Popular philosophy Books

Book SynopsisReasons Not to Worry is an accessible introduction to the Stoic principles of virtue, moderation and self-discipline, adapting this ancient knowledge to inspire practical advice for everyday life.We''re all searching for answers to the biggest questions: How can we be good? Find calm? Properly grieve? Beat FOMO? Work out what truly matters? Well, the good news is that the wisest minds in history asked the exact same questions - and they found answers. The ancient philosophy of Stoicism shows us that we are already in possession of the very tools we need to excavate this much-needed wisdom for ourselves.So into the past we go with journalist Brigid Delaney, to a time not unlike our own: one full of pandemonium, war, plagues, pestilence, treachery, corruption, anxiety, overindulgence, and - even back then - the fear of a climate apocalypse. By living and learning the teachings of three ancient guides, Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, Brigid shows us how we can apply their lessons to our modern lives in a way that allows us to regain a sense of agency and tranquillity.Stoicism can be a tough medicine to swallow, but no longer - this book is awash with insight, humour and compassion. Timely, so very useful, and filled to the brim with ways you can wrest back control, here are all the reasons not to worry.Trade ReviewBrigid has the most incredible gift of taking seemingly complex and esoteric concepts and explaining them to the reader in a way that is generous and clear, but above all, relatable. Reading this book is like having a long walk with your cool big sister while she just happens to be giving you the skinny on Greco- Roman philosophy. * Ben Lee *Reasons Not to Worry is both an introduction and an interrogation of Stoicism. With acute thoughtfulness and a genial lightness, Delaney convinces us that this ancient philosophy is still relevant and necessary. I appreciated the kindness in this book and I was grateful for the care and commitment and joy of the writing and argument. -- Christos Tsiolkas * author of Damascus and Seven and a Half *It's hard not to think of a better philosophy with which to face the silly season ... [Reasons Not to Worry] is insightful and surprisingly fun. * Qantas Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Name of God is Mercy, Pope Francis' exploration on the universal theme of mercy, is a spiritual inspiration to both followers of Christianity and non-Christians around the world.Drawing on his own experience as a priest and shepherd, Pope Francis discusses mercy, a subject of central importance in his religious teaching and testimony, and in addition sums up other ideas – reconciliation, the closeness of God – that comprise the heart of his papacy. Written in conversation with Vatican expert and La Stampa journalist Andrea Tornielli, The Name of God is Mercy is directed at everyone, inside or outside of the Catholic Church, seeking meaning in life, a road to peace and reconciliation, or the healing of physical or spiritual wounds.Trade ReviewPope Francis's chatty tone, his repeated references to episodes in his own life and his clear, down-to-earth language, so rarely found in papal pronouncements, make The Name of God Is Mercy a pleasure to read. * The Guardian *Francis offers the most vivid glimpse yet of this thinking on the struggles facing the Church in the 21st Century * Sunday Telegraph *This gift for teaching - along with his inclusive vision of the world, and his warm, embracing manner - have been hallmarks of the pope's whirlwind tenure thus far in the Vatican, and they also inform his new book, The Name of God Is Mercy * The New York Times *What makes his book most moving is the way in which this man, without disrespecting his own privacy or offering false bromides of modesty (what Douthat derides as "ostentatious humility"), opens the sacred space of his conscience to explain how he came to center his ministry, and now his papacy, around mercy. * The New Yorker *Francis speaks succinctly-and with refreshing forthrightness. . . . He emphasizes moral sincerity over dogma, an understanding of the complexities of the world and individual experience over rigid doctrine. . . . The pope has an easy conversational style that moves effortlessly between folksy sayings and erudite allusions, between common-sense logic and impassioned philosophical insights -- Michiko Kakutani, The New York TimesAs he has done throughout his papacy, Pope Francis shows in this book a compelling way to present God's love anew to a skeptical world without denying the ancient teachings of faith. But now he is challenging the entire Church to trek a new way forward -- TimeFrancis enjoys sharing personal stories of God's grace and mercy in the lives of parishioners from his native Argentina, people he has known and who have recognized themselves as sinners -- The Washington PostPowerful . . . Francis's book signals a plea for a change of attitude on the part of the faithful and their pastors. . . . Bishops and priests will talk and quarrel over the text for months, even years to come. And that, perhaps, is what Francis intends -- Financial Times

