Philosophy Books

Book SynopsisDiogenes Laertius divides the philosophy of the Greeks into the Ionic, beginning with Anaximander, and ending with Theophrastus (in which class he includes the Socratic philosophy and all its various ramifications); and the Italian, beginning with Pythagoras, and ending with Epicurus, in which he includes the Eleatics as well as Heraclitus and the Sceptics. His work is the chief source of information we possess concerning the history of Greek philosophy and is the foundation of nearly all modern treatises on that subject.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Life of Thales; Life of Solon; Life of Chilo; Life of Pittacus; Life of Bias; Life of Cleobulus; Life of Periander; Life of Anacharsis, the Scythia; Life of Myson; Life of Epimenides; Life of Pherecydes; Life of Anaximander; Life of Anaximenes; Life of Anaxagoras; Life of Archelaus; Life of Socrates; Life of Xenophon; Life of Æschines; Life of Aristippus; Life of Phædo; Life of Euclides; Life of Stilpo; Life of Crito; Life of Simon; Life of Glauco; Life of Simias; Life of Cebes; Life of Menedemus; Life of Plato; Life of Speusippus; Life of Xenocrates; Life of Polemo; Life of Crates; Life of Crantor; Life of Arcesilaus; Life of Bion; Life of Lacydes; Life of Carneades; Life of Clitomachus; Life of Aristotle; Life of Theophrastus; Life of Strato; Life of Lycon; Life of Demetrius; Life of Heraclides; Life of Antisthenes; Life of Diogenes; Life of Monimus; Life of Onesicritus; Life of Crates; Life of Metrocles; Life of Hipparchia; Life of Menippus; Life of Menedemus; Life of Zeno; Life of Ariston; Life of Herillus; Life of Dionysius; Life of Cleanthes; Life of Sphærus; Life of Chrysippus; Life of Pythagoras; Life of Empedocles; Life of Epicharmus; Life of Archytas; Life of Alcmæon; Life of Hippasus; Life of Philolaus; Life of Eudoxus; Life of Heraclitus; Life of Xenophanes; Life of Parmenides; Life of Melissus; Life of Zeno, the Eleatic; Life of Leucippus; Life of Democritus; Life of Protagoras; Life of Diogenes, of Apollonia; Life of Anaxarchus; Life of Pyrrho; Life of Timon; Life of Epicurus; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNihilism is a highly negative system of thought with roots in early Greek philosophy. It came into prominence as a major movement with Friedrich Nietzsche's unparalleled assault on Christianity and Christian morality. It became a dominant theme in the dark philosophical system known as existentialism, and thus became an important force in nineteenth century literature and in twentieth century ideologies. It seeks destruction of one or more aspects of society without offering a viable alternative, frequently assuming that the better world will automatically appear after the old world is obliterated. Loathing the building blocks of the present system, nihilism asserts that the better world will be composed of new, but unspecified, components. French philosophy during and after the French Revolution, and virtually all nineteenth century Russian literature, was dominated by nihilism. German Nazism had a nihilistic base which was carefully concealed by racist rantings. Marxism, with so many of its ideas stolen from Russian and French nihilists, proclaimed that faulty economics brought about misery and poverty which would be eradicated by the new but unspecified and undescribed socialist ethic. Revolutionary systems in the twentieth century have delved heavily into the rich trove of nihilist literature to promote, describe, and espouse revolutions which have marked much of that century. Few contemporary nihilists have offered any new insights into reality, choosing only to manipulate the basic concepts heretofore advanced. But the earlier nihilistic ideas have become an all-inspiring training primer for nihilists of future polities. To understand the philosophy of nihilism is to understand the revolutions that have continued to challenge modern societies.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Defining Nihilism; Nietzsche: Godfather of Nihilism; Revolution of Nihilism; The Uprooted and Disinherited; French Nihilism; Pierre-Joseph Proudhon; Russian Nihilism; Chernyshevskii: What is to Be Done?; Nechayev and the Science of Destruction; Tkachev; Some Famous Nihilists; Franz Fanon; Regis Debray; Nihilism in Black America; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow do Humans Think? How should we think? Almost all of philosophy and a great deal else depends in large part on the answers that we provide to such questions. Yet they are almost impossible to deal with in isolation; notions about nature of thought are almost bound to connect with metaphysical notions about where ideas come from, with notions about appropriate arenas for certainty, doubt, and belief, and hence with moral and religious ideas.The Western tradition of thinking about thinking takes shape with Socrates; among the other important strands covered in this book are Descartes’ recipe for discovering truth through systematic doubt, Hume’s notion that all our ideas are copies of sense impressions, Wollstonecraft’s introduction of the perspective of gender into such questions, and Wittgenstein’s claim that much of the traditional terrain of Western philosophy should be thought of as the proper domain only of linguistic assertion, possessing no content beyond the words.With each philosopher and school of thought dealt with, Govier shows how ideas about thinking connect to the other elements of the particular philosophy, and brings to life the social and intellectual context that the ideas spring from. Socrates’ Children is thus not only an investigation of notions of thinking and knowing in Western culture; it is a selective general history of much of Western philosophy, from a unique and fascinating perspective.Trade Review“…the exposition is consistently good, with much of it being insightful and illuminating.” — Canadian Book Review Annual“a delightful book, a lively and thoroughly engaging survey of what some of the great Western philosophers have said about the nature, aims, and proper conduct of thought … a unique and worthwhile introduction to the philosophical enterprise.” — Dialogue“Socrates’ Children is philosophically astute and written in the lively and accessible style for which Trudy Govier is justly esteemed.” — Frank Cunningham, University of TorontoTable of ContentsPreface1 Socrates, the Sting Ray of AthensThinking, Questioning, and ArguingDiscovering That We Do Not KnowThe Quest for DefinitionObservations: The Legacy of Socrates2 Plato: The Shadows, the Cave, and the Dazzling SunParadox and RecollectionThe Divided LineDialecticDialectic and ThinkingThe Sun and the CaveObservationsMyth, Imagination, and Play3 Aristotle: Finding the Golden MeanForms in the WorldAristotle and PlatoPractical Knowledge and DeliberationStrategies for ThinkingLogic, Argument, and DialecticThe SyllogismThe Principles of Non-Contradiction and the Excluded MiddleDemonstration and the Complete ScienceDialecticObservations4 Descartes: Are There Rotten Apples in that Basket?The Method of DoubtCogito Ergo Sum: I think, therefore I am.Proofs of God’s ExistenceThe Problem of the Cartesian CircleThinking, Error, and Free WillMind and MatterObservations: Cartesian Thought, Cartesian Problems5 Hume: Custom, the Cement of the UniverseHume the EmpiricistHume’s Perplexing ArgumentsInductionCausationThe External WorldThe SelfHume on Scepticism, Belief, and the WillPractical ImplicationsObservations: Hume’s Problems6 Wollstonecraft: The Oak that Braved the StormA Vindication of the Rights of WomanThought and ReasonEnlightenment and Romanticism; Reason and EmotionObservations7 Kant: The Starry Skies and the Moral LawRationalism, Empiricism, and Kant’s Theory of KnowledgeKant’s ArgumentsTwo DistinctionsAre Synthetic A Priori Judgements Possible?Space and TimeThe CategoriesMetaphysicsKant on ThinkingObservations and Criticisms8 Hegel: Negation and ProgressAbsolute IdealismHegel on the History of PhilosophyThe Hegelian DialecticWhat is Hegel’s DialecticDialectic in the History of Philosophy and ElsewhereSome QualificationsExamples of Dialectical Development in The Phenomenology of SpiritObservations: Reflections on the Hegelian Dialectic After Hegel9 Beauvoir: More than Kings and ConquerorsExistentialismJean-Paul Sartre and Simone de BeauvoirBeauvoir’s Existentialist EssaysThe Second SexThinkingFiction and PhilosophyObservations: Applying Philosophy10 Wittgenstein: Duck-rabbits and Talking LionsThe Early Philosophy of the Tractatus:Propositions and PicturesSaying and ShowingThe MysticalThinking, According to the TractatusThe Vienna Circle and Logical PositivismWittgenstein’s Later PhilosophyA Sceptical Problem and its ResolutionPrivate Language and the Egocentric PredicamentWhat is Thinking?How Wittgenstein Makes Us ThinkWittgenstein on the Nature of PhilosophyObservations11 Contemporary VoicesArtificial IntelligenceThe Informal Logic — Critical Thinking MovementDeconstructionFeminist EpistemologyConcluding CommentsNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis anthology brings together 45 selections by a wide range of philosophers and other thinkers, and provides a representative sampling of the approaches to the study of human nature that have been taken within the western tradition.The selections range in time from the ancient Greeks to the 1990s, and in political orientation from the conservative individualism of Ayn Rand to the liberalism of John Rawls. Classic writings from the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries are here (Descartes, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, and so on), but so are a wide range of twentieth-century writings, including a number of feminist voices, the biological theory of Edward O. Wilson, and the cultural materialist theory of Marvin Harris. A substantial selection of Christian views of human nature is a central part of the anthology.The anthology is as notable for its depth as it is for its breadth; an important editorial principle has been to include a variety of substantial selections, thus allowing the reader to engage more readily with some of the complexities of each approach.Trade Review“The readings are skillfully selected. […] Although there is a decided emphasis on the moral, social and political dimensions of human nature, yet another nice feature is the inclusion of scientific approaches. On the whole this is a commendable anthology, […] expansive and engaging, filled with an instructive assortment of classical and contemporary readings, with just enough little-known, off-the-beaten-path selections to pique the interest of most any veteran instructor or beginning students.” — Philosophy in Review“I look forward to using the readings in my class on human nature—the selections are balanced, sensible, and promise to engage the reader. Loptson has done a fine job.” — Frederick Kaufman, Ithaca College“I cannot think of a better book to which to refer someone who wants to understand in a short compass what Aristotle, liberalism, Rousseau, Marx or feminism are all about. And Loptson makes a genuinely novel contribution to scholarship.” — Julian Young, University of AucklandTable of ContentsAncient and Early Modern Views of Human Nature Plato, Republic Aristotle, Nocomachean Ethics; Politics René Descartes, Principles of Psychology Francois de la Rochefoucald, Maxims Earl of Rochester, A Satire Against Mankind Christian Views of Human Nature St. Augustine, Confessions; On Free Choice of the Will St. Thomas Aquinas, On the Virtues in General; On Free Choice Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian John Locke, The Reasonableness of Christianity; The Second Treatise of Government; A Letter Concerning Toleration Joseph Butler, Fifteen Sermons Immanuel Kant, Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone Dietrich Bonhoeffer, A Testament to Freedom Liberalism Immanuel Kant, An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? Antoine-Nicolas de Concordet, Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind Wilhelm Von Humboldt, The Limits of State Action J. S. Mill, On Liberty L.T. Hobhouse, Liberalism John Rawls, Political Liberalism Conservative Individualism Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince Thomas Hobbes, The Leviathon James Boswell, The Life of Dr Johnson; Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, The Idler Simone Weil, The Need for Roots Ayn Rand, For the New Intellectual Michael Oakeshott, Rationalism in Politics Dialectical Theories of Human Nature Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of Inequality G.W.F. Hegel, Phenomenology of Mind; Philosophy of Right Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844; Thesis on Feuerbach; The German Ideology Friedrich Nietzche, On the Geneology of Morals Biological Theories Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man Edward O. Wilson, On Human Nature FreudSigmund Freud, Character and Culture; Civilization and its Discontents Behaviorism and Non-Self Theories David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature Julien de La Mettrie, Man a Machine J.B. Watson, The Ways of Behaviorism; Behaviourism Margaret A. Boden, Artificial Intelligence in Psychology Daniel C. Dennett, Consciousness Explained Feminism Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex Juliet Mitcell, Psychoanalysis and Feminism; Women: The Longest Revolution Carol Gilligan, In a Different Voice. Katha Politt, Marooned on Gilligan’s Island: Are Women Morally Superior to Men? Some Contrary Voices Jean Paul Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae Twentieth-Century Views in Sociology and Anthropology Ferdinand Tonnies, Community and Society. Marvin Harris, Cultural Materialism; Our Kind. Works Cited and Recommended Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book argues that the question posed by virtue theories, namely, “what kind of person should I be?” provides a more promising approach to moral questions than do either deontological or consequentialist moral theories where the concern is with what actions are morally required or permissible. It does so both by arguing that there are firmer theoretical foundations for virtue theories, and by persuasively suggesting the superiority of virtue theories over deontological and consquentialist theories on the question of explaining morally bad behavior. Virtue theories can give a richer account by appealing to the kinds of dispositions that make certain bad choices appear attractive. This richer account also exposes a further advantage of virtue theories: they provide the best kinds of motivations for agents to become better persons.Trade Review“ … a lucid distillation of central themes in the recent literature on virtue ethics, with distinctive emphases on responsibility for character and on a naturalistic account of the virtuous person’s flourishing.” — Thomas Hurka, University of Calgary“McKinnon has managed to combine clarity and a keen awareness of contemporary theoretical issues with sensitivity to the enormous complexity of an ethics of character. This book advances the discussion of virtue ethics both in its theoretical form and in the details of character description.” — Linda Zagzebski, Author of Virtues of the Mind (Cambridge University Press)Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Human Nature and Ethics Human Nature Naturalized Ethics Teleology and Naturalistic Explanations 2 Virtues and Vices Virtues Vices and Kinds of Bad Persons Virtues and Vices and Human Flourishing 3 The Role of Character in Virtue Theories Character: Naturalistic, Ethical, Metaphysical The Explanatory Roles of Virtue and Character in Virtue Theories Theoretically Problematic Issues Responsibility for Character ‘Character’ as a Normative Term Character-Construction and the Requirement of Self-Conscious Awareness 4 Moral Theories and the Vices The Implications for a Moral Theory of Assessing Persons Rather than Actions Traditional Explanations of Bad Behavior Virtue Theoretic Accounts of Wrong-Doing 5 Functional Goodness Human Nature and Good Persons Vices: Intellectual and Moral Deficiencies Wickedness 6 Practical Reasoning and The Unity of a Good Human Life Human Nature and Meaningful Choices Practical Reasoning and its Place in Ethical Theories 7 Some Particular Vices Cruelty Hypocrisy Envy Selfishness 8 Ethical Judgements Moralizing Perfectionisms Judging: Admonishment and Blame Character-Types and Ethics EndnotesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisEver since its discovery nearly thirty years ago, the phenomenon of blindsight—vision without visual consciousness—has been the source of great controversy in the philosophy of mind, psychology, and the neurosciences. Despite the fact that blindsight is widely acknowledged to be a critical test-case for theories of mind, Blindsight and the Nature of Consciousness is the first extended treatment of the phenomenon from a philosophical perspective. Holt argues, against much received wisdom, for a thorough-going materialism—the view not only that mental states are brain states, but (much more controversially) that mental properties are physical as well. Designed not only for philosophers and scientists, Blindsight and the Nature of Consciousness has something to say to anyone interested in the mystery of the human mind and in how philosophers and scientists are working toward solving that mystery. Trade Review“A splendid book. Jason Holt offers evidence from dissociations of conscious awareness from intact function, especially focussing on blindsight, and conducts a tightly-argued, robust, and pithy survey of the contemporary philosophical debate on consciousness. It is both a challenge and a good source of empirical evidence relevant to the philosophical debate.” — Lawrence Weiskrantz, University of Oxford“Holt uses the bizarre phenomenon of blindsight (the retention of certain visually based abilities in the apparent absence of visual experience) to illuminate a variety of philosophical puzzles ranging from the core problem of the nature of consciousness, through quite intricate issues in the theory of knowledge, to issues in the philosophy of perception. Holt moves briskly through an excellent introduction to the nature of blindsight as well as a set of distinct, highly interesting, dissociation syndromes into a defense of materialism which uses the blindsight phenomenon in several imaginative ways. The anchoring of a sustained philosophical argument on one core empirical phenomenon (and one of great intrinsic interest) is innovative.… The writing is always lively and a model of clarity. It is also very provocative and bound to spark debate.” — William Seager, University of Toronto at ScarboroughTable of ContentsIntroductionCHAPTER 1 A Brief History of BlindsightCHAPTER 2 Dissociation CasesCHAPTER 3 Consciousness Lost?CHAPTER 4 Super Blindsight and Other DisqualificationsCHAPTER 5 Conscious RealismCHAPTER 6 Access Denied, Zombiehead Revisited,and What Mary Didn’t Think She KnewCHAPTER 7 Stereotypes and Token EffortsCHAPTER 8 The Hard Gap and Had PerspectivesCHAPTER 9 Not Seeing Is BelievingCHAPTER 10 Split VisionNotesReferences

