Popular philosophy Books

Book SynopsisBig Ideas in Brief provides an accessible and easily understood tour of 200 key concepts that really matter. The ideas covered come from a wide range of subjects - Philosophy, Religion, Science, Politics, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology and the Arts. A series of short and lively articles accompanied by 100 illustrations, introduce a host of diverse topics, from Existentialism to Expressionism, from Consciousness to Constitutionalism, from Feminism to Free Trade, from Class to Cognitive Theory, from Reincarnation to Relativity - all explained simply and clearly. Incredibly quick - clear artworks and simple explanations that can be easily remembered. Based on scientific research that the brain best absorbs information visually. Compact and portable format - the ideal, handy reference.Table of ContentsIntroduction. Philosophy. Religion. Science. Politics. Economics. Society. Psychology. The Arts. Index.

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Book SynopsisAn informative and accessible guide to all of the great philosophers’ best-known theories, explained through their most famous quotes.We may have heard of Socrates, Plato, Descartes and Nietzsche, but what did they believe? What were their famous aphorisms? And what did these actually mean?This Book Will Make You Think: Philosophical Quotes and What They Mean explains as simply as possible the ideas behind the world's most highly regarded philosophers, examining their beliefs and presenting choice quotes that succinctly distil their most famous theories, such as:‘No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience.’ Locke‘If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.’ Voltaire‘Whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent.’ WittgensteinWritten in an accessible and informative style, this book will help readers get to grips with the complex concepts of philosophy through the ages, and help match the theories to the names.Trade ReviewInformative and accessible * The Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisHave you ever found yourself alone with your thoughts? Have you ever been asked if the glass is half full or half empty? Do you wonder what true happiness is or how to attain it? Or maybe nothing really matters if everything is just an illusion or a dream?These ideas are some of the central questions of philosophical enquiry that have engaged, troubled and exasperated some of the greatest minds throughout the history of human civilization, provoking argument and debate in an attempt to broaden the horizons of human thought.Author Alain Stephen seeks to explore some of these key questions by tracing their origins in the writings of prominent thinkers through the ages, from the colonnades of ancient Greece to the intellectual salons of twentieth-century France, and show how these ideas and concepts have developed over time.Why We Think the Things We Think provides plenty of food for thought for both the amateur philosopher and enlightened thinker to digest.

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Book SynopsisPositive Realism could be seen as the "sequel" to Maurizio Ferraris' Manifesto of New Realism and Introduction to New Realism. The focus here is the other side of unamendability: a notion, described in his previous books, according to which reality is "unamendable", it cannot be corrected at will. This "resistance" of the real is what ultimately tells us that, in opposition to the claims of post-Kantian philosophy, the world is not a result of our conceptual work: if it were so, our power over reality would be much greater. Now, the often disappointing limits that the real sets against our expectations are also a resource: and this is the key point of the present book. Things exist, and therefore undoubtedly resist us, but in doing so they offer affordances, resources, opportunities. And that the greatest opportunity, which underlies all the other ones, is the fact that we share a world that is far from liquid: on the contrary, it provides the solid ground on which everything rests, starting from our happiness or unhappiness.