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Soames's book is an excellent introduction to the relevance of philosophy in the contemporary world. . . . Highly recommended." * Choice *"An erudite riposte to the accusation that philosophy has little practical relevance." * Paradigm Explorer *"Soames demonstrates how philosophy shaped our world while at the same time developing a spectacular one-volume history of Western philosophy in the analytic tradition. On those grounds alone, that makes this work a profound achievement."---Brendan Patrick Purdy, Law & Liberty

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Book SynopsisDo you want to know what life has in store? It''s all here in this book. All the little things we learn in the course of our lives. A page a year, from nought to a hundred.5: You learn that boys and girls fall in love. Incredible!13: When will your parents learn? Not in front of your friends.36: A dream came true, but it feels different than you thought. 45: Do you like yourself as you are?75: You learn to unlearn things. Can you still do a somersault? 86: Everything can be different in every moment. How does our perception of the world change in the course of a lifetime? When Heike Faller''s niece was born she began to wonder what we learn in life, and how we can talk about what we have learnt with those we love. And so she began to ask everyone she met, what did you learn in life? Out of the answers of children''s writers and refugees, teenagers and artists, mothers and friends, came 99 lessons: that thoTrade ReviewNow this is a truly wonderful book, about life, love, age, about all of us. I gave it to look at to a 7 year old who sat with her 75 year old grandmother, and both were intent, deeply engaged, the one full of questions, the other searching still for answers. A remarkable and important book! * Michael Morpurgo *Praise for the German edition -- :Probably the most beautiful and touching book of the year * Die Presse *A great reading pleasure for the whole family, for all generations. * SRF Literary Club *A very philosophical, unusually beautiful book * rbb zibb *Like a poem about life * einfach.sein *A masterpiece * Berliner Zeitung *A wonderful book about the little and big moments that astonish us in life * Laviva *With my current favorite book Hundred, I spend hours on the sofa learning new things about life. * style *

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Book SynopsisFeatures numbers that define the essence of the Universe. They tell us how strong its forces are, and what its fundamental laws can do: the strength of gravity, of magnetism, the speed of light and the masses of the smallest particles of matter. They express our greatest knowledge and our greatest ignorance about the cosmos.Trade ReviewHis appeal lies in a winning way with historical anecdote and apt quotation and a forceful eloquence * Sunday Telegraph *A distinguished cosmologist * Sunday Times *Barrow is a fantastic storyteller. The book is full of wonderful moments, vignettes that you will want to remember * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisGenius is highly individual and unique yet it shares a compelling quality. In this intriguing introduction Andrew Robinson uses the life and work of familiar geniuses - and some less familiar - to consider what their achievements have in common; whether its heredity, education, hard work, intelligence or just plain luck.Table of Contents1. Defining genius ; 2. Not running in the family ; 3. The schooling of genius ; 4. Intelligence versus genius ; 5. Genius and madness ; 6. Chameleon personalities ; 7. Art versus sciences ; 8. Eureka experiences ; 9. Perspiration and inspiration ; 10. Genius and us

