presents them in an accessible and entertaining manner Reveals how the strategies, tactics, improvisations, and role-play employed by D&D enthusiasts have startling parallels in the real world of philosophy Explores a wide range of philosophical topics, including the nature of free willTable of ContentsAbbreviations Used in the Text viii Introduction: A Game Like No Other 1 Part I Lawful Good vs. Chaotic Evil 5 1 Sympathy for the Devils: Free Will and Dungeons & Dragons 7 Greg Littmann 2 Paragons and Knaves: Does Good Character Make for a Good Character? 23 J.K. Miles and Karington Hess 3 Is Anyone Actually Chaotic Evil?: A Playable Theory of Willful Wrongdoing 35 Neil Mussett Part II So Did You Win? Philosophy and D&D Gameplay 61 4 Save vs. Death: Some Reflections on the Lifecycle of PCs 63 Christopher Robichaud 5 To My Other Self: Reflection and Existentialism in Dungeons & Dragons 72 Rob Crandall and Charles Taliaferro 6 Player-Character Is What You Are in the Dark: The Phenomenology of Immersion in Dungeons & Dragons 82 William J. White Part III Crafting Worlds 93 7 Imagination and Creation: The Morality of Fiction in Dungeons & Dragons 95 Robert A. Delfino and Jerome C. Hillock 8 Dungeonmastery as Soulcraft 106 Ben Dyer Part IV Foray into the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance 119 9 Menzoberranzan: A Perfect Unjust State 121 Matt Hummel 10 Who Is Raistlin Majere? 132 Kevin McCain Part V The Ethics of Spellcasting 145 11 Expediency and Expendability: An Exhumation of the Morality of Necromancy 147 Matthew Jones and Ashley Brown 12 By Friendship or Force: Is it Ethical to Summon Animals to Fight by Your Side in Dungeons & Dragons? 163 Samantha Noll Part VI Dungeons & Dragons out in the Real World 173 13 “Kill her, kill her! Oh God, I’m sorry!”: Spectating Dungeons & Dragons 175 Esther MacCallum-Stewart 14 Berserker in a Skirt: Sex and Gender in Dungeons & Dragons 189 Shannon M. Mussett 15 “Others play at dice”: Friendship and Dungeons & Dragons 202 Jeffery L. Nicholas Contributors 217 Index 223
£14.36
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Palliative Society: Pain Today
Book SynopsisOur societies today are characterized by a universal algophobia: a generalized fear of pain. We strive to avoid all painful conditions – even the pain of love is treated as suspect. This algophobia extends into society: less and less space is given to conflicts and controversies that might prompt painful discussions. It takes hold of politics too: politics becomes a palliative politics that is incapable of implementing radical reforms that might be painful, so all we get is more of the same. Faced with the coronavirus pandemic, the palliative society is transformed into a society of survival. The virus enters the palliative zone of well-being and turns it into a quarantine zone in which life is increasingly focused on survival. And the more life becomes survival, the greater the fear of death: the pandemic makes death, which we had carefully repressed and set aside, visible again. Everywhere, the prolongation of life at any cost is the preeminent value, and we are prepared to sacrifice everything that makes life worth living for the sake of survival. This trenchant analysis of our contemporary societies by one of the most original cultural critics of our time will appeal to a wide readership.Table of ContentsAlgophobiaThe Compulsion of HappinessSurvivalThe Meaninglessness of PainThe Cunning of PainPain as TruthThe Poetics of PainThe Dialectic of PainThe Ontology of PainThe Ethics of PainThe Last ManNotes
£12.99
Double 9 Books The Blue Bird A Fairy Play In Six Acts
Book SynopsisMaurice Maeterlinck, a Belgian dramatist, and poet wrote The Blue Bird. In order to discover the elusive bluebird of happiness, two kids named Tyltyl and Mytyl are set on a magical journey. A distinct stage of their trip is represented by each of the play's six acts. The fairy Bérylune pays the kids a visit in Act I and assigns them the task of locating the bluebird of happiness. They go on their trip with their dog in Act II, stopping in the Land of Memory along the way to get a glimpse of their history. They visit the Land of the Future in Act III, where they may glimpse what their futures could hold. They meet their departed grandparents as they go to the Realm of the Dead in Act IV. They are led to the Palace of Night in Act V, where they encounter the blue bird's soul. The children come home with the bluebird in Act VI's concluding scene, which they find out has been with them the whole time. The symbolist drama examines issues of human nature, happiness, and the unanswered questions of life and death.