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Book Synopsis'A PROBING EXPLORATION OF THE CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF INACTIVITY' FINANCIAL TIMES 'To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world.' Oscar Wilde More than ever before, we live in a culture that excoriates inactivity and demonizes idleness. Work, connectivity and a constant flow of information are the cultural norms, and a permanent busyness pervades even our quietest moments. Little wonder so many of us are burning out. In a culture that tacitly coerces us into blind activity, the art of doing nothing is disappearing. Inactivity can induce lethargy and indifference, but is also a condition of imaginative freedom and creativity. Psychoanalyst Josh Cohen explores the paradoxical pleasures of inactivity, and considers four faces of inertia - the burnout, the slob, the daydreamer and the slacker. Drawing on his personal experiences and on stories from his consulting room, while punctuating his discussions with portraits of figures associated with the different forms of inactivity - Andy Warhol, Orson Welles, Emily Dickinson and David Foster Wallace - Cohen gets to the heart of the apathy so many of us feel when faced with the demands of contemporary life, and asks how we might live a different and more fulfilled existence.Trade Review[Writing] clearly and beguilingly, his sentences mostly unclogged with jargon... Cohen is good at revealing all the ways in which, event as the 21st century induces exhaustion, it banishes the expression of it; and everyone will recognise what he has to say about how life can feel like a facsimile, one in which we merely go through the motions, when we should be living it to the full... A light thought alongside all my dark ones -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *A probing exploration of the creative and imaginative possibilities of inactivity and a decided pushback against the "sacralisation of work" that pervades the west... Cohen usefully grounds the more theoretical wrangling of each chapter with a composite case history gleaned from his consulting room... Not Working not only instructs us in the pursuit of aimlessness, it also teaches us about the psychoanalytic process... Less doing and more being is exactly what Not Working is advocating -- Lucy Scholes * Financial Times *A compassionate and thought-provoking way of thinking about what work is and might be... a convincing case that human contentment is only possible if we value equally work and non-work and make space for simply being -- David Hayden * Irish Times *Josh Cohen knows a great deal about the forces that drive and sometimes overpower us. In this compelling new book, he explores writers and artists, brings himself and what he has learned from his patients into the mix, to make a passionate argument for the benefits of floating free from the chains of work. Scintillating -- Lisa AppignanesiA beautifully written and potently argued post-Bachelardian case for reverie, and for stopping to listen to the quieter manifestations of the inner life' -- Chloe AridjisAn eloquent defence of the necessity of the daydreamer, the artist and the slacker as part of the essential repertoire of our humanity. Offering the delicious possibility of a world slowly imagined differently and more creatively -- Maria BalshawCohen's lucid and subtle book exposes something we all know but don't know how to recognise - that work doesn't work for most people and that even when it does work it is a refuge from so many other things. Remarkable and timely, Not Working is truly clarifying -- Adam PhillipsBeautifully written and constantly surprising, Not Working combines cultural criticism, psychoanalytic insight and autobiography to cast fresh light on a malaise that every reader will recognise: our compulsion to use time productively, and our fear of what happens if we don't -- William Davies, author * Nervous States: How feeling took over the world *A good and thoughtful corrective to our age of pathological distraction. Learning to stop, Cohen contends, might just be the way to start living again -- Anthony Quinn * Mail on Sunday *Not Working is a polemic against our overwork culture and a meditation on its alternatives...a highly personal, eloquent reimagining of our lives as a space for far niente in all its unfettered idiosyncrasy...brilliant...revealing -- Barbara Taylor * Guardian *There is much food for thought in this erudite homage to catatonia -- Houman Barekat * Spectator *Gently provocative, intensely humane and exceptionally thought-provoking -- Stephanie Cross * Lady *Brilliantly strange -- Ian Sansom * Ulster Tatler *Fascinating -- Rachel Long * Refinery 29 *Not Working has an expansiveness that far exceeds its modest size... [Cohen's] writing is on the whole beautiful * Times Higher Education *Cohen is fantastically good at making us question our hard-won strategies of avoidance and resistance to stopping... engaging -- Suzanne Moore * New Statesman *If you're in the process of trying to stand still in a culture that won't let you, [Not Working] may help you hold your nerve -- Alice Bloch * Prospect *Refreshing and relatable * Idler *Interesting and provocative * Irish Tech News *

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Book SynopsisIn The Godless Gospel, Julian Baggini challenges our assumptions about Jesus - and the Christian values he promotes - by focusing solely on his teachings in the Gospel. Stripping away the religious elements, Baggini finds that Jesus's words amount to a purposeful and powerful philosophy, one that still remains applicable to the world we live in today.Trade ReviewUnlike many philosophical atheists, Julian Baggini is prepared to give close and sensitive attention to the Christian Gospels, challenging us to reflect on how far their luminous moral riches can be salvaged within a secularist framework -- John Cottingham, Professor Emeritus, University of Reading and Professor of Philosophy of Religion University of RoehamptonA superbly lucid and emotionally involving account of the New Testament story, full of thought-provoking insights for atheists, agnostics and believers alike -- Sarah BakewellThe Godless Gospel is simply stunning. Once again, Baggini shows that philosophical writing can be nuanced, erudite, and brilliantly accessible at the same time. In our uneasy age we need philosophers who engage vitally with audiences yearning for meaningful debate: Baggini is leading the vanguard -- Joanna KavennaThe Godless Gospel is a riveting account not of religious belief but of the wisdom of one of the world's greatest moral philosophers... Baggini's great gift is to be able to explain the most complex philosophical and theological arguments in language we can all easily understand... generous and warm -- Gavin Esler