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile philosophical speculation into the nature and value of emotions is at least as old as the Pre-Socratics, William James’ “What is an emotion?” reinvigorated interest in the question. Coming to grips with James’ proposals, particularly in the light of subsequent concerns for the difficulties inherent in a so-called private language, led philosophers away from analyses centred on feelings to ones centred on thoughts. Analyzing the emotions in this way involves returning to a vision of the emotions that traces its ancestry back to the Stoics, but has proven to be enormously insightful and influential again in modern times. The papers collected here centre on James’ question and often respond explicitly to one another. Together, they provide a sense of what a cognitive view of the emotions maintains, what it denies, and how it has arisen. The connection provides wide-ranging coverage of the point of dispute amongst those impressed by the cognitive approach, and gives a good sense too of the tremendous explanatory power of this view.Trade Review“Stephen Leighton has put together a very helpful collection on the ‘cognitive’ theory of emotion and its various permutations, the objections it has endured, and its alternatives. I recommend it for students and scholars interested in what philosophy has had to say recently about the emotions.” — Robert C. Solomon, The University of Texas at Austin“What sets this collection apart is that it offers a carefully structured and balanced selection of work that lets the reader see the general shape of the field as well as the kinds of detailed argument that make up its several regions. The pieces, by already distinguished authors, are either classics or recent seminal statements of the positions they represent. Thus it is indispensable for any student of the emotions and is possibly the most useful single volume in this field.” — David Pugmire, University of SouthamptonTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductionBackgroundWhat is an Emotion?William JamesToward a Cognitive Conception of Emotion Emotions and Statements About ThemErrol BedfordA Subjective Theory of the PassionsRobert C. SolomonObjections and Modifications A Case of Mixed Feelings: Ambivalence and the Logic of EmotionPatricia S. GreenspanEmotion, Judgment, and DesireJenefer RobinsonPsychic Feelings: Their Importance and IrreducibilityMichael StockerPhysiological Changes and the EmotionsWilliam LyonsOn Emotions as JudgmentsRobert C. SolomonRelated Approaches The Thesis of ConstructionismClaire Armon: JonesThe Rationality of Emotion, Chapter 7Ronald de SousaReconsidering the Options StartleJenefer RobinsonModularity, and the Psychoevolutionary Theory of EmotionP.E. GriffithsOn Feeling Angry and ElatedStephen LeightonFrom The Therapy of DesireMartha C. NussbaumReferences and Further Readings

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe central aim of The Philosopher’s Dictionary is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date guide of philosophical terms. Definitions are brief, clear, and user-friendly. Notes on usage, spelling, and pronunciation are included, and there are brief entries on hundreds of the best-known philosophers. Throughout, Martin writes in a style at once informative and authoritative, making difficult concepts intelligible without distorting them.The third edition has been revised throughout, and includes many new entries on philosophical concepts, from Berry’s paradox to the Chinese room example to perfectionism and satisfice. The number of entries on active philosophers has also been considerably increased.Trade Review“Martin’s Dictionary is one that professionals can rely on and recommend to students with confidence. But Martin also presents philosophy in a witty, engaged manner; the reader gets the rewarding sensation of a discipline in motion, an ongoing conversation between past, present, and future.” ― Edrie Sobstyl, University of Texas at Dallas“ … clearly [the dictionary] best-suited for introductory philosophy students.” ― Dialogue“As interesting to the general reader as it is useful for the student.” ― David Copp, Bowling Green University“Very valuable … an excellent first place to look for explanations of philosophical concepts.” ― Thomas Hurka, University of Calgary