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Book SynopsisMany scientists and scientifically-minded commentators are skeptical that free will exists. In clear, scientifically rigorous terms, Christian List explains that free will is like other real phenomena that emerge from physical processes but are autonomous from them—like an ecosystem or the economy—and are indispensable for explaining our world.Trade ReviewIn Why Free Will Is Real, List does as advertised, advancing a novel, intriguing view of free will and making a thoughtful case for the thesis that free will, as he conceives of it, is real. This book is a pleasure to read. -- Alfred Mele, Florida State UniversityAn original and challenging new contribution to contemporary debates about free will. After making a compelling case for the irreducibility of different explanatory levels of reality, Christian List argues that free will requires indeterminism at the psychological level of explanation, but not at the physical level, where it is compatible with determinism. His arguments in support of these claims address a host of potential objections and include insightful appeals to new developments in the logic of agency and branching time, among other novel arguments. -- Robert H. Kane, The University of Texas at AustinMany philosophers have suggested that we may be causally determined at the neurophysiological level, but not at the psychological. List is the first to work out a detailed proposal of how this might work, and of how it can underpin an account of free will. Developing ideas from theories of causation and of counterfactuals, it provides an incisive and accessible introduction to contemporary thinking about how we might be free in a causally-determined world. -- Richard Holton, University of CambridgeAccessible, clear and convincing…List’s carefully crafted argument may help many of us sleep more soundly, being further assured that we can choose how to live our own lives. -- Ellie Lasater-Guttman * LSE Review of Books *List argues that free will is not explained away through science by looking at the activity in our brain…A wonderful defense of free will accessibly written for readers new to the topic. * Library Journal *Well argued and admirably sets out the challenges to free will that, when coupled with its clarity, make it an excellent gateway into the contemporary free will debate. -- Logan B. Weir * Review of Metaphysics *A fresh defense of the existence of free will against those of its skeptics who claim that free will has no place within a scientifically respectable worldview…There’s much to admire and recommend in List’s book. It’s pithy, clear, and well-organized while managing to provide highly original and thought-provoking arguments. -- James Goodrich * Journal of Moral Philosophy *Highly original…List defends the claim that we have libertarian free will in a new and important way. -- Derk Pereboom * Criminal Law and Philosophy *

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Book SynopsisDo you ever get the feeling that something went wrong? What with credit crunches, wars, congestion charges, and unemployment, it is natural to hark back to less complicated times. In this witty and inspiring book, Mark Vernon does just that. However, we are not talking about the 1980s – try 400BC! Filled with timeless insight into life, relationships, work and partying, Plato's Podcasts takes a sideways glance at modern living and presents the would-be thoughts of Ancient Philosophers on various topics central to our 21st century existence. From Plato on podcasts to Epicurus on bottled water, this is a funny but profound take on what life means today (and two thousand years ago).Trade Review"Highly engaging and Vernon has a good eye for the colourfully weird detail." * The Guardian *"Engaging and stimulating, full of fascinating anecdotes and provocative contentions. If you want to find out more about how philosophy began, then Vernon is your guide. " * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisWhy is it so hard to live well amidst the chaos and noise? While you might think this is a problem of the modern world, it''s a timeless issue. 2000 years ago, the ancient Stoics talked about the exact same challenges we''re facing today, like: How can we find inner peace? What does it take to be happy? Can we become more resilient? The answers can be found in the philosophy of Stoicism. I''ve used the philosophy since 2014 to change my life and career. Focus on What Matters is a collection of 70 letters/essays I wrote about different aspects of life, from happiness, wealth, health to relationships and much more. These letters, inspired by the original works of the Stoic philosopher Seneca, serve as reminders to focus on the right things in our chaotic lives.

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Book SynopsisAn account of the complex relationship between technology and romanticism that links nineteenth-century monsters, automata, and mesmerism with twenty-first-century technology's magic devices and romantic cyborgs.Romanticism and technology are widely assumed to be opposed to each other. Romanticism—understood as a reaction against rationalism and objectivity—is perhaps the last thing users and developers of information and communication technology (ICT) think about when they engage with computer programs and electronic devices. And yet, as Mark Coeckelbergh argues in this book, this way of thinking about technology is itself shaped by romanticism and obscures a better and deeper understanding of our relationship to technology. Coeckelbergh describes the complex relationship between technology and romanticism that links nineteenth-century monsters, automata, and mesmerism with twenty-first-century technology's magic devices and romantic cyborgs.Coeckelbergh a

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Book SynopsisAn argument in favor of finding a place for humans (and humanness) in the future digital economy.In the digital economy, accountants, baristas, and cashiers can be automated out of employment; so can surgeons, airline pilots, and cab drivers. Machines will be able to do these jobs more efficiently, accurately, and inexpensively. But, Nicholas Agar warns in this provocative book, these developments could result in a radically disempowered humanity.The digital revolution has brought us new gadgets and new things to do with them. The digital revolution also brings the digital economy, with machines capable of doing humans' jobs. Agar explains that developments in artificial intelligence enable computers to take over not just routine tasks but also the kind of “mind work” that previously relied on human intellect, and that this threatens human agency. The solution, Agar argues, is a hybrid social-digital economy. The key value of the digital economy is efficien