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Book SynopsisA collection of meditations in the Stoic tradition. Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure provides access to the ruminations, practices, and applications of ancient Stoic philosophy as deployed by a contemporary professional philosopher with twenty five years of experience teaching, researching, and publishing articles in academic journals. Each meditation is presented in the second person, encouraging the reader to examine their struggles and failures in the pursuit of self-improvement and enlightenment.Trade ReviewWritten in the spirit of Epictetus' Manual, Bill Ferraiolo's Meditations exposes the common human fallacies that lead to depression, anxiety, guilt, anger, and other toxic emotions. From the self-defeating desire to control the minds of others to the unrealistic demand that politicians tell the truth, Ferraiolo challenges the most insidious human tendencies to undermine one's own peace and solemnity. Read it, and always keep a copy close at hand. -- Elliot D. Cohen PhD, author of What Would Aristotle Do? Self-Control through the Power of Reason Ferraiolo offers a provocative contemporary adaptation of his reading of the Stoic philosophers Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus and other ancient philosophers of similar minds. The book is well-organized and easy to read. It will be welcomed by anyone fascinated with or open to meditative philosophy of the Roman Stoic variety. An interesting and worthwhile read. -- Dr. Hugh Benson, author of Socratic Wisdom: The Model of Knowledge in Plato's Early Dialogues In this wonderful book of bracing thoughts, questions, and guidance, William Ferraiolo provides a modern version of the challenges presented to us in the ancient past by such philosophers as Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. You can read just a few pages at a time, and have much to ponder about your life, day-to-day. -- Tom Morris, bestselling author of If Aristotle Ran General Motors, The Stoic Art of Living, The Oasis Within Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure will make you pause and reflect, whether or not you agree with any or all of its contents. Written in the style of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and with a strong flavor of Epictetus, it confronts the reader with what happens if one looks at reality in the eyes and considers regulating his life accordingly. To do so takes both wisdom and courage, but Ferraiolo argues that it is well worth the effort. -- Massimo Pigliucci PhD, author of How to Be Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life

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Book SynopsisThe Daily Doctor is a page-a-day guide to living your best Time Lord life. As days turn to weeks turn to months, stay serene with your daily dose of the inspirational plans, pronouncements and principles that bring order this crazy and chaotic universe.From what it means to be human, when it's best to run and the best approach to filling your pockets, this book contains nothing less than the tao of Doctor Who - 365¼ hot tips on life and how to live it!

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Book Synopsis**Winner of the Transmission Prize 2019**THE OLD GODS ARE DYING.Giant corporations collapse overnight. Newspapers are being swallowed. Stock prices plummet with a tweet.NEW IDOLS ARE RISING IN THEIR PLACE. More crime now happens online than offline. Facebook has grown bigger than any state, bots battle elections, coders write policy, and algorithms shape our lives in more ways than we can imagine. The Death of the Gods is an exploration of power in the digital age, and a journey in search of the new centres of control. From a cyber-crime raid in British suburbia to the engine rooms of Silicon Valley, pioneering technology researcher Carl Miller traces how power is being transformed, fought over, lost and won. ‘A timely and incisive book that grapples with some of the most significant issues of our time.’ Wired'Uncovers the fascinating and often hidden characters that are changing the world. Essential reading.' Jamie Bartlett, author of The People vs Tech‘A magisterial guide to the impact of the digital revolution on our institutions and our lives.’ Anthony GiddensTrade ReviewA timely and incisive book that grapples with some of the most significant issues of our time. There will be countless volumes on "disruption" and "innovation" published this year, but Miller cuts through the noise and examines how the ascendancy of technology is fundamentally shifting economic models and the effect that this is having on society and individuals. -- Greg Williams * Wired *The best sort of tech book: extensive field work, accessible, and ultimately about people rather than computers. The Death of the Gods uncovers the fascinating and often hidden characters that are changing the world. Essential reading if you want to know why the old rules don’t apply any more – and what might come next. -- Jamie Bartlett, author of The People Versus TechThere are plenty of books on the market exploring the the insidious impact of technology platforms on democracies, but Carl’s is one of the most gripping. He takes you on a journey through Silicon Valley’s rise to power, during which you meet hackers, cybercriminals, fake news factory owners, activists and psyops agents. It’s thrilling and terrifying in equal measure. -- Olivia SolonA whirlwind ride through huge forces shaping and disrupting the world. Miller encounters new elites and grassroots movements, state actors and companies as big as countries, nerds and visionaries, bad men and some pretty amazing women. Prepare to be terrified, exhilarated and occasionally inspired. -- Catherine Mayer, author and co-founder of the Women's Equality PartyA highly readable and at times disturbing account of how in the digital age power over aspects of our everyday lives has shifted from long established to new and untried sources. Carl Miller deftly guides us through the darker recesses of the modern world to meet some of the new global demi-gods that now influence our lives in ways we need urgently to understand. -- Professor Sir David Omand, former Director of GCHQ