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhilosophical Conversations is a light, informal, and contemporary introduction to the study of philosophy. Using a dialogue format, Robert M. Martin delves into the traditional questions of philosophy in a manner that readers will find engaging.These substantive yet entertaining conversations emphasize that philosophical questions are contested and open-ended. The characters in each dialogue advocate different answers to questions on religion, ethics, personal identity, and other topics equitably and without naming any clear winners. Philosophic positions are presented with maximum clarity and persuasiveness, so that readers can appreciate all sides of an issue and make their own choices. An excellent tool for newcomers to philosophy, Philosophical Conversations provides the necessary background for further study while vividly portraying the back-and-forth argument that is essential to the philosophical method.Trade Review“Robert M. Martin’s book will be invaluable for undergraduate teaching. The dialogues present a wide range of philosophical debates clearly and interestingly, quickly clearing up common but uninteresting mistakes, while exploring the issues and leaving them open for further discussion.” — Peter J. King, Pembroke College, Oxford University“An excellent introduction to philosophy. Packed with key ideas and theories; clear and engaging; well-organised. Its conversations succeed as conceptual interplay, showing how philosophical debates arise and develop.” — Stephen Hetherington, University of New South Wales“The best new introductory philosophy text in decades! It covers the central issues in both analytic and continental philosophy, presenting arguments and counter-arguments so that readers can see why philosophic debate can be so thrilling.” — Sheldon Wein, St. Mary’s UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroduction Philosophy How to Study Philosophy Arguments Notes on “Suggested Readings” Sections Conversation I: Philosophy of ReligionParticipants: RATIONALIST · ATHEIST · COSMOLOGIST · BIOLOGIST · PRAGMATIST · PSYCHOLOGIST · FIDEIST · SYMBOLIST · MYSTIC The First-Cause Argument The Argument from Design The Ontological Argument The Argument from Morality The Pragmatic Argument Pascal’s Wager The Burden of Proof The Argument from History The Argument from Psychology The Argument from the Existence of Evil Life After Death Fideism Symbolism MysticismSuggested Readings Conversation II: Social PhilosophyParticipants: SCEPTIC · LEGALIST · CONTRACTARIAN · MORALIST · BIOLOGIST · COMMUNITARIAN · INDIVIDUALIST · COMMUNIST · LIBERTARIAN · INTERVENTIONIST · FEMINIST · EGALITARIAN The Question The Tragedy of the Commons and the Prisoner’s Dilemma The Social Contract Enforcement of the Contract A Moral Answer A Biological Answer Communitarianism Communism Socialism, Fascism, Nazism Libertarianism Interventionism Equality JusticeSuggested Readings Conversation III: EthicsParticipants: SCEPTIC · UTILITARIAN · DEONTOLOGIST · RIGHTS-THEORIST · KANTIAN · SUBJECTIVIST · RELATIVIST A Question Hedonism Utilitarianism Objections to Utilitarianism Doing and Not Doing Admiral Byng Rights Using People The Categorical Imperative The Motivation Question Ethical Knowledge Ethical Subjectivism The Weirdness of Ethical Characteristics RelativismSuggested Readings Conversation IV: Mind and BodyParticipants: SCEPTIC · DUALIST · IDENTITY THEORIST · ELIMINATIVIST · BEHAVIOURIST Materialism The Science Argument Is Dualism Obvious? The Differences Between the Mental and the Physical Introspection and Infallibility Recognizing the Mental vs. Recognizing the Physical Interaction Eliminative Materialism The Problem of Other Minds Behaviourism Could a Machine Think? Instinct and Learning; Unpredictability Creativity The Turing Test Deep Blue and the Sphex Wasp The Chinese RoomSuggested Readings Conversation V: Determinism, Free Will, and PunishmentParticipants: IDENTITY THEORIST · SCEPTIC · DETERMINIST · FATALIST · MATHEMATICIAN · PHYSICIST · INDETERMINIST · HARD DETERMINIST · SOFT DETERMINIST · UTILITARIAN · RETRIBUTIVIST · PSYCHOLOGIST Determinism Cause Fatalism Predictability Is there Evidence for Determinism? Quantum Indeterminacy Free Will The Incompatibility of Responsibility and Determinism Soft Determinism The Function of Praise and Blame Randomness and Freedom Utilitarian Justifications of Punishment RetributivismSuggested Readings Conversation VI: KnowledgeParticipants: SCEPTIC · DEFINER · CARTESIAN · FALLIBILIST · EMPIRICIST · RATIONALIST The Definition of ‘Knowledge’ Certainty and Fallibility Certainty and Probability Probable Beliefs and the Lottery Paradox Gettier Problems Empiricism and Rationalism: Concepts Innateness and Language Empiricism and Rationalism: Judgements Analytic and Synthetic Judgements Synthetic A Priori Judgements Scepticism: Perception The Brain in the Vat Scepticism: The Five-Minute Hypothesis Scepticism: The Problem of InductionSuggested Readings Conversation VII: Identity; MeaningParticipants: SCEPTIC · CARTESIAN · EMPIRICIST · RATIONALIST · ANTIREALIST · INTERNALIST · REFERENTIALIST · SPEECH-ACT THEORIST Life After Death Again Continuing Mental Substance Criticisms of the Substance Theories The Mysterious Boat Relationism Some Strange Cases The Real Route 22 Meaning Empiricism Meaning Internalism Meaning as Reference Meaning as Use Meanings and Intentions Meanings and ConventionsSuggested Readings Epilogue: Quotations from Bertrand RussellGlossary Workbook