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Book Synopsis''Beautiful, moving, profoundly imaginative in itself - this book is as entertaining as it is relevant and practical'' ALAIN DE BOTTON''Anyone who has an imagination - that is, everyone - should read this book'' EDWARD ENNINFUL''An extraordinary book - an elaborate cabinet of curiosities'' SPECTATORFor some, the imagination is a luxury in the modern age; something which is by turns elusive, difficult to employ and better left to others. But what is it to imagine exactly? How do we go about it, and why is it so important that we imagine for ourselves?In this insightful and life-affirming book, Albert Read puts the imagination back at the forefront of our lives. Not merely a nebulous concept reserved for artists and creatives, it is a muscle - an essential faculty of the mind to be trained and developed over a lifetime. It is boundless in its potential, infinitely rewarding and central to human achievement.Spanning pre-historic times through to the twenty-first century, The Imagination Muscle explores the genesis of ideas - from Thomas Edison''s serial embracing of failure to Jane Jacobs'' vision of how we should build cities together; from Steve Jobs'' approach to office design to the Japanese concept of Ma. Touching on art, music, film, literature, science and entrepreneurship, this book examines how the imagination has evolved - in shape, power and pace - through the millennia.Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new Age of Technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. Discover where to find ideas, how to foster skill in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds.After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfilment and our most vital asset for the future.Trade ReviewBeautiful, moving, profoundly imaginative in itself - this book is as entertaining as it is relevant and practical -- Alain de BottonAnyone who has an imagination - that is, everyone - should read this book -- Edward EnninfulA sparkling romp through all the sunniest and most positive-feeling corners of the mind. A guidebook to free-thinking . . . A hymn to the capacity for delight -- Adam NicolsonBuoyant, beautifully distilled . . . Consistently entertaining * The Times *Super sharp ... brimming with big ideas. An extraordinary book * Spectator *What a great book . . . amazing -- Chris EvansThe perfect book for your weekend . . . in [Read's] fascinating new book, he explores how ideas have developed over thousands of years, across art, science, film, and literature, and explains how you can start find more of them * Independent *A moving hymn to creativity * Economist *

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Book SynopsisThe eminent French philosopher “dialecticizes” five of the artist Jean-Luc Moulène's objects with five conceptual formations from the history of Western philosophy.In this unique essay, first delivered as a lecture during a panel discussion with the artist and philosopher Reza Negarestani, Alain Badiou identifies and “dialecticizes” five of the artist Jean-Luc Moulène's objects with five conceptual formations from the history of Western philosophy. Aristotle's complex of matter and form is called to mind to describe the inner logic of a hard foam sculpture. A bronze statue with holes activates Plato's notion of participation of the concrete world in the “injured Idea of the Beautiful.” A small metallic and incomplete “angel” engages Leibniz's affirmation that “everything that exists is composed of an infinity of things.” Badiou's musings go on to pair a broken and repaired plastic chair with Victor Hugo; a

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Book SynopsisThis volume presents a selection of new articles examining the state of Irish philosophy during the lifetime of Ireland's most famous philosopher, Bishop George Berkeley (1685â1753). The thinkers examined include Berkeley, Robert Boyle, William King, William Molyneux, Robert Molesworth, Peter Browne, Jonathan Swift, John Toland, Thomas Prior, Samuel Madden, Arthur Dobbs, Francis Hutcheson, Mary Barber, Constantia Grierson, Laetitia Pilkington, Elizabeth Sican, and John Austin. This interdisciplinary collection includes attention both to local Irish concerns and to Ireland's relation to the broader European context, and discusses philosophical reflections on topics as diverse as religion, economics, laughter, and motherhood.Table of ContentsPreface Kenneth L. Pearce and Takaharu Oda; 1. The Irish Context of Berkeley's 'Resemblance Thesis' Manuel Fasko and Peter West; 2. Does Berkeley's Immaterialism Support Toland's Spinozism? The Posidonian Argument and the Eleventh Objection Eric Schliesser; 3. Poverty and Prosperity: Political Economics in Eighteenth-Century Ireland Marc A. Hight; 4. Berkeley's Criticisms of Shaftesbury and Hutcheson Samuel C. Rickless; 5. Francis Hutcheson on Liberty Ruth Boeker; 6. 'Plainly of Considerable Moment in Human Society': Francis Hutcheson and Polite Laughter in Eighteenth-Century Britain and Ireland Kate Davison; 7. What the Women of Dublin Did with John Locke Christine Gerrard; 8. From Serena to Hypatia: John Toland's Women Ian Leask; 9. Peter Browne on the Metaphysics of Knowledge Kenneth L. Pearce; 10. John Austin SJ (1717–84), The First Irish Catholic Cartesian? Jacob Schmutz; Index of Names.