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Book SynopsisA unique concept: 40 extraordinary people give answers to 10 searching questions about their beliefs. In our current age of uncertainty and turmoil, this is a book to give insight for life's journey and to encourage readers to confront the same questions themselves. "My suggestion or advice is very simple; that is, to have a sincere heart." - The Dalai Lama What Has Life Taught You? features the answers given by 40 outstanding people to 10 profound questions about life, the mind and the spirit. Author Zoe Sallis has a passion for stirring up debate on philosophical and ethical questions and journeyed all over the globe to ask well-known figures of widely varying beliefs the same 10 questions. Interviewees include: Nelson Mandela His Holiness the Dalai Lama Neale Donald Walsch Anjelica Huston Jack Nicholson Sophia Loren Teale Swan Richard Dawkins David Lynch Gore Vidal And more... The questions range from "What is your concept of God?" and "Do you think this life is all there is, or do you believe in an afterlife?" to "What has life taught you so far?" and "How do you find peace within yourself?" Socrates thought the unexamined life was not worth living, and perhaps that is why he roamed the streets of Athens accosting people and asking them their thoughts and beliefs. By sharing the wisdom of these truly inspiring people, the book hopes to provoke debate and encourage readers to examine what they have learned on their life journey so far and share their own insights with others.

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Book Synopsis‘Where can the human animal seek its energy in this era of lockdowns and social distancing? Dodge may help us to find out’ Guardian‘If you’re a fan of Maggie Nelson’s work, you’ll like this book. It’s truly beautiful’ DazedIs love a force akin to gravity? A kind of invisible fabric which enables communications through space and time? Artist Harry Dodge finds himself contemplating such questions as his father declines from dementia and he rekindles a bewildering but powerful relationship with his birth mother. A meteorite Dodge orders on eBay becomes a mysterious catalyst for a reckoning with the vital forces of matter, the nature of consciousness, and the bafflements of belonging. Structured around a series of formative, formidable coincidences in Dodge’s life, My Meteorite journeys with stylistic bravura from Barthes to Blade Runner, from punk to Pale Fire. It is a wild, incandescent book that creates a literary universe of its own. Blending the personal and the philosophical, the raw and the surreal, the transgressive and the heartbreaking, Harry Dodge revitalizes our world, illuminating the magic just under the surface of daily life.'Holds you in its thrall like a brilliant friend. Dodge is a masterful writer' Miranda JulyTrade ReviewDodge has offered a new, luminous angle on autobiography that not only traces where the body has been—but also what it loves, how it thinks and feels within the potent intellectual and physical detritus of its lived world. Reading this book is like being bathed in the bright, gritty sear of a comet's tail. But the mark it leaves is stunningly terrestrial: a thumbprint of a mind on paper—singular in erudition, hurtfully wonder-struck, and true. * Ocean Vuong *Harry Dodge’s voice and vision are singular, but his genius is for revealing how each of us is plural. This is a beautiful record of his loves and deaths and ways of making, but even its most intimate moments open out, become portals to other possible worlds. No genre can hold this book. It is a work of tender force, prying open every category. My Meteorite is breathtaking—or breathgiving, because the whole thing oxygenates discourse, makes me feel alive. * Ben Lerner *My Meteorite holds you in its thrall like a brilliant friend—so vulnerable, hot, funny, and casually weird that you don't notice the profundity until you're already walloped by it. Dodge juxtaposes the tenderest of human details with hungry, brain-splitting inquiries into the very premise of life, and these shifts in scale are incredibly moving and provocative. Don't forget to notice that Dodge is a captivating and masterful writer; that's how he pulls this whole thing off. * Miranda July *Reading My Meteorite, I feel re-enchanted, all over again, with how miraculous an enterprise writing can be, when it is engaged with the degree of passion, inquisitiveness, and arrowy verbal virtuosity that Dodge brings to the game. Feel your whole body tingle as you read this blazing ode to randomness, to a cosmos where every particle and wave has a say in the matter. * Wayne Koestenbaum *A sense of simultaneity and infinitude shapes My Meteorite, which is at once memoir, studio diary and futuristic consideration of artificial intelligence and algorithms… Within the book, as in the soup of consciousness, everything is happening all at once; there are no fixed states… The recursive nature of the text captures the workings of memory and evinces a high-pressure, poetic approach to narrative and language that is also evident in much of Dodge’s raucous and extremely funny video work. -- Kate Wolf * Frieze *

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Book SynopsisA profound, philosophical exploration of the nature of hope.