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores the idea of human nature and the many understandings of it put forward by such diverse figures as Aristotle, Rousseau, Marx, Freud, Darwin, and E.O. Wilson. Each chapter looks at a different theory and offers a concise explanation, assessing the theory’s plausibility without forcing it into a mould. Some chapters deal with the ideas of only one thinker, while others (such as the chapters on liberalism and feminism) present a variety of different positions. A clear distinction is made between theories of human nature and the political theories which so often follow from them.For the new edition, Loptson has addressed the new developments in the rapidly expanding genetic and paleontological record, as well as expanded the discussion of the Christian theory of human nature by incorporating the ideas of the Marx scholar and social theorist G.A. Cohen. The new edition has also been substantively revised and updated throughout.Trade Review“This is a very fine text—engagingly written and full of wide learning without any trace of pedantry. The quotations and bibliographies are excellent, and Peter Loptson’s judgments are consistently wise and culturally sensitive. It will be valuable both for those new to the theories it describes and to those who have reflected on them before. Good philosophy isn’t often as enjoyable to read as this is.” — Terence Penelhum, University of Calgary“I cannot think of a better book to which to refer someone who wants to understand in a short compass what Aristotle, liberalism, Rousseau, Marx, or feminism are all about.” — Julian Young, University of Auckland, DialogueTable of Contents Preface Preface to Second Edition Preface to Third Edition Introduction Essentialism, Materialism, and Idealism Aristotle Christian Philosophy of Human Nature Liberalism Conservative Individualism Rousseau Marx Darwin and Some Biological Successors Freud Non-self Theories Feminism Marvin Harris Conclusion Postscript: Do Humans Have a Nature? Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisContemporary Perspectives on Early Modern Philosophy is a collection of essays dedicated to Vere Chappell, one of the most respected scholars in the field of early modern philosophy. Seventeen distinguished scholars have contributed essays to this collection on topics including dualism, identity and essence, causation, theodicy, free will, perception, abstraction, and the moral law.Trade Review“Original, incisive, probing essays on central topics in the history of modern philosophy by leaders in the field in honor of one of the masters in the discipline.” — R.C. Sleigh, Jr., University of Massachusetts, Amherst“This volume of eighteen well-crafted analytical essays on Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant is authored and edited by some of the best known historians of philosophy today. Ranging over issues in the philosophy of mind, metaphysics, moral philosophy, and the philosophy of science, it is a fitting tribute to a notable scholar.” — Catherine Wilson, City University of New York Graduate CenterTable of ContentsIntroduction Gary Matthews Descartes’s Fourth Meditation as Theodicy Lisa Shapiro “Turn My Will in Completely the Opposite Direction”: Radical Doubt and Descartes’s Account of Free Will Marleen Rozemond Descartes’s Ontology of the Eternal Truths Thomas M. Lennon The Significance of Descartes’s Objection of Objections Alison Simmons Guarding the Body: A Cartesian Phenomenology of Perception John Carriero Substance and Ends in Leibniz G.A.J. Rogers Locke and the Creation of the Essay Nicholas Jolley Lockean Abstractionism Versus Cartesian Nativism Edwin McCann Identity, Essentialism, and the Substance of Body in Locke Dan Kaufman The Resurrection of the Same Body and the Ontological Status of Organisms: What Locke Should Have (and Could Have) Told Stillingfleet Michael Jacovides Lockean Fluids Kenneth P. Winkler Locke’s Defense of Mathematical Physics Martha Brandt Bolton Intellectual Virtue and Moral Law in Locke’s Ethics Margaret Atherton What Have We Learned When We Learn to See?: Lessons Learned from the Theory of Vision Vindicated Janet Broughton Hume’s Explanation of Causal Inference Stephen Voss A Critique of Kantian Sensibility Paul Guyer Object, Self, and Cause: Kant’s Answers to Hume Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Aesthetics of Human Environments is a companion volume to Carlson's and Berleant's The Aesthetics of Natural Environments. Whereas the earlier collection focused on the aesthetic appreciation of nature, The Aesthetics of Human Environments investigates philosophical and aesthetics issues that arise from our engagement with human environments ranging from rural landscapes to urban cityscapes. Our experience of public spaces such as shopping centers, theme parks, and gardens as well as the impact of our personal living spaces on the routine activities of our everyday life are discussed in terms of their aesthetic value and the nature of our aesthetic appreciation.This volume will appeal to any reader concerned about the aesthetic quality of the world in which we live.Trade Review“Our aesthetics, when it is not about art, tends to be about the countryside. But most of us live in urban environments. The Aesthetics of Human Environments will deepen our sensitivity to, and better our understanding of, our surroundings as we go about our daily lives. A successful combination of theory and practice, it cannot fail to arouse our interest, for it covers a wide range of topics, many of them within our common experience.” — T.J. Diffey, Emeritus Reader in Philosophy, University of Sussex“Scholarly integrity permeates every level of this anthology. Berleant and Carlson have selected essays that reflect a range of approaches toward a common goal: the elucidation of an emergent field. In particular, the international and methodological pluralism of the collection lends cultural breadth to an undertaking that nevertheless coalesces eloquently into a unified volume, accessible to a broad spectrum of readers.” — Cheryl Foster, University of Rhode Island“The Aesthetics of Human Environments is a collection of essays that investigates matters related to the aesthetic marks humans intentionally and directly make on their environments and the aesthetic appreciation of those marks. This collection is exciting in its breadth and gratifyingly insightful into some of the frequently overlooked ways humans aesthetically interact with the world. These provocative essays will encourage readers to appreciate the rich and varied ways aesthetic issues are of serious theoretical and practical interest in daily life. Personally, I can’t wait to incorporate it into a class!” — Sheila Lintott, Bucknell UniversityTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsPrefaceAcknowledgementsIntroduction: The Aesthetics of Human EnvironmentsArnold Berleant and Allen Carlson On Aesthetically Appreciating Human EnvironmentsAllen Carlson Urban Richness and the Art of BuildingPauline von Bonsdorff Cultivating an Urban AestheticArnold Berleant Multi-sensoriness and the CityYrjö Sepänmaa Walking the CityDavid Macauley The Last Stop of Desire: The Aesthetics of the Shopping CenterMikita Brottman Deconstructing Disney WorldArnold Berleant Cultivating Commonplaces: Sophisticated Vernacularism in JapanBarbara Sandrisser Everyday Surface Aesthetic Qualities: Neat, Messy, Clean, DirtyThomas Leddy Living in Glass Houses: Domesticity, Interior Decoration, and Environmental AestheticsKevin Melchionne The Aesthetics of Playtime RecyclingJanet McCracken The Role of Aesthetics in Civic EnvironmentalismYuriko Saito The Garden and the Red Barn: The Pervasive Pastoral and Its Environmental ConsequencesSally Schauman On Appreciating Agricultural LandscapesAllen Carlson Gardens, Nature, PleasureStephanie Ross The View from the Road and the PicturesqueMalcolm Andrews Notes on ContributorsSourcesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisSelf-Knowledge introduces philosophical ideas about knowledge and the self. The book takes the form of a personal meditation: it is one person’s attempt to reflect philosophically upon vital aspects of his existence. It shows how profound philosophy can swiftly emerge from intense private reflection upon the details of one’s life and, thus, will help the reader take the first steps toward philosophical self-understanding. Along the way, readers will encounter moments of puzzlement, then clarity, followed by more perplexity and further insights, and then—finally—some philosophical peace of mind.Trade Review“Hetherington’s little book is an amazing combination of sophistication and innocence. The format is Cartesian and the basic intuitions are about the search for self-understanding, but by means of a clever focus the conclusions are fallibilist and body-oriented. Readers should react vociferously to this appealing and direct tour of many philosophical problems, more closely argued than the relaxed style suggests. It has the distinction of doing justice to the disturbing quality of philosophical questions without blather or pretension.” — Adam Morton, Canada Research Chair in Epistemology and Decision Theory, University of Alberta“Stephen Hetherington’s Self-Knowledge is a unique and fascinating introduction to philosophy. It manages to combine a lucid, unpretentious style with a genuinely insightful treatment of some of the deepest and most baffling problems of philosophy. What sets it apart from so many introductions is the way it engages with readers in a fresh and direct way to use philosophical reasoning to think about their own lives. An exceptional book.” — Tim Crane, Professor of Philosophy, University College LondonTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsWhy?Learning with this BookKnowing One’s Physical Nature “I’ve just gotta be me” My left hand Other body parts Hidden body parts A methodological moment: being philosophical Mirrors My skin Family photographs My brain A motivational moment Overview of the dayFurther Reading Knowing One’s Mental Nature “The real me, the inner me” A non-physical me? Another methodological moment: introspection Listening to one’s mind Discovering myself? Creating myself? Partial people? An underlying self? Whose thoughts are these? A persisting self? An unchanging inner self? Memories A valuable inner self? Intelligence Moral worth Personal values Inner character Free will A pause Overview of the dayFurther Reading What Kind of Thing Would Self-Knowledge Be? Some pessimism about knowing what self-knowledge is Some optimism about knowing what self-knowledge is Self-knowledge and other knowledge Floating minds Deeply unique self-knowledge Mere opinion Self-confidence Accurate confidence Luck Normal circumstances Reliability Good evidence Agreeing with other people Unusual knowledge Self-knowledge Where to next? Overview of the dayFurther Reading How Might Self-Knowledge Be Gained? Methods? Which methods? Intuition Dreams Literature and movies Actions Psychological and medical studies Friends and family Experience and maturity Back to basics Tomorrow, into battle Overview of the dayFurther Reading Confronting Doubts about Whether Self-Knowledge is Possible Doubts, more doubts Sensing and observing Reasoning and memory Complexity Meaning Inductive reasoning Test case: love Self-deception Self-involvement? Self-detachment? Dreaming and the senses Knowing something fallibly Usual knowledge Infallibility Two pictures of fallibility Living fallibly “That’s life” Philosophical progress Overview of the dayFurther Reading A Possible Philosophy Course

Read more less

Book SynopsisYes, But How Do You Know? is an invitation to think philosophically through the use of sceptical ideas. Hetherington challenges our complacency and asks us to reconsider what we think we know. How much can we discover about our surroundings? What sort of beings are we? Can we trust our own reasoning? Is science all it is cracked up to be? Can we acquire knowledge of God? Are even the contents of our own minds transparent? In inviting, lucid prose, Hetherington addresses these questions and more, using scepticism to illuminate many perennial philosophical puzzles.Trade Review“I’ll let you in on a secret: Nobody has ever become a philosopher simply by reading about philosophy. You may not know how to think about what you have read. And if an ordinary teacher tells you what to think about the text, you may not know how to think about that! But, if you have Stephen Hetherington as your teacher, chances are you will become philosophical. His new book is not only a masterful introduction to the subject, technically correct, cleverly structured and a supremely enjoyable read. It’s the most impressive guide to becoming philosophical I’ve seen.” — Claudio de Almeida, Professor, Department of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University at Porto Alegre, Brazil“This is a lucid, entertaining, and engaging introduction to philosophy and philosophical thinking. It brings sceptical ideas to life and shows the importance of taking such ideas seriously. Highly recommended.” — Quassim Cassam, Professor of Philosophy, University of WarwickTable of ContentsChapter 1. Observing: Is Anything Out There?Chapter 2. Reasoning: How Far Can It Take You?Chapter 3. Reasoning Beyond Observing: Leaping Into The Dark?Chapter 4. Science: Can It Find All The Answers?Chapter 5. Common Sense: Like, Yeah?Chapter 6. Other Minds: Are You Mentally Alone In The Universe?Chapter 7. Your Own Mind: Is Anything Really Happening In There?Chapter 8. People's Natures: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?Chapter 9. Moral Characteristics: Say What?Chapter 10. God: Beyond Comprehension?