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Book SynopsisThis collection of previously printed articles by W. Mattieu Williams is of interest to all readers who are sufficiently intelligent to prefer sober fact to sensational fiction, but who, at the same time, do not profess to be scientific specialists. The author has combined clearness and simplicity with an attempt at philosophy.

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Book SynopsisThis book is unique in its treatment of critical thinking not as a body of knowledge but instead as a subject for critical reflection. The purpose of the anthology is to turn critical thinking classes into invitations to philosophical conversations. The collection introduces students to difficult philosophical questions that surround critical thinking, moving away from dogmatism and towards philosophical dialogue. In developing these discussions, the anthology introduces students to issues in the philosophy of science, epistemology, and philosophy of religion. Selections include works by Charles S. Peirce, Stephen Jay Gould, Elizabeth Anscombe, and Richard Dawkins.Trade Review“What Should I Believe? is an excellent little volume that takes its title question seriously and tries to answer with both prudential and normative meanings. Gomberg (Chicago State Univ.) has assembled a worthy set of essays to answer this question, ranging from the classic essays of Peirce, Clifford, and James to his own sincere efforts to guide students in their understanding of belief.” — S.C. Schwarze, Cabrini College in CHOICE Volume 49.8, April 2012“This is a wonderful selection of readings for a course in Critical Thinking, as well as wonderful reading for anyone who wonders what critical thinking about difficult and controversial topics consists in—a question that concerns all of us as citizens and as human beings.” — Hilary Putnam, Cogan University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University“This is an exciting, pathbreaking anthology. In taking critical thinking itself as a topic for philosophical reflection, What Should I Believe? moves us on from John Dewey’s famous How We Think. Gomberg’s insightful commentary molds these essays into a new framework for thinking about society, science, religion—and indeed about the very character of belief. This is a fresh approach to “critical thinking” both for the classroom and for our lives.” — Arthur Fine, University of WashingtonTable of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTSPREFACETo the Instructor:Making Critical Thinking Classes More PhilosophicalINTRODUCTIONThe Philosophical Problems Raised by Critical ThinkingSECTION ITwo Defenses of Critical BeliefIntroductionFrom “The Fixation of Belief,” Charles S. PeirceFrom “The Ethics of Belief,” William K. CliffordSECTION IIUncertainty and Scrutiny in ScienceIntroductionMiracles and Scientific Research, Paul GombergFrom “The Origin of Life on Earth,” Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald GoldsmithFrom “Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs,”Stephen Jay GouldAre We Related to Other Life? Paul GombergFrom “The Perplexing Case of the Female Orgasm,”Elisabeth Lloyd with Natasha Mitchell“The Health of Black Folk: Disease, Class, and Ideology in Science,”Nancy Krieger and Mary BassettFrom Against Method, Paul FeyerabendSECTION IIIWhy Do We Believe Others?IntroductionFrom “Of Miracles,” David HumeFrom “The Ethics of Belief,” William K. CliffordFrom “The Epistemology of Testimony,” Nicholas WolterstorffFrom “What Is It to Believe Someone?” Elizabeth AnscombeTrust and Modesty in Belief and Knowledge, Paul GombergSECTION IVReligious Beliefs and Critical ScrutinyIntroductionFrom “A Scientist’s Case against God,” Richard DawkinsFrom “The Will to Believe,” William James“Clifford’s Principle and James’s Options,” Richard FeldmanBelieving Can Be Right or Wrong, Allen WoodFrom “Wittgenstein on Religious Belief,” Hilary PutnamSECTION V: EPILOGUEWhat Should I Believe?Index