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Book SynopsisIn contemporary culture, there is no stronger imperative than to be authentic. But what does authenticity actually mean? Everywhere we turn, we are urged to "live our truth": an element of Western culture that is almost never questioned. Authenticity in all its contexts is becoming more significant than ever as digital culture breeds fakery and capitalism offers the illusion of infinite choice. In this climate, finding and being yourself is a more complex idea than it sounds - one that should not necessarily be taken as doctrine. In this set of six sharp, lively essays, the writer and journalist Emily Bootle explores how authenticity has pervaded every facet of our culture, from modern celebrity and identity politics to Instagram captions and wellness. Blending pop culture and philosophy, this book dismantles the ideology surrounding being ourselves at all costs, and questions what fuels our authenticity obsession.Trade ReviewA very elegant and sharp-eyed series of essays. Emily Bootle asks all the right questions about the changes social media is forcing upon our sense of self, what the public now expects from its celebrities and artists, and the extent to which the modern world has turned us all into performers. JONATHAN COE; Bootle is one of our shrewdest and wittiest cultural critics. Keenly attentive to the many absurdities of celebrity coverage, corporate branding tropes, social media affectations and online discourse, This Is Not Who I Am dismantles the contradictions that underpin contemporary culture. Turning her gimlet eye on the influencer economy, Kim Kardashian, astrology, artisanal coffee, Jane Austen, and the kind of man who considers himself "a creative, which is to say he has a humanities degree", Bootle exposes the fundamental collective delusion that links all of the above - our insistence on cultivating and exhibiting a single "authentic" self. ANNA LESZKIEWICZ - ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEW STATESMAN; At a time when the personal has become deeply political, and vice versa, it's hard not to look at yourself in your front cam and think - in your best inner Nikki Grahame voice - "who is she"? Here, Emily Bootle has dared to poke an entire family of bears. From celebrity relatability through to personal branding, the wellness industry and the dominant narrative of "living your truth", this is a fascinating deep dive into the most lucrative and fractured phenomenon of the post-internet age: our selves. EMMA GARLAND - CULTURE WRITER; Timely and compelling ... This Is Not Who I Am offers a sharp commentary on the pervasiveness of "authenticity-culture" and probes its contradictions. THE MONTHLY

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Book SynopsisIs violent self-defense ethical? In the history of colonialism, racism, sexism, capitalism, there has long been a dividing line between bodies "worthy of defending" and those who have been disarmed and rendered defenseless. In 1685, for example, France's infamous "Code Noir" forbade slaves from carrying weapons, under penalty of the whip. In nineteenth-century Algeria, the colonial state outlawed the use of arms by Algerians, but granted French settlers the right to bear arms. Today, some lives are seen to be worth so little that Black teenagers can be shot in the back for appearing "threatening" while their killers are understood, by the state, to be justified. That those subject to the most violence have been forcibly made defenseless raises, for any movement of liberation, the question of using violence in the interest of self-defense.Here, philosopher Elsa Dorlin looks across the global history of the left - from slave revolts to the knitting women of the French Revolution and British suffragists' training in ju-jitsu, from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to the Black Panther Party, from queer neighborhood patrols to Black Lives Matter - to trace the politics, philosophy, and ethics of self defense. In this history she finds a "martial ethics of the self": a practice in which violent self defense is the only means for the oppressed to ensure survival and to build a liveable future. In this sparkling and provocative book, drawing on theorists from Thomas Hobbes to Fred Hampton, Frantz Fanon to Judith Butler, Michel Foucault to June Jordan, Dorlin has reworked the very idea of modern governance and political subjectivity.Translated from the French by Kieran Aarons.

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Book Synopsis'The poet-prophet of alternative medicine' Time The worldwide bestseller that offers an alternative to growing old The definitive text on the healing powers of the mind/body connection. In Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, world-renowned pioneer of integrative medicine Deepak Chopra goes beyond ancient mind/body wisdom and current anti-ageing research to show that you do not have to grow old. With the passage of time, you can retain your physical vitality, creativity, memory and self-esteem. Based on the theories of Ayurveda and groundbreaking research, Chopra reveals how we can use our innate capacity for balance to direct the way our bodies metabolize time and achieve our unbounded potential.Trade ReviewThe poet-prophet of alternative medicine * Time Magazine *Deepak Chopra is one of the most important healers of our time. Ageless Body, Timeless Mind is a treasure. * Marianne Williamson, author of A Woman's Worth *