£10.79
Harvard University Press Being Reasonable The Case for a Misunderstood Virtue
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£26.96
Oneworld Publications Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar:
Book SynopsisHere’s an accusation – Sherlock Holmes never deduced anything. When it comes to language, it all depends on what your definition of ‘is’ is. And one for the existentialists – you haven’t lived until you think about death all the time. Daniel Klein and Thomas Cathcart take philosophy to task with flair and gusto in this wise and hilarious treasure of a book. Lively, original, and powerfully informative, Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar... is an irreverent crash course through the great thinkers and traditions. It’s philosophy for everyone, from the curious layperson to the professor who’s seen it all. Klein and Cathcart have the knack of getting to the core of an issue in a crystal clear line, meaning there’s more room for jokes – good jokes, clever jokes, jokes that’ll have you laughing so hard the people nearby will shoot you strange looks. It’s the philosophy class you wish you’d had and finally, it all makes sense!Trade Review'A hoot'. * Times Literary Supplement *‘Cathcart and Klein know their stuff, and wear their learnedness lightly…I can’t help but love this book, and I have been quoting liberally from it.’ * Philosophy Now *‘What happens when you mix corny jokes, one-liners and vaudeville humour with some of life’s great lessons? You get an extraordinary read you’ll want to share with as many people as possible.’ * Orlando Sentinel *‘A hoot!’ * Chicago Sun-Times *
£9.49
Princeton University Press The Entanglement How Art and Philosophy Make Us
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Penguin Books Ltd Tao Te Ching The Essential Translation of the
Book Synopsis The acclaimed translation of Taoism''s founding text in a beautiful Penguin Classics Deluxe editionThe most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or ''Book of the Way'', is the essential text of Taoism, one of the three great religions of China. Through aphorisms and parable, it guides its readers toward the Tao, or the ''Way'': living in harmony with the life force of the universe. Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher who was a contemporary of Confucius, it offers a practical model for living based on modesty, self-restraint and balance and is an insightful guide for anyone seeking to open their minds, free their thoughts, and attain greater self-awareness.John Minford''s celebrated translation emphasises the calm, meditative quality of the Tao Te Ching, as well as its use as a guide to everyday living. This edition is accompanied by illuminating commentary and interpretation, as well as beautifully illustrated Chinese characters.Trade ReviewA lucid translation by one of the most famous translators of Chinese into English * The New York Review of Books *Ancient wisdom for those facing twenty-first-century perplexities . . . Minford writes for ordinary people seeking guidance in everyday life . . . In simple but resonantly phrased language, he somehow does unfold the Tao's message * Booklist *A wonderful translation - clear and deep -- Vikram SethElegant and poetic, John Minford's translation of the Tao Te Ching probably comes the closest of any to the essence of the mystical, ineffable Taoist classic -- Yue Zhuang, University of ExeterJohn Minford's translation . . . has the mark of the craftsman: its choice of words is not just judicious but also poetic, refreshing the at once limpid and ambiguous original and making it new. The result is a metaphysical feast for those willing to slow down and read this text as it was meant to be read: meditatively -- John Lagerwey, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
£13.49
Beacon Press The Best Things in Life Arent Things
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£16.19
Hodder & Stoughton The Invention of Surgery
Book Synopsis"Bold and compelling... Uniformly excellent, and often wryly amusing."" - The Wall Street Journal "A globetrotting historical adventure, told from the inside of the operating room... Medical writing at its most exhilarating." - Michael Paul Mason"Comprehensively researched, deftly told, and radiating both intellect and passion... Essential reading for anyone interested not only in the history but also in the future of medicine." - Frank Huyler"A history of surgery that is informative, entertaining, and highly readable." Library JournalA fascinating history of the practice of surgery from one of the leading figures in the field, chronicling centuries of scientific breakthroughs by the discipline's most dynamic, pioneering doctors.Written by an author with plenty of experience holding a scalpel, Dr. David Schneider's The Invention of Surgery is an in-depth biography of the practice that has leapt forward over the centuries from the dangerous guesswork of ancient Greek physicians through the world-changing "implant revolution" of the twentieth century.The Invention of Surgery explains this dramatic progress and highlights the personalities of the discipline's most dynamic historical figures. It links together the lives of the pioneering scientists who first understood what causes disease, how organs become infected or cancerous, and how surgery could powerfully intercede in people's lives, and then shows how the rise of surgery intersected with many of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the last century, including the evolution of medical education, the transformation of the hospital from a place of dying to a habitation of healing, the development of antibiotics, and the rise of transistors and polymer science.And as Schneider argues, surgery has not finished transforming; new technologies are constantly reinventing both the practice of surgery and the nature of the objects we are permanently implanting in our bodies. Schneider considers these latest developments, asking "What's next?" and analyzing how our conception of surgery has changed alongside our evolving ideas of medicine, technology, and our bodies.