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Book SynopsisAs this book richly and entertainingly demonstrates, philosophy is as much the search for the right questions as it is the search for the right answers. Robert M. Martin’s popular collection of philosophical puzzles, paradoxes, jokes, and anecdotes is updated and expanded in this third edition, with dozens of new entries.Trade ReviewThe sorts of questions Martin deals with range from the sublime (is it possible to prove the existence of the world outside your own mind?) to the ridiculous (what's the best strategy to win at Let's Make A Deal?), but all are aimed at giving his audience the tools they need to look clearly at complex problems, and distinguish false problems from real ones. Those are skills we all need, especially if we're not very good at common sense, and that, along with Martin's enthusiasm and sense of humour, makes this a perfect book for anyone who likes to think." - Alex Rettie, reviewed in Alberta Views (October 2012)"In this delightful little book Bob Martin has made philosophy both exciting and fun. I've recommended earlier editions to all my first-year students, and I've gifted it to people aged 12 to 80. Everyone loves it. Philosophy is a collection of puzzles, and Martin covers pretty much all of them, in digestible snippets. If one doesn't grab you, there'll be ten more that do." – Paul Viminitz, University of Lethbridge"I've used this book in teaching Critical Thinking, but really it's for me. It's useful and fun, and it reminds me why I love philosophy.” – Ben Caplan, Ohio State University"A wonderful book. Martin presents a wealth of puzzles, paradoxes and jokes, more than ever before, in this new and updated third edition. Frequently these raise significant philosophical issues, which are thus introduced in a natural and interesting way. This is a superb text for stimulating students’ interest and showing them how much sheer fun can be had from doing philosophy." – Adam Rieger, University of GlasgowTable of Contents Acknowledgements About This Book Chapter I: Differences That Make No Difference Chapter II: God Chapter III: Taking Chances Chapter IV: Making Choices: Decision Theory Chapter V: Logic And Paradox Chapter VI: Belief, Logic, And Intentions Chapter VII: Good And Bad Reasoning Chapter VII: Learning From Experience Chapter IX: Knowing Without Experience Chapter X: Thinking, Saying, And Meaning: The Philosophy Of Mind And Of Language Chapter XI: Here And Now; You NDI Chapter XII: Why Should I Be Moral? Chapter XIII: How To Think Morally Chapter XIV: Moral Conundrums Chapter XV: Law, Action, And Responsibility Chapter XVI: Deep Thoughts Bibliography Disclaimer

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Book SynopsisIn this “striking” meditation on the relationship between the adult self and the inner child, Jacob Needleman presents excitingly “original positions” on age old spiritual and philosophical questions—Ken WilburSeeking to reconcile the split between our inner child and our adult self, eminent philosopher and religious scholar Jacob Needleman evokes the ancient spiritual tradition of a deep dialogue between a guiding wisdom figure and a seeker. The elder offers an initiation to a younger self, an initiation the author feels is missing from our culture. Rendered as a stage play, the conversation between the 80-year-old author and his younger selves unfolds, and an ambiguity emerges as to whether this is strictly the author’s internal dialogue or whether the younger self may be nurturing a rebirth of the author.  On one level, I Am Not I brings younger readers (teenagers and young adults) face to face with powerful spiritual and philosophical ideas. But as the book progresses, the dialogue delves into questions and insights that carry astonishing new hope and vision for every man and woman, challenging our culture’s accepted—and often toxic—ideas about humanity’s place in a living universe.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2016 Prix Elysée, Martin Kollar’s new work, Provisional Arrangement, considers that which is temporary in a world made up of provisional situations and solutions. "We are tenants of culture", wrote Nicolas Bourriaud, foreseeing a world of precarious inhabitation of ideas. “I grew up in Czechoslovakia during the Communist era,” says Kollar, “and with the motto, with the Soviet Union for all Eternity – which has been one of my few experiences with eternity... People of my generation fight against the void left behind the abandoned dogmas.” It is this world that Kollar turns to, one of aborted eternities and slackened certainties – to situations which reveal the disintegration of permanences, capturing their fall into the provisional. Martin Kollar was born in Zilina, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). He studied at the Academy of Performing Arts Bratislava and has been working as a freelance photographer and cinematographer since he graduated. As a cinematographer, Martin has worked on a number of films, including Koza (2015), Velvet Terrorists (2013), Cooking History (2009), 66 Seasons (2003) and his directorial feature debut 5 October (2016). He has received several grants and awards, including the Prix Elysee and Oscar Barnack Award and his work has been exhibited across the world, including the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Slovak National Gallery (Bratislava), Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Tel Aviv Museum of Art and Musée de l'Élysée (Lausanne). His previous books include Nothing Special (2008), Cahier (2011), Field Trip (MACK, 2013) and Catalogue (Slovak National Gallery, 2015).