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Book SynopsisDrawing on the writings of the great philosophers, You Kant Make it Up sends the reader on thrilling, non-stop tour of their most outrageous and counter-intuitive conclusions. Harry Potter is real. Matter doesn't exist. Dan Brown is better than Shakespeare. All these statements stem from philosophy's greatest minds, from Plato to Nietzsche. What were they thinking? Overflowing with compelling arguments for the downright strange - many of which are hugely influential today - popular philosopher Gary Hayden shows that just because something is odd, doesn't mean that someone hasn't argued for it. Spanning ethics, logic, politics, sex and religion, this unconventional introduction to philosophy will challenge your assumptions, expand your horizons, infuriate, entertain and amuse you.Trade Review"A well-put-together collection of the most intriguing philosophical thoughts and arguments from Socrates to the present day… Provocative and inviting." * The Good Book Guide *'This book could be picked up and enjoyed by people no matter how much or how little they already know... you should buy two, and give one to someone you could have a good argument with.' * The Book Bag *

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Book SynopsisThe author of the contemporary classic, In the Dust of This Planet, is back with another raw and unsettling look at the human condition. Comprised of aphorisms, fragments, and observations both philosophical and personal, Thacker’s new book traces the contours of pessimism, caught as it often is between a philosophical position and a bad attitude. Reflecting on the universe’s “looming abyss of indifference,” Thacker explores the pessimism of a range of philosophers, from the well-known (Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Camus), to the lesser-known (E.M. Cioran, Lev Shestov, Miguel de Unamuno). Readers will find food for thought in Thacker’s handling of a range of themes in Christianity and Buddhism, as well as his engagement with literary figures (from Dostoevsky to Thomas Bernhard, Osamu Dazai, and Fernando Pessoa), whose pessimism about the world both inspires and depresses Thacker. By turns melancholic, misanthropic, and darkly funny, (“Birth is a metaphysical injury — healing takes time — the span of one's life”), many will find Infinite Resignation a welcome antidote to the exuberant imbecility of our times.Trade Review“Belongs on the shelf next to the likes of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer . . . Thacker’s voice is quiet, a desperate whisper into the void that is both haunting and heartbreaking.” —Into the Void “When life gives us lemons, Thacker refuses to make lemonade. Rather he adds lemon juice to the ink pot, and proceeds to write with an acerbic clarity—and touches of black humor—about the predicament of being human.” —Dominic Pettman, author of Human Error: Species Being and Media Machines

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Book SynopsisAn original and comprehensive look at what it is we seek when we set off on an adventure abroad - and at how we can travel better, so that our experiences overseas become truly transformative and memorable. Going travelling is one of the few things we undertake in a direct attempt to make ourselves happy - and frequently, in fascinating ways, we fail. We get bored, cross, anxious or lonely. It isn't surprising: our societies act as if going travelling were simple, just a case of handing over the right sum of money. But a satisfying journey isn't something we can simply buy: it's the result of an art that has to be learnt. This is the guide: not to any one destination but to travel in general. It talks to us, among other things, about how we should choose a place to go, what we might do when we get there, how we should make good moments stick in our minds and why hotel rooms can be such liberating places... In a succession of genial essays, we become students of an unexpected but vital topic: how to understand and more fully enjoy (what should be) some of the finest experiences of our lives. What people are saying about How to Travel: "How to Travel helped me narrow down where I want to travel to, why I want to travel there, and who I want to travel with. The blank pages included gave me room to respond to the questions posed in the essays, which made the reading experience that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who dreams of experiencing a culture or world outside of their own but can't decide on a place." Larysa "A lovely collection of thought provoking short essays with note pages for jotting down things like 'useful foreign phrases' or to 'give drawing a go'. This book is very well presented with interesting quotes, images and photographs on different coloured pages on quality paper. It therefore has a nice feel and is really easy to read, no complex theories here. However, each piece on different aspects of travel is written well and makes you think which has real value...So enjoyable, and a perfect gift for someone preparing to travel." Sue "In classic School of Life form, the content is compellingly presented in an uncommon way, playful while authoritative." Rick "Has little pockets and fill in spaces that are so useful." Joana

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Book SynopsisWhen trying to deal with our current troubles and anxieties, it can be deeply irritating to be asked to consider our childhoods. They happened so long ago; we can probably barely remember, let alone relate to, the little person we once were. But one of the most powerful explanations for why we may, as adults, be struggling, is that we were denied the opportunity to fully be ourselves in our earliest years. Perhaps we were over-disciplined and cowed, not allowed to be wilful or difficult – and so learnt to tell white lies and people-please. Or perhaps our caregivers were preoccupied or fragile and so we had to assume the role of parent, burying our true needs and desires deep underground. When we thoroughly examine our upbringings, the larger implications for our adult selves are clear to see. Once we understand the roots from which our flaws stem, we can set about correcting the harmful behaviours we mistakenly believe to be innate. This book is a guide to better understanding our younger selves in order to shape who we wish to be in the future. It explores to what extent we can pin our actions in the present to our experiences in the past, and how we might then break free from the learnt patterns of our childhoods.