Read more less

Book SynopsisSuicide was selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2012!Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions is a provocative and comprehensive investigation of the main philosophical issues surrounding suicide. Readers will encounter seminal arguments concerning the nature of suicide and its moral permissibility, the duty to die, the rationality of suicide, and the ethics of suicide intervention. Intended both for students and for seasoned scholars, this book sheds much-needed philosophical light on one of the most puzzling and enigmatic human behaviors.Trade Review“This outstanding example of contemporary applied ethics also represents state-of-the-art philosophical thought on suicide. … [Suicide is a] well-written, rigorously argued book [that] will be very valuable for courses and programs in applied ethics, health care ethics, and death and dying.” — R.F. White, College of Mount St. Joseph in CHOICE Volume 49.7, March 2012“Michael Cholbi’s Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions is a well-written, thoughtful introduction to a sensitive and perennial moral issue. The work is a valuable tool to undergraduates and those seeking to understand the standard positions on suicide that will continue to influence ethical discussions about, among other things, what the definition of suicide is, whether the taking of one’s own life is permissible, and if suicide can be a duty under any set of circumstances.” — Dennis Cooley, North Dakota State University“This is a philosophers’ book, full of twists and turns and exhaustive examination of arguments on all sides of the issue. The book is remarkably sensible in its exploration of conceptual issues, with a good ear for inquiry. Cholbi dissects the arguments over mind/body dualism, the non-identity problem, the claim that “life is a gift from God,” and the question of whether suicide is ever a duty, among many others, with meticulous care. It is a fine book, an extraordinary contribution to the philosophic discussion of a seriously overheated issue.” — Margaret Pabst Battin, University of UtahTable of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTSINTRODUCTIONCHAPTER ONE: THE NATURE OF SUICIDESome ExamplesWhat Should a Definition of Suicide Capture?Suicide as Intentional Self-killingCan Suicide Be Coerced?ConclusionCHAPTER TWO: THE MORAL IMPERMISSIBILITY OF SUICIDEChristian Arguments for the Impermissibility of SuicideNon-religious Arguments for the Impermissibility of SuicideConclusionCHAPTER THREE: THE MORAL PERMISSIBILITY OF SUICIDEMust a Permission Be Justified?Self-defenseSelf-knowledgeSelf-ownershipAutonomy and RationalityConclusionCHAPTER FOUR: IS SUICIDE EVER A DUTY?Clarifying a “Duty to Die”Suicide in the Service of a Political or Religious CauseSuicide Ordered by the StateSuicide to Unburden OthersSuicide to Prevent the Deaths of OthersConclusionCHAPTER FIVE: SUICIDE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTIONBenign vs. Problematic MeasuresWhy Prevent or Intervene?The Paternalism ObjectionMorally Permissible Anti-suicide MeasuresAvailability of Lethal MeansConclusionCHAPTER SIX: ASSISTED SUICIDEA Duty to Assist Suicide?Physician-assisted SuicideAiding Suicide and the Slippery SlopeCosts, Benefits, and Institutional DesignConclusionEPILOGUE: WHY?OpportunityMotiveMeansCONCLUSION AND SUMMARYBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe boundary between semantics and pragmatics has been important since the early twentieth century, but in the last twenty-five years it has become the central issue in the philosophy of language. This anthology collects classic philosophical papers on the topic, along with recent key contributions. It stresses not only the nature of the boundary, but also its importance for philosophy generally.Trade Review“A highly useful collection containing many influential papers, including a number of classic pieces. It is a natural choice for survey courses in semantics and pragmatics.” — Scott Soames, Distinguished Professor; Director, USC School of Philosophy“A wide-ranging collection of must-read articles on philosophical topics pertaining to, revolving around, or just straddling the line between semantics and pragmatics.” — Kent Bach, Professor Emeritus, San Francisco State University“Ezcurdia and Stainton provide an elegant overview of the different ways to understand the distinction between semantics and pragmatics, and the main attempts to locate the boundary between them. They have selected the definitive papers that bring into focus the significance of finding this boundary, and its implications for the study of metaphor, for the relation between thought and language, and for contemporary discussions of contextualism and relativism. This anthology is an ideal text for any course in philosophy, linguistics, or cognitive science that is aimed at introducing undergraduate or graduate students to the potential scope and limits of systematic semantic theorizing.” — Susanna Siegel, Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgementsIntroductionPart I: Canonical Foundations Peter F. Strawson, “On Referring” (1950) J.L. Austin, “Performative Utterances” (1956) Keith S. Donnellan, “Reference and Definite Descriptions” (1966) H. Paul Grice, “Logic and Conversation” (1967/1975) Saul Kripke, “Speaker’s Reference and Semantic Reference” (1977) David Kaplan, “Demonstratives” and “Afterthoughts” (1977/1989) Robert C. Stalnaker, “Assertion” (1978) David Lewis, “Scorekeeping in a Language Game” (1979) John Perry, “Thought without Representation” (1986) Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson, “Précis of Relevance: Communication and Cognition” (1987) Part II: Pragmatic Determinants of What Is Said John R. Searle, “Literal Meaning” (1978) Robyn Carston, “Implicature, Explicature, and Truth-Theoretic Semantics” (1988) Kent Bach, “Conversational Impliciture” (1994) Jason Stanley, “Context and Logical Form” (2000) François Récanati, “Unarticulated Constituents” (2002) Reinaldo Elugardo and Robert J. Stainton, “Shorthand, Syntactic Ellipsis, and the Pragmatic Determinants of What Is Said” (2004) Herman Cappelen and Ernie Lepore, “A Tall Tale: In Defense of Semantic Minimalism and Speech Act Pluralism” (2004) Emma Borg, “Minimalism versus Contextualism in Semantics” (2007) Part III: Case StudiesA. Metaphor Donald Davidson, “What Metaphors Mean” (1978) John R. Searle, “Metaphor” (1979) Catherine Wearing, “Metaphor and What Is Said” (2006) B. Knowledge and Mind David Lewis, “Elusive Knowledge” (1996) Jennifer M. Saul, “Substitution and Simple Sentences” (1997) Max Kölbel, “Faultless Disagreement” (2003) Sources