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Book SynopsisWhat is Man? What is his nature? Where is he going? These are but some of the questions this book is trying to find answers to. They are questions that will take us on a fascinating intellectual journey encompassing politics, history, sociology, philosophy, religion, and science. Along the way you will encounter many great thinkers such as Aristotle and Nietzsche (to name but two) as well as be confronted by some of humanity's most sublime achievements and horrific failures. After reading this book, you will have a better understanding of humankind's potential for good and evil and our chances for survival and transcendence in the not too distant future.

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Book SynopsisDesigned for complete beginners, Philosophy: Key Texts is an introduction to philosophy and gives a clear, readable overview of some of the major texts of Plato, Descartes, Hume, Mill and Nietzsche. As well as providing help in how to analyze these sources, the authors encourage the reader to question the arguments and positions presented.Trade Review'...these are very useful books, both of which I would recommend as valuable contributions to introductory literature in the field of philosophy.' - Elizabeth Burns, ThinkTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction Plato: Republic (c.375 BC) René Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) David Hume: An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding (1748) John Stuart Mill: On Liberty (1859) Friedrich Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil (1886) Jean-Paul Sartre: Existentialism and Humanism (1947) Glossary Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisAnne Karpf is a writer, medical sociologist and award-winning journalist. She has been a contributing editor to Cosmopolitan, and wrote a weekly column for the family pages of the Guardian, to which she now contributes columns on social, political and cultural issues. She also writes for the Independent on Sunday and other publications. A regular broadcaster, she writes and presents for BBC Radio 4, and is the author of three books, including The Human Voice (Bloomsbury, 2007). She is Reader in Writing and Cultural Inquiry at London Metropolitan University. Anne Karpf won the 2014 Older People in the Media award for best individual voice for How to Age and her Guardian journalism on older people's issues.Trade ReviewThis new series of The School of Life's self-help books build on the strengths of the first, tackling some of the hardest issues of our lives in a way that is genuinely informative, helpful and consoling. Here are books that prove that the term "self-help" doesn't have to be either shallow or naive -- Alain de Botton, Founder of The School of LifeThe School of Life offers radical ways to help us raid the treasure trove of human knowledge * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisDr Christopher Hamilton is Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy of Religion at King's College London. He is the author of Middle Age, part of the Art of Living series published by Acumen Books in 2009, and Living Philosophy (Edinburgh University Press, 2001).Trade ReviewThis new series of The School of Life's self-help books build on the strengths of the first, tackling some of the hardest issues of our lives in a way that is genuinely informative, helpful and consoling. Here are books that prove that the term "self-help" doesn't have to be either shallow or naive -- Alain de Botton, Founder of The School of LifeThe School of Life offers radical ways to help us raid the treasure trove of human knowledge * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThe first book to present Gilles Deleuze''s philosophy in language the nonphilosopher can understand.This book is a map of the work of Gilles Deleuze—the man Michel Foucault would call the only real philosophical intelligence in France. It is not only for professional philosophers, but for those engaged in what Deleuze called the nonphilosophical understanding of philosophy in other domains, such as the arts, architecture, design, urbanism, new technologies, and politics. For Deleuze''s philosophy is meant to go off in many directions at once, opening up zones of unforeseen connections between disciplines.Rajchman isolates the logic at the heart of Deleuze''s philosophy and the image of thought that it supposes. He then works out its implications for social and cultural thought, as well as for art and design—for how to do critical theory today. In this way he clarifies the aims and assumptions of a philosophy that looks constantly to invent new ways to affirm the free differences and the complex repetitions in the histories and spaces in which we find ourselves. He looks at the particular realism and empiricism that this affirmation implies and how they might be used to diagnose new forces confronting us today. In the process, he explores the many connections that Deleuze himself constructs in working out his philosophy, with the arts, political movements, even the neurosciences and artificial intelligence.

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