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Book SynopsisA beautiful look at the Ancient Chinese philosophy of Rén and how it can help us with our hectic modern lives.The Chinese character for Rén 仁 combines the word for 'person' 亻and the number 'two' 二, representing human connection. And in the teachings of ancient philosopher Confucius, Rén is the study of our relationship with those around us.In this accessible and beautiful book, Yen Ooi explains the various facets of Rén and explores how this philosophy applies to everything from our relationship with ourselves and the people in our lives, to how we relate to society and the wider world.She shows us how, using the basic principles of Rén and through simple changes to our lives, we can connect better with friends, family and colleagues, become helpful members of society and find fulfilment in ideas of community, justice, morality and compassion.

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful book. If you come across it, you must read it.' - John CleeseWhat does it mean for someone to be an a**hole? The answer is not obvious, despite the fact that we are often personally stuck dealing with people for whom there is no better name. Try as we might to avoid them, a**holes are found everywhere at work, at home, on the road, and in the public sphere. Encountering one causes great difficulty and personal strain, especially because we often cannot understand why exactly someone should be acting like that.A**hole management begins with a**hole understanding. In the spirit of the bestselling On Bullshit, James gives us the concepts to think or say why a**holes disturb us so, and explains why such people seem part of the human social condition, especially in an age of raging narcissism and unbridled capitalism. These concepts are also practically useful, as understanding the a**hole we are stuck with helps us think constructively about how to handle problems they present. We get a better sense of when the a**hole is best resisted, and when he is best ignored a better sense of what is, and what is not, worth fighting for.Trade ReviewA wonderful book. If you come across it you must read it. -- John CleeseSplendid. -- Oliver BurkemanCurrently in love with a book called 'A**holes: A Theory' -- Bette MidlerThe thrust of James' thesis is timely. Energetically argued and provoking...well worth the discomfort; not least for Aaron James's magnificent 'Letter to an A**hole', which ends the book. * Literary Review *This is a book that should appeal equally to the general reader and the philosophical specialist. James's analysis of a**hole capitalism is a tour de force of philosophically astute political analysis and criticism. His witty and accessible study draws on his lucid and brilliant accounts of the best in contemporary moral and political philosophy. -- Marshall Cohen, University Professor Emeritus, University of Southern CaliforniaAaron James provides us with a delightful philosophical romp through the world of a**holes. I was especially tickled by his analysis of different types: smug a**holes, royal royal a**holes, the presidential a**hole, corporate a**holes, the reckless a**holes, to name a few. -- Robert I. Sutton, Stanford Professor and author of the New York Times bestsellers The No A**hole Rule and Good Boss, Bad BossJames's research is both thorough and imaginative; his impressive source list ranges from obscure philosophy books to popular websites to Rudyard Kipling to Kanye West, hip-hop's greatest a**hole. The author s enthusiasm for the subject makes it possible to get through the book quickly.... There are moments of great insight and outright hilarity. * Kirkus Reviews *James's volume is equal parts philosophical meditation and historical survey, but its true value lies in his attempt to precisely define the term. -- Joe Keohane * New York Magazine *A delightful combination of the demotic and the technical... James gives us some practical advice for confronting a**holes, for maintaining self-respect and social position in a world full of them. * Harpers Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak ChopraIf we open our eyes and see clearly it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant An insightful exploration into the origins and history of Zen Buddhism from pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts. With a rare combination of freshness and lucidity, Watts explores the principles of Zen and how it can revolutionize our daily life.Trade ReviewThe perfect guide for a course correction in life -- Deepak Chopra

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Book SynopsisDavid Whyte''s Consolations use everyday words to present us with a prism through which to better understand ourselves and the lives we walk through. At the request of readers globally, Whyte returns with fifty-two short, elegant meditations on a single word ranging from ''Anxiety'' to ''Body'', ''Freedom'', ''Shame'' and ''Moon''. He embraces their nuances, amplitudes and depths, and, in doing so, confronts realities that many of us would spend a lifetime trying senselessly to avoid.In Consolations II, anxiety might be more mercifully understood as the preparation for being hurt, fixed beliefs are recognised as the very places where we do not wish to understand, guilt is a friend compassionately waiting for us to catch up and routine becomes a form of ritual and worship. Each piece in this life-affirming book is an invitation to slow down, shift our perspective and find comfort. In these pages, Whyte explores the full constellation of human experience.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive guide to yoga in everyday life from B.K.S. Iyengar, the world's most respected yoga teacher.Trade ReviewOne of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. ‘The Michelangelo of yoga’ – BBC ‘Valuable insights into the therapeutic nature of yoga … Those already familiar with Iyengar’s work will find subtlety and depth here that will increase with each rereading’ – Yoga Journal