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn his autobiography, David Hume famously noted that A Treatise of Human Nature “fell dead-born from the press.” Yet it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophical works written in the English language. Within, Hume offers an empirically informed account of human nature, addressing a range of topics such as space, time, causality, the external world, personal identity, passions, freedom, necessity, virtue, and vice. This edition includes not only the full text of the Treatise but also Hume’s summarizing Abstract, as well as selections drawn from critical book reviews which showcase the work’s reception in Hume’s own time. Angela Coventry’s expert introduction and annotations serve to contextualize the book’s themes and arguments for modern readers.Trade Review“This is a splendid edition of A Treatise of Human Nature, perfect for both the scholar and the student. Most impressive is editor Angela Coventry’s introduction, which includes information about David Hume’s life and works and provides the most thorough short summary of the Treatise with which I am familiar. In many Treatise editions the text feels crowded, but this one makes for a comfortable read, with standard numbers indicating book, part, section, and paragraph included on each page for ease of reference.” — Joe Campbell, Washington State University“This edition of the Treatise does two things particularly well. First, it gives an accessible and helpful overview of the work that does a great job of outlining for the new reader how the varied topics of the Treatise hang together as a whole. Second, it gives the reader a sense of the reception of these ideas, both in Hume’s time and in contemporary discourse. These successes make this edition very attractive as a text for the classroom, and the additional inclusion of historical reviews should make it appealing to Hume scholars as well.” — Katharina Paxman, Brigham Young University“Angela Coventry has in many ways produced the definitive edition of Hume’s classic text. While previous editions have overwhelmed the reader with editorial annotations, Coventry presents the Treatise as it was meant to be read. The inclusion of contemporaneous reviews of Hume’s work only enhances the reader’s experience of stepping into the world in which it was published.” — Getty Lustila, Northeastern UniversityTable of ContentsIntroductionDavid Hume: A Brief ChronologyA Note on the TextsA Treatise of Human Nature Book 1: Of the Understanding Book 2: Of the Passions Book 3: Of Morals Appendix to the Treatise Appendix A: The Abstract of the Treatise (1740) Appendix B: From Review of Hume’s Treatise, History of the Works of the Learned (1739) Appendix C: French Book Reviews of Hume’s Treatise of Human Nature (1740-41) Works Cited and Select Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCritical Thinking is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the essential skills of good reasoning, written by Canadian authors for Canadian readers. The book includes a thorough treatment of such central topics as deductive and inductive reasoning, logical fallacies, how to recognize and avoid ambiguity, and how to distinguish what is relevant from what is not. Later chapters discuss the application of critical thinking skills to particular topics and tasks, including scientific reasoning, moral reasoning, legal reasoning, media analysis, and essay writing. The book also provides access to a companion website containing additional questions, flashcards, and other useful critical thinking resources.Trade ReviewHere is a textbook of lasting value. It is accessible without being over-simplistic. It is unsurpassed in clarity and depth. And its examples, exercises, and questions for discussion offer the student unique and exciting materials for reflection and engagement." - Ahmad Rahmanian, University of New Brunswick"I have been using Hughes (now Hughes & Lavery) since the first edition. I have occasionally tried other texts but have yet to find one I like as much. It has all the essential materials, it's impeccably organized, and it's clear and accessible to our students." - Wayne I. Henry, University of the Fraser ValleyTable of Contents Acknowledgements Part One: Introduction Chapter 1: Reasoning and Critical Thinking Part Two: Meaning Chapter 2: Meaning and Definition Chapter 3: Clarifying Meaning Chapter 4: Reconstructing Arguments Part Three: Assessing Arguments Chapter 5: Strategies For Assessing Arguments Chapter 6: Assessing Truth-Claims Chapter 7: Assessing Relevance Chapter 8: Assessing Adequacy Chapter 9: Deductive Reasoning Chapter 10: Inductive Reasoning Part Four: Applications Chapter 11: Scientific Reasoning Chapter 12: Moral Reasoning Chapter 13: Legal Reasoning Chapter 14: Arguing Back Chapter 15: Irrational Techniques Of Persuasion Chapter 16: Critiquing The Media Chapter 17: Writing and Assessing Argumentative Essays Chapter 18: Strategies For Organizing An Argumentative Essay Appendices Glossary Permissions Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCritical Thinking is a comprehensive introduction to the essential skills of good reasoning, refined and updated through seven editions published over more than two decades. This concise edition offers a succinct presentation of the essential elements of reasoning that retains the rigor and sophistication of the original text. The authors provide a thorough treatment of such central topics as deductive and inductive reasoning, logical fallacies, how to recognize and avoid ambiguity, and how to distinguish what is relevant from what is not. A companion website provides a range of interesting supplements, including interactive review materials, supplemental readings, and writing tips.Trade ReviewComments on Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills:“Here is a textbook of lasting value. It is accessible without being over-simplistic. It is unsurpassed in clarity and depth. And its examples, exercises, and questions for discussion offer the student unique and exciting materials for reflection and engagement.” — Ahmad Rahmanian, University of New Brunswick“This textbook stands out from others for its clarity, which is due in large part to the conceptual organization of the material it covers. Rather than artificially carving out various aspects of critical thinking for individual treatment, the authors simply and carefully develop ideas, step by step. This approach makes clear how various aspects of careful, critical thinking come together, allowing students to develop their skills along the way.” — Joshua Smith, Central Michigan University“I have been using Hughes (now Hughes & Lavery) since the first edition. I have occasionally tried other texts but have yet to find one I like as much. It has all the essential materials, it’s impeccably organized, and it’s clear and accessible to our students.” — Wayne I. Henry, University of the Fraser ValleyTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsOnline MaterialsPART ONE: INTRODUCTIONChapter 1: Reasoning and Critical Thinking Reasoning The Concept of Logical Strength Truth, Logical Strength, and Soundness Critical Thinking Skills Critical Thinking and the Science of Logic Self-Test No. 1 Questions for Discussion PART TWO: MEANINGChapter 2: Meaning and Definition The Complexity of Language The Meaning of Language The Reference Theory of Meaning The Idea Theory of Meaning Meaning as Use The Main Functions of Language Self-Test No. 2 Questions for Discussion Definition The Purposes of Definition Reportive Definitions Stipulative Definitions Essentialist Definitions Methods of Definition Genus-Species Method Ostensive Method Synonym Method Operational Method Contextual Method Assessing Reportive Definitions Too Broad a Definition Too Narrow a Definition Too Broad and Too Narrow a Definition Circular Definition Obscure Definition Assessing Stipulative and Essentialist Definitions A Warning Self-Test No. 3 Questions for Discussion Chapter 3: Clarifying Meaning The Principle of Charity Linguistic Ambiguity Ambiguity and Vagueness Referential Ambiguity Grammatical Ambiguity Use and Mention Self-Test No. 4 Analytic, Contradictory, and Synthetic Statements Self-Test No. 5 Descriptive and Evaluative Meaning Self-Test No. 6 Necessary and Sufficient Conditions Self-Test No. 7 Questions for Discussion Chapter 4: Reconstructing Arguments Reconstruction Missing Premises and Conclusions Self-Test No. 8 Special Cases Reports of Arguments Explanations Self-Test No. 9 The Structure of Arguments Simple Arguments T Arguments V Arguments Complex Arguments Self-Test No. 10 Another Warning Questions for Discussion PART THREE: ASSESSING ARGUMENTSChapter 5: Strategies for Assessing Arguments The Fallacies Approach The Criterial Approach The Three Criteria of a Sound Argument Seven Rules for Assessing Arguments Rule 1. Identify the Main Conclusion Rule 2. Identify the Premises Rule 3. Identify the Structure of the Argument Rule 4. Check the Acceptability of the Premises Rule 5. Check the Relevance of the Premises Rule 6. Check the Adequacy of the Premises Rule 7. Look for Counter-Arguments Chapter 6: Assessing Truth-Claims Theories of Truth The Correspondence Theory The Coherence Theory The Pragmatic Theory Types of Truth-Claims Empirical Truth-Claims Non-Empirical Truth-Claims Acceptability Self-Test No. 11 Questions for Discussion Assessing the Acceptability of Premises Some Particular Fallacies Begging the Question Inconsistency Equivocation False Dichotomy Self-Test No. 12 Questions for Discussion Chapter 7: Assessing Relevance The Criterion of Relevance Recognizing Irrelevant Premises Appeals to Authority (1) Some Particular Fallacies Ad Hominem Tu Quoque Straw Man Self-Test No. 13 Questions for Discussion Chapter 8: Assessing Adequacy The Criterion of Adequacy Appeals to Authority (2) Appeals to Anecdotal Evidence Appeals to Ignorance The Slippery Slope Fallacy Causal Fallacies Post Hoc Confusing Cause and Effect Common Cause Self-Test No. 14 Questions for Discussion Chapter 9: Deductive Reasoning The Nature of Deductive Reasoning Truth-Functional Statements Formal Validity and Soundness Valid Argument Forms Formal Invalidity Self-Test No. 15 Questions for Discussion Chapter 10: Inductive Reasoning The Nature of Inductive Reasoning Inductive Generalization Statistical Syllogism Induction by Confirmation Analogical Reasoning Self-Test No. 16 Questions for Discussion Chapter 11: Arguing Back Explaining the Weakness Counter-Examples Absurd Examples Counter-Arguments Self-Test No. 17 Questions for Discussion Chapter 12: Irrational Techniques of Persuasion Loaded Terms Vague Terms Loaded Questions False Confidence Selectivity Misleading Statistics Humor Red Herring Guilt by Association Persuasive Redefinition Self-Test No. 18 Questions for Discussion Appendix: Answers to Self-TestsGlossaryIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis anthology contains the best of both classical and contemporary sources, offering a balanced historical approach to the philosophy of religion while reflecting the latest developments in the field. The included readings grapple with issues that are existentially compelling and provocative regardless of one’s religious leanings. Topics are covered in a point-counterpoint manner designed to foster deep reflection. This third edition contains an entirely new section on early Chinese religion as well as new essays on religious language, feminism, and the cognitive science of religion.Trade Review“This wide-ranging collection covers an abundance of influential topics in Anglo-American philosophy of religion, and it represents a number of classic arguments for and against God’s existence. This new, third edition contains a substantial section on Chinese philosophy of religion, including some of the ancient texts. Teachers and students alike will benefit from the breadth of this well-organized collection.” — Paul K. Moser, Loyola University Chicago“Kelly James Clark’s Readings in the Philosophy of Religion contains an ideal balance between classic texts and the best of contemporary analytic philosophy. Clark places special emphasis on issues certain to resonate with students’ practical and existential concerns. The final section on Chinese religion introduces readers to state-of-the-art debates about the religious and metaphysical commitments of the Confucian and Taoist tradition and provides opportunities for cross-cultural comparisons.” — Robert C. Koons, University of Texas at AustinComments on Previous Editions“This is an excellent collection, combining the best of the classical treatments of these venerable topics with fine contemporary readings (some of them unique to this volume). It also contains a judicious mixture of arguments in favor of theism and arguments against. Finally, the book is to be commended for including a larger number of pieces by women than these volumes usually do.” — John Hare, Yale University“Clark’s judicious selections are accessible to undergraduates; nevertheless, the anthology thoroughly covers the important topics and covers them in professionally fine style.” — Alvin Plantinga, University of Notre DameTable of ContentsPart One: Arguments for the Existence of GodIntroductionChapter 1: The Ontological ArgumentSt. Anselm and Gaunilo, “The Ontological Argument”Laura Garcia, “Ontological Arguments for God’s Existence”Chapter 2: The Cosmological ArgumentThomas Aquinas, “The Five Ways”Gottfried Willhelm Leibniz, “On the Ultimate Origination of Things”William Lane Craig, “The Kalaam Version of the Cosmological Argument”Chapter 3: The Argument from DesignWilliam Paley, “The Watch and the Watchmaker”David Hume, “Critique of the Argument from Design”Robin Collins, “A Scientific Argument for the Existence of God: The Fine-Tuning Design Argument””Chapter 4: Moral ArgumentsPlato, “Euthyphro”Robert Merrihew Adams, “Moral Arguments for Theistic Belief”Linda Zagzebski, “Does Ethics Need God?”Chapter 5: Religious ExperienceWilliam P. Alston, “The Experiential Basis of Theism”Chapter 6: Naturalism Refuted?Alvin Plantinga, “The Self-Refutation of Naturalism”Chapter 7: The Balance of ProbabilitiesRichard Swinburne, “A Cumulative Case for the Existence of God”J.L. Mackie, “The Balance of Probabilities”Chapter 8: Reflections on Arguments for the Existence of GodAlvin Plantinga, “Arguing for God”William J. Wainwright, “The Nature of Reason”Suggestions for Further StudyPart Two: Reason and Belief in GodIntroductionChapter 9: The Need for EvidenceW.K. Clifford, “The Ethics of Belief ”Chapter 10: Reformed EpistemologyKelly James Clark, “Without Evidence or Argument”Chapter 11: Wittgensteinian FideismNorman Malcolm, “The Groundlessness of Belief”Chapter 12: Pragmatic Justification of Religious BeliefBlaise Pascal, “The Wager”William James, “The Will to Believe”Chapter 13: Debunking Religious BeliefPaul Bloom, “Is God an Accident?”Aku Visala and David Leach, “Naturalistic Explanations of Belief in God”Chapter 14: Reflections on Reason and Belief in GodRaymond J. VanArragon, “Reconciling Reason and Religious Belief”Suggestions for Further StudyPart Three: Critiques of GodIntroductionChapter 15: The Hermeneutics of SuspicionKarl Marx, “The Opium of the Masses”Friedrich Nietzsche, “Religion as Resentment”Sigmund Freud, “The Future of an Illusion”Chapter 16: Reflections on the Hermeneutics of SuspicionMerold Westphal, “Taking Suspicion Seriously: The Religious Uses of Modern Atheism”Suggestions for Further StudyPart Four: God and Human SufferingIntroductionChapter 17: The Problem of EvilDavid Hume, “God and Evil”Chapter 18: Plantinga’s Free Will DefensePaul Tidman, “The Free Will Defense”Chapter 19: TheodicyJohn Hick, “The Soul-Making Theodicy”Marilyn McCord Adams, “Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God”Daniel Howard-Snyder, “Theodicy”Chapter 20: The Evidential Problem of EvilWilliam Rowe, “The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism”Daniel Howard-Snyder, “Rowe’s Argument from Particular Horrors”Chapter 21: Reflections on God and Human SufferingNicholas Wolterstorff, “The Silence of the God Who Speaks”Suggestions for Further StudyPart Five: Divine Language and AttributesIntroductionChapter 22: Speaking of GodThomas Aquinas, “Speaking of God”Dan R. Stiver, “‘The Greatest Thing by Far’: Metaphor as the Hermeneutical Key to Hermeneutics”Elizabeth Burns, “Classical and Revisionary Theism on the Divine as Personal”Chapter 23: Does God Suffer?Johannes Scotus Eriugena, “Divine Impassibility”Nicholas Wolterstorff, “Suffering Love”Chapter 24: PrayerThomas Aquinas, “Whether It Is Becoming to Pray”Eleonore Stump, “Petitionary Prayer”Chapter 25: Is There a Hell?Stephen T. Davis, “Universalism, Hell, and the Fate of the Ignorant”Marilyn McCord Adams, “The Problem of Hell: A Problem of Evil For Christians”Chapter 26: Religious PluralismJohn Hick, “The Philosophy of Religious Pluralism”Peter van Inwagen, “Non Est Hick”Jeanine Diller, “Multiple Religious Orientation”Chapter 27: Feminist TheologyPatricia Altenbernd Johnson, “Feminist Christian Philosophy?”Harriet Baber, “Why Feminist Epistemology Sells”Chapter 28: Reflections on Divine Language & AttributesStephen T. Davis, “Three Conceptions of God in Contemporary Christian Philosophy”Suggestions for Further StudyPart Six: Chinese Philosophy of ReligionIntroductionChapter 29: The Ancient Texts“The Announcement to the Prince of Kang”The Book of RitesThe Book of OdesThe Analects The Daode Jing of LaoziChapter 30: “Confucian” ReligionKelly James Clark and Justin Winslett, “The Evolutionary Psychology of Chinese Religion”Robert B. Louden, “‘What Does Heaven Say?’: Tian 天 in the Analects”Ronnie Littlejohn, “Confucius on Religious Experience”Chapter 31: Reflections in the Daode JingFranklin Perkins, “Divergences within the Lǎozǐ”Chapter 32: Ritual, Religion and NaturalismEdward J. Machle, “Xunzi as a Religious Philosopher”Sor-Hoon Tan, “Li (Ritual/Rite) and Tian (Heaven/Nature) in the Xunzi: Does Confucian Li Need Metaphysics?”Suggestions for Further Study