£11.69
Quercus Publishing 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know
In a series of 50 accessible essays, Ben Dupré introduces and explains the philosophical questions around knowledge, consciousness, identity, ethics and justice that have engaged the minds of thinkers from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. From Plato's cave to virtue ethics, theories of punishment to animal rights, 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to the most important philosophical concepts in history.
£9.99
Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers Dada Nihilism Too
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co The Solitaire Mystery
Book SynopsisTwelve-year-old Hans Thomas lives alone with his father, a man who likes to give his son lessons about life and has a penchant for philosophy. Hans Thomas' mother left when he was four (to 'find' herself) and the story begins when father and son set off on a trip to Greece, where she now lives, to try to persuade her to come home. En route, in Switzerland, Hans Thomas is given a magnifying glass by a dwarf at a petrol station, and the next day he finds a tiny book in his bread roll which can only be read with a magnifying glass. How did the book come to be there? Why does the dwarf keep showing up? It is all very perplexing and Hans Thomas has enough to cope with, with the daunting prospect of seeing his mother. Now his journey has turned into an encounter with the unfathomable...or does it all have a logical explanation?
£9.49
Selah Book Press Israel Biblical Sites Bible Companion
Book Synopsis
£25.64
Columbia University Press Spinoza for Our Time
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£15.29
Zone Books The Fifth Hammer
£18.00
Continuum Publishing Corporation After Finitude
Book SynopsisQuentin Meillassoux teaches Philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France.Ray Brassier is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.Trade Review"'Rarely do we encounter a book which not only meets the highest standards of thinking, but sets up itself new standards, transforming the entire field into which it intervenes. Quentin Meillassoux does exactly this.' Slavoj Zizek"Table of ContentsTranslator's Preface; Preface by Alain Badiou; 1. Ancestrality; 2. Metaphysics, Fideism, Speculation; 3. The Principle of Factuality; 4. Hume's Problem; 5. Ptolemy's Revenge.
£20.69
Ebury Publishing Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of
Book Synopsis‘Suddenly the universe appears in a new and much more revealing perspective. A splendid introduction to this fascinating idea' Philip PullmanFrom a leading philosopher of mind comes this lucid, provocative argument that offers a radically new picture of human consciousness—panpsychism.Understanding how brains produce consciousness is one of the great scientific challenges of our age. Some philosophers argue that consciousness is something “extra,” beyond the physical workings of the brain. Others think that if we persist in our standard scientific methods, our questions about consciousness will eventually be answered. Some even suggest that the mystery is so deep that it will never be solved. Decades have been spent in trying to explain consciousness from within our current scientific paradigm, but little progress has been made. Now, Philip Goff offers an exciting alternative that could pave the way forward. Rooted in an analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of modern science and based on the early 20th century work of Arthur Eddington and Bertrand Russell, Goff makes the case for panpsychism, a theory which posits that consciousness is not confined to biological entities but is a fundamental feature of all physical matter—from subatomic particles to the human brain. In Galileo's Error, he has taken the first step on a new path toward the final theory of human consciousness.Trade ReviewThis is one of the clearest accounts I've ever read about the mystery of consciousness, and the way in which one theory about it, panpsychism, does a great deal to explain how it occurs and what it is. Why shouldn't consciousness be a normal property of matter, like mass or electrical charge? This idea has the glorious simplicity of our first realisation that the earth goes around the sun, and not vice versa. Suddenly the universe appears in a new and much more revealing perspective. Philip Goff's book is altogether a splendid introduction to this fascinating idea.In Galileo’s Error, Philip Goff argues for a new approach to the scientific study of consciousness. He offers an accessible and compelling analysis of why our felt experience continues to elude scientific explanation and why the theories that describe consciousness as a fundamental feature of matter have been neglected—and why they now deserve serious consideration. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of consciousness studies. -- Annaka Harris, best-selling author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the MindGoff’s ideas are radical, but his arguments are rigorous and the book is a pleasure to read. I recommend it to anyone who wants to come to grips with mystery of consciousness. -- David Chalmers, New York UniversityIn this provocative, brave and clearly written book, Goff makes a compelling case for an initially absurd thesis. -- Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical PhysicsGalileo’s Error is wonderful introduction to this ancient set of beliefs and how panpsychism can give rise to a naturalized form of spirituality that can overcome the alienation we all feel in today’s globalized world that is beginning to fracture -- Christof Koch, President and chief scientist of the Allen Institute for Brain Science
£15.29
Enitharmon Press Sonnets to Orpheus
Book SynopsisIn fifty-five sonnets, Rilke plays an astonishing set of philosophical and sensual variations on the Orpheus myth. 'Praising, that's it!' he declares; nature, art, love, time, childhood, technology, poverty, justice - all are encompassed in poems that spark with insight and invention, amongst the joyful and light-footed that Rilke ever wrote. 'All poetry resists translation, and one poem may have many different versions in another language; what I look for first is clarity, and this version supplies that generously. With the presence of the German text and Crucefix's helpful notes, the English-speaking reader with little or no German will find in this version a welcoming entrance to the path which leads eventually to a full understanding - if a full understanding of this mysterious poetry is ever possible. This translation will have, and keep, a place on my shelves where all the poetry lives.' PHILIP PULLMANTrade Review'This translation will have, and keep, a place on my bookshelves where all the poetry lives.' PHILIP PULLMAN The Sonnets to Orpheus are some of the greatest philosophical poems of the century. Martyn Crucefix's impressive previous translations of the Duino Elegies have accustomed us to a way of hearing Rilke, but these are, if anything, more beautiful and natural versions, the form falling lightly on the ear, the thought tantalisingly clear in these bold explorations at the edge of sensibility. GEORGE SZIRTES
£9.49
Basic Books The Ego Tunnel
Book SynopsisExamine the inner workings of the mind and learn what consciousness and a sense of self really means - and if it even exists. We''re used to thinking about the self as an independent entity, something that we either have or are. In The Ego Tunnel, philosopher Thomas Metzinger claims otherwise: No such thing as a self exists. The conscious self is the content of a model created by our brain-an internal image, but one we cannot experience as an image. Everything we experience is a virtual self in a virtual reality.But if the self is not real, why and how did it evolve? How does the brain construct it? Do we still have souls, free will, personal autonomy, or moral accountability? In a time when the science of cognition is becoming as controversial as evolution, The Ego Tunnel provides a stunningly original take on the mystery of the mind.Trade ReviewLibrary Journal "Metzinger's intended audience is the lay reader, and he does a superb job of presenting his theory and introducing philosophical issues related to consciousness." Booklist "Groundbreaking. This sophisticated understanding of the brain as an ego machine accounts remarkably well for the lived experience of being someone, a someone who transforms a bombardment of stimuli into a seamless present while still engaging in off-line planning for the future and reflection on the past." Bookforum "Metzinger is crisp in his arguments and has a keen appreciation of essential ideas."
£19.10
State University of New York Press Politeia
Book Synopsis
£78.75
Penguin Books Ltd On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural
Book SynopsisCharles Darwin's seminal formulation of the theory of Evolution, On the Origin of Species continues to be as controversial today as when it was first published. Written for a general readership, On the Origin of Species sold out on the day of its publication and has remained in print ever since. Instantly and persistently controversial, the concept of natural selection transformed scientific analysis about all life on Earth. Before the Origin of Species, accepted thinking held that life was the static and perfect creation of God. By a single, systematic argument Darwin called this view into question. His ideas have affected public perception of everything from religion to economics. William Bynum's introduction discusses Darwin's life, the publication and reception of the themes of On the Origin of Species, and the subsequent development of its major themes. The new edition also includes brief biographies of some of the most impo
£9.49
John Wiley & Sons Bioethics
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£56.52