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Book SynopsisWhy are we here? What''s the point of existence? On the ''big questions'' of meaning and purpose, Western thought has been dominated by the dichotomy of traditional religion and secular atheism. In this pioneering work, Philip Goff argues that it is time to move on from both God and atheism. Through an exploration of contemporary cosmology and cutting-edge philosophical research on consciousness, Goff argues for cosmic purpose: the idea that the universe is directed towards certain goals, such as the emergence of life.In contrast to religious thinkers, Goff argues that the traditional God is a bad explanation of cosmic purpose. Instead, he explores a range of alternative possibilities for accounting for cosmic purpose, from the speculation that we live in a computer simulation to the hypothesis that the universe itself is a conscious mind. Goff scrutinizes these options with analytical rigour, laying the foundations for a new paradigm of philosophical enquiry into the middle ground between God and atheism. Ultimately, Goff outlines a way of living in hope that cosmic purpose is still unfolding, involving political engagement and a non-literalist interpretation of traditional religion.Trade Reviewfascinating...an enjoyable read * Brian Clegg, Popular Science *It takes a sort of cosmic chutzpah to announce that your book is going to explain the purpose of the universe, and that predisposed me in its favour before I even began to read the text. But what I enjoyed most was the author's calm and level-headed approach to that fundamental question: Why? I suppose it's the question most young people begin with when they start to develop intellectual curiosity, as well as being the source of every system of religion and of science as well. Philip Goff explains that 'purpose' is not some emotional human need with little ultimate importance, but a quality that seems to be built into the very nature of things. It's nothing less than thrilling to follow his argument, and to regain that sense of connectedness that's so important not just to our well-being, but to our very survival. * Philip Pullman *This book is a tour de force. If you have ever wondered what the point is in living, whether the universe itself has any purpose (and if it does, whether that is best explained by the existence of God), why the universe exists at all for that matter, what the nature of consciousness is and how it fits into the universe as a whole, this is the book for you. Written in an engaging and easy to follow style, Goff presents a highly original, unified, and thought-provoking world view. It is rare to read anything that makes one seriously question one's basic assumptions about reality. Goff's book does just that. The result is something head spinning. I cannot recommend it highly enough. * Michael Tye, Professor of Philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin *Am I here by accident? Is there a purpose? This is contentious territory in science and philosophy. Goff offers a lucid and riveting account of key ideas, data, and theories. He then, with a rare audacity, blazes new trails. It is fascinating terrain to explore, and Goff proves an expert and genial guide. * Donald Hoffman, Professor of Cognitive Science, University of California, Irvine *The best metaphysical pictures help us fulfill three aims: give us a sense of the world and how we as human beings fit within it, provide an ethical guide, and help us make some peace with our condition. Philip Goff's brilliant new book Why? The Purpose of the Universe does all three by making a compelling case for teleological cosmopsychism. With this unique position that is neither God nor atheism, Goff gives us a glimpse of the immense creative potential of the universe. He outlines an attractive picture of spiritual belonging and practice in a godless world that is far from nihilistic. * Helen De Cruz, Danforth Chair in the Humanities, Saint Louis University *It might sound surprising, but the progress of physics, astronomy and cosmology in recent decades has raised important questions about the meaning and purpose in the universe, and of the universe. "Nature has been kinder to us than we had any right to expect", wrote Freeman Dyson in 1971, "it almost seems as if the universe must in some sense have known that we were coming". So, what now? Philip Goff has provided a discussion of these important issues that is informed, accessible, original and entertaining. This is a book worth reading, and worth thinking hard about. * Luke Barnes, Lecturer in Astronomy and Cosmology, Western Sydney University *Why? is a terrific book. For a work in philosophy, it is unusually fun to read. Goff clearly has a gift for making rigorous philosophy accessible to a broad audience. Part of his genius is the way he weaves his main arguments into a narrative about his own intellectual journey. * Paul Draper, Professor of Philosophy, Purdue University *Why? is simultaneously accessible and profound, comprehensible to the general reader and full of novel ideas sure to challenge professional philosophers. Goff offers an intriguingly weird vision of the cosmos, neither atheistic nor orthodox, pushing beyond the boundaries of both ordinary scientific thinking and ordinary religious apologetics. * Eric Schwitzgebel, Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Riverside *A brilliant book! Goff takes us to the edges of physics and philosophy to make a compelling case for cosmic purpose. The presentation is clear, innovative, and provocative. True to form, Goff's ideas are not anchored to