Read more less

Book SynopsisPeter Alward’s rigorous introductory text functions as a roadmap for students, laying out the key issues, positions, and arguments of academic philosophy. The book covers central topics in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. An introductory chapter presents the foundations of philosophical discourse and offers a primer on the basics of logic. Those argumentative tools are then employed to address classic philosophical issues such as the relationship between body and mind, skepticism, the possibility of free will, and the existence of God. Later chapters engage issues of morality, justice, and liberty, as well as moral questions concerning abortion and the practice of punishment. Throughout, Alward aims for clarity, providing summaries, diagrams, and reflective questions to assist the student reader.Trade Review“I have been searching for a way to introduce students to philosophy that acquaints them with both the style of philosophical reasoning and the kinds of problems that demand philosophical attention. Peter Alward’s text is an enormously successful effort in this direction. Clearly written and well organized, this book promises to develop students’ philosophical sensibilities and to equip them with a foundation that will enable them to profitably explore a variety of philosophical subdisciplines.” — Chris Haufe, Case Western Reserve University“This introductory textbook is clearly written, well organized, and user-friendly. Another virtue of the book is its coverage of a wider range of issues than is usual. Instructors will appreciate having the option of exposing students to topics such as modality and causation, for example, or truth and fiction, as well as to the standard ones. The chapter on philosophy of religion—which artfully frames the discussion in terms of questions about the nature of gods, rather than in the typical narrow, traditional, monotheistic manner—seems especially likely to disturb students’ dogmatic pre-philosophical slumbers.” — Thomas Adajian, James Madison University“Professor Alward’s textbook is both comprehensive and lucid, covering a breadth of philosophical topics in a way that will be understandable to students new to the subject. I look forward to using this book in my own teaching.” — Paul Simard Smith, University of WindsorTable of Contents Introduction Dedication Chapter 1: Philosophy PART I: METAPHYSICS AND EPISTEMOLOGY Chapter 2: Mind and Body Chapter 3: Knowledge and Skepticism Chapter 4: Personal Identity and Survival Chapter 5: Free Will and Determinism Chapter 6: Modality and Causation Chapter 7: God and Religion Chapter 8: Truth and Fiction PART II: ETHICS AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY General Principles Chapter 9: Moral Skepticism Chapter 10: Moral Realism Chapter 11: Justice Chapter 12: Liberty Applications Chapter 13: Abortion Chapter 14: Punishment

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis concise anthology collects important historical and contemporary readings on the central ethical theories, including Divine Command Theory, Consequentialism, Deontology, Virtue Ethics, and Feminist Ethics. Each section includes two or three of the most important contributions to the field, together with brief introductions from the editors. This new third edition offers expanded coverage of meta-ethics through the addition of thought-provoking readings from Susan Wolf, Gilbert Harman, and others. The number of selections from women authors has also increased.Trade Review“The third edition of Ethical Theory: A Concise Anthology, edited by Heimir Geirsson and Margaret R. Holmgren, is one of my favorite textbooks. It couples historical readings with contemporary moral applications. The canonical readings on ethical theory are accessible to undergraduates, while the compelling applications that follow each section clearly demonstrate to students the relevance of those timeless theories. Because the chapters are topically varied and intellectually rigorous, I do not find it necessary to supplement with additional readings. This book can be used as a stand-alone text in any undergraduate ethical theory course.” — Nancy Williams, Wofford College “No revised edition of an anthology will please every instructor who uses it, I suspect, but I found much more to please than displease me in the third edition of Ethical Theory: A Concise Anthology. The anthology continues to earn its subtitle, eliminating eight articles or excerpts from the second edition to make room for eight replacements.… I would consider adding all eight of the replacement selections to my syllabus if I had enough room.” — George Felis, University of North Carolina WilmingtonTable of Contents Chapter One: Meta-Ethics Introduction 1. William H. Shaw, “Relativism and Objectivity in Ethics” 2. Gilbert Harman, “Ethics and Observation” 3. Joseph J. Fins, “Encountering Diversity: Medical Ethics and Pluralism” 4. Susan Wolf, “Sanity and the Metaphysics of Responsibility” Chapter Two: Divine Command Theory Introduction 5. Plato, Euthyphro 6. The Bible, The Story of Abraham Chapter Three: Egoism Introduction 7. Plato, “The Myth of Gyges” 8. James Rachels, “Egoism and Moral Scepticism” Chapter Four: Consequentialism Introduction 9. John Stuart Mill, Selection from Utilitarianism 10. John Rawls, “Two Concepts of Rules” 11. Peter Singer, “Rich and Poor” 12. Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” Chapter Five: Deontology Introduction 13. Immanuel Kant, Selection from The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals 14. Onora O’Neill, “A Simplified Version of Kant's Ethics: Perplexities of Famine and World Hunger” 15. Judith Jarvis Thomson, “The Trolley Problem” 16. Thomas Nagel, “Moral Luck” Chapter Six: Moral Pluralism Introduction 17. W.D. Ross, “What Makes Right Acts Right?” 18. John Kekes, “Pluralism and the Value of Life” 19. Robert Hood, “Global Warming” 20. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, “How Strong is This Obligation?” Chapter Seven: Virtue Ethics Introduction 21. Aristotle, Selection from Nicomachean Ethics 22. Ogyen Trinley Dorje, “Consumerism and Greed” 23. Susan Wolf, “Moral Saints” Chapter Eight: Feminist Ethics Introduction 24. Hilde Lindemann, “Standard Moral Theories from a Feminist Perspective” 25. Nel Noddings, “Women and Caring” 26. Laurie Shrage, “Prostitution and the Case for Decriminalization”

Read more less

Book SynopsisExperiencing Philosophy begins with the assumption that philosophy is not merely something you know but also something you experience and participate in. The book presents philosophical theories and ideas with reference to their practical relevance to the lives of student readers. To this end, a number of engaging features and inserts are provided: Original Sources: Numerous primary readings are included, introducing students directly to the philosophical work of diverse thinkers ranging from Plato to Martin Luther King Jr. Each reading is thoughtfully excerpted and followed by reflective questions. Philosopher Profiles: Abstract ideas are connected to the lives of real historical figures through fascinating biographical profiles. Take It Personally: To illustrate how philosophy can be useful and relevant, each chapter begins by placing the material in a personal context. Know Thyself Diagnostics: This book takes seriously—as did Socrates—the Delphic Oracle’s dictum to “know thyself.” Students are given self-diagnostics to explore their own philosophical values, ideals, and beliefs. Philosophers in Action: Philosophy is something you do, not just something you know. Prompts are provided throughout the text inviting students to conduct thought experiments, analyze concepts, and discuss and debate controversial points. Thinking about Your Thinking: These metacognitive prompts require students to engage in higher-order thinking, not only about the presented readings and ideas but also with respect to their own values, assumptions, and beliefs. Plus: Built-in study guides, diagrams, famous philosophical quotations, comics, feature boxes, and more! Trade Review“Experiencing Philosophy is a long-awaited comprehensive introduction to philosophy that brings the diversity of the philosophical landscape to the fore by introducing students to some widely overlooked but highly significant excerpts from non-Western philosophical traditions. Anthony Falikowski and Susan Mills present a clear, accessible, and argumentative narrative of key philosophical concepts in their introductions to the original sources. Most importantly, they make philosophy applied and relevant to human life. This book undeniably marks a new prospect for teaching and learning philosophy.” — Seyed N. Mousavian, Loyola University Chicago“In a spirit similar to Nietzsche’s ‘Back to the Earth’ and Wittgenstein’s ‘Back to the Rough Ground,’ Experiencing Philosophy does a beautiful job of bringing the practical and therapeutic values of philosophy back to students’ everyday lives. Its friendly, engaging, and sometimes personal tone will no doubt attract beginning students into a fascinating journey of philosophizing as living and living as philosophizing.” — Puqun Li, author of A Guide to Asian Philosophy Classics “This is an exceptional introductory textbook. Student-friendly and graphically attractive, the book has many useful pedagogical elements that will benefit readers. It covers a wide range of classic and contemporary issues, thus offering instructors considerable flexibility in their syllabus development and course presentations. Highly recommended.” — Mazen Guirguis, Kwantlen Polytechnic University“Covering classical excerpts from both historical and contemporary perspectives, Experiencing Philosophy does an excellent job of introducing the different branches of philosophy. This book is a one-stop shop for both students and instructors.” — Ataollah Hashemi, Saint Louis University“Experiencing Philosophy is one of the best undergraduate textbooks of philosophy I’ve seen, both in content and in presentation. Its usefulness spans at least the first two years of study in philosophy, reducing the cost to students who are often obligated to invest in several texts. I was pleased to see that, as well as standard foundational philosophy, this text offers the latest in philosophical developments such as philosophy as therapy.” — Peter B. Raabe, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, and Philosophical CounselorTable of Contents Chapter 1: What is Philosophy? 1.1 What is a Philosopher? 1.2 The Practical Value of Philosophy 1.3 Fields of Philosophy 1.4 Approaches to Philosophy Chapter 2: Understanding Arguments, Claims, and Fallacies of Reasoning 2.1 What is an Argument? 2.2 Deductive Arguments 2.3 Non-Deductive Arguments 2.4 Evaluating Claims 2.5 Informal Logical Fallacies Chapter 3: Philosophies of Life 3.1 Stoicism: A Prescription for Peace of Mind 3.2 Existentialism: Born Free, Let Me Be Me 3.3 The Meaning of Life 3.4 Hedonism: Pleasure is the Measure 3.5 Buddhism as a Philosophy of Life Chapter 4: Epistemology, Metaphysics, and God 4.1 Preliminary Questions and Definitions 4.2 Plato's Metaphysical Epistemology 4.3 René Descartes's Rational Method of Doubt 4.4 John Locke's Empiricist Theory of Ideas 4.5 David Hume's Radical Skepticism 4.6 Immanuel Kant's Synthesis of Reason and Sensory Experience 4.7 Critiques of Traditional Western Approaches to Epistemology and Metaphysics 4.8 Proofs for the Existence of God Chapter 5: Ethics and Moral Decision Making 5.1 Plato's Character Ethics 5.2 Aristotle's Virtue Ethics 5.3 Jeremy Bentham's Utilitarian Ethics 5.4 Immanuel Kant's Deontological Ethics 5.5 Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings's Care Ethics 5.6 Friedrich Nietzsche's Will to Power 5.7 Religion and Ethics: Islamic, Hindu, and Christian Perspectives Chapter 6: Political Philosophy 6.1 Political Philosophy versus Politics and Political Science 6.2 Plato's Republic 6.3 Thomas Hobbes and John Locke's Social Contract Theories 6.4 Karl Marx's Socialism 6.5 Martin Luther King Jr.'s Philosophy of Nonviolence

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book will not introduce you to any philosopher or philosophy in particular. Instead it will introduce you to the main questions and answers that interest philosophy and its major practitioners. If you ever asked yourself: What, exactly, is philosophy? and what do philosophers do, anyway? or, if you are a new student in this field and in search of guidance, then, this book is for you.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most important thoughts of Israel Regardie lie within the pages of this book. This unique compilation of essays and commentaries span his early career right up to his passing thru the veil. Every student and master will find this Volume both valuable and fascinating. Israel Regardie was a fascinating figure and larger than life philosopher, capable of kindness and humor while defending truth and justice. His writings capture his capacity for both intellectual rigour and a refreshing sensitive insightfulness. This is the very best of Regardie, an instant classic, and a must read for the esoteric student.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis Asking Good Questions moves beyond a traditional discussion of ethical theory, focusing on how educators can use these important frameworks to facilitate critical thinking about real-life ethical dilemmas. In this way, authors Nancy Stanlick and Michael Strawser offer students a theoretical tool kit for creatively addressing issues that influence their own environments. This text begins with a discussion of key ethical theorists and then guides the reader through a series of original case studies and follow-up activities that facilitate critical thinking, emphasize asking thought provoking questions, and teach the student to address the complexity of ethical dilemmas while incorporating the viewpoints of their peers. Additionally, Stanlick and Strawser include an extensive preface, a mind-mapping technique for analyzing and formulating arguments, and a six step process for approaching complex real-life moral issues. Each chapter incorporates suggested assignments, discussion questions, and references for further reading, and a guide for instructors offering a sample course schedule and suggestions on how to use this book effectively is also available. This text is designed to help educators engage students in a meaningful discussion of how historical theories apply to their own lives, providing rich and unique resources to learn about these critical issues.

Read more less

Book Synopsis Asking Good Questions moves beyond a traditional discussion of ethical theory, focusing on how educators can use these important frameworks to facilitate critical thinking about real-life ethical dilemmas. In this way, authors Nancy Stanlick and Michael Strawser offer students a theoretical tool kit for creatively addressing issues that influence their own environments. This text begins with a discussion of key ethical theorists and then guides the reader through a series of original case studies and follow-up activities that facilitate critical thinking, emphasize asking thought provoking questions, and teach the student to address the complexity of ethical dilemmas while incorporating the viewpoints of their peers. Additionally, Stanlick and Strawser include an extensive preface, a mind-mapping technique for analyzing and formulating arguments, and a six step process for approaching complex real-life moral issues. Each chapter incorporates suggested assignments, discussion questions, and references for further reading, and a guide for instructors offering a sample course schedule and suggestions on how to use this book effectively is also available. This text is designed to help educators engage students in a meaningful discussion of how historical theories apply to their own lives, providing rich and unique resources to learn about these critical issues.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisEva Brann, who has been teaching at St. Johns College, Annapolis, for sixty years, wrote these essays largely as clarifying incitements to students who were reading, or ought to have been reading, the works discussed. In her words: The first essay looks at the Pre-Socratics Heraclitus and Parmenides. They appear to be in radical opposition, but they are really doing the same, new thing: seeing the world as an intelligible whole. Both observe external nature, construing it in their mindsso, from the outside in. The final essay again describes two ways of world-construing from the outside inone by penetrating the surface of reality, the other by spinning a web of complexity over it. The five essays in between focus on works by Kant and display the world as constituted from the human inside out. An appreciative review of the Critique of Pure Reason shows how Kant brilliantly justifies a science of nature by making nature itself the construct of our understanding. But he leads us to the abyss of more idealism; externality and realism escape him. The explication of his one absolute moral commandment similarly defines his morality entirely in terms divorced from objective good and concentrated on internal integrity. Finally, his huge unpublished legacy agonizes about bringing a god, first conceived as an inner need, into external existence.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"As iron filings configure themselves around a magnet, so these essays display Eva Branns form of oppositional, or polar, thinking. To introduce her book, Eva Brann calls up the image of Iron Filings as they "settle themselves along the lines of force that form a field of influence around a bar magnet that has itself been allowed to settle itself in its natural direction. The whole configuration makes, by natures wit, a suggestive figure for the thinking mind -- at least of a cross-section in its life." So these essays range from Ms. Branns thoughts "Of God, "Of Novels, "Of Booklessness, to, well, a surprising diversity of topics which comes, unsurprisingly to completion with an essay "Of Endings. Eva Brann thinks a thought and then thinks a thought somewhat on the other side of the first thought -- hence the display of thought like iron filings around two ends of a magnet.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhilosophy begins in the middle of ordinary experience. Consider these four aspects of daily life: we have conversations which require us to strive to make ourselves understood and to understand others; we easily pick out nameable items in the world and also sense how the things around us hang together; we count things and do simple arithmetic, and are sure we know what were doing; we give reasons for knowing the things we claim to know. Philosophy gets off the ground when we ask how it is possible that we are already doing these things. Wakefulness and World takes up this question by reading works by Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Hegel. The invitation is two-fold: to accompany the author in reading some philosophical texts and to think together about the manifest and puzzling intelligibility of the world.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Upanishads are ancient philosophical texts advising to learn from a spiritual teacher to get closer to the Supreme Person, Krsna. The translation and commentary by Srila Prabhupada follow the teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavas like Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja, ensuring a legitimate understanding of Upanishadic knowledge.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrabhupada, a prominent teacher of self-realization, delves into meditation, yoga, karma liberation, and superconsciousness in the 1970s and today. His teachings draw from Gaudiya Vaishnavas tradition, influenced by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVolume I: From the Puritans through Transcendentalism. Volume I: From the St. Louis Hegelians through C. I. Lewis

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Lemos' Freedom, Responsibility, and Determinism offers an up-to-date introduction to free will (and associated) debates in an engaging, dialogic format that recommends it for use by beginning students in philosophy as well as by undergraduates in intermediate courses in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and action theory.Trade ReviewThere has been a great deal of philosophical progress in the free will debate in the last two generations, and much of this progress has been complex and rather technical. In less than one hundred pages, John Lemos manages to introduce the reader to this debate, as well as to related debates about religion and science as they relate to free will--without dumbing down and in a pleasant, accessible dialogue form. This is an impressive achievement. --Saul Smilansky, Professor of Philosophy, University of HaifaLemos' dialogue on free will is up to the standards of the very best of Hackett's excellent previous introductory dialogues on philosophical topics. --Robert Kane, University Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy Emeritus and Professor of Law, University of Texas at AustinAccessible, substansive, and well-organized. Intelligent use of the dialogue form. --Raymond Belliotti, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Philosophy, SUNY Fredonia

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe present volume is a collection of original articles of high quality on the Philosophy of Science by philosophers and scientists of international repute. As the title of the book suggests, it looks at the various points of view of leading practitioners, as well as philosophers on the nature and structure of our knowledge of the physical world. The present work brings forth the fundamental ideas of Bacon, Galileo, Newton, Descartes, Popper, Einstein, Thomas Kuhn and several other leading scientists and philosophers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe main purpose of this book is to investigate, from the philosophical point of view, the concept of mind in some quickly developing fields of contemporary science, from physics and cosmology to biology and cognitive science. New scientific investigations have brought many empirical results that help to explain natural phenomena from quantum states to human thinking, yet the question of the nature of the mind itself is still open. In this book, the authors discuss several philosophical problems raised or reformulated by recent scientific discoveries. The authors use an interdisciplinary and holistic approach that bridges the gap between scientific and humanistic pictures of the mind.

Read more less

Book SynopsisScepticism was a central topic in the culture of ancient Greece, the source of Western civilisation. Over some three thousand years scepticism remains an important tool with which to hone new ideas. With the advent of science and the opportunity for independent verification of concepts, scepticism has assumed a more central role in contemporary culture, requiring constant modification and updating. This volume has attempted to discuss scepticism in the context of both science and the humanities with 33 chapters covering a wide range of subjects without any attempt at being comprehensive. The authors come from different disciplines, though all have focused on the role of scepticism in their subjects. The editors have contributed short introductory and linking texts in an attempt to provide a smooth continuity between some chapters that are aimed at aiding the reader''s transition between sections.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of the philosophy of the mind. Topics discussed in this compilation include the concepts of hope and belief; how consciousness builds the subject through relating and human behaviour; analysing the neurophysiological mechanism of qigong on the mind and brain activity; the conscious and unconscious mind and implications for society, religion, and disease; how the mind is shaped by culture; and the power of computational mathematics to explore some of the universal ways by which each human mind builds its image of the world.

Read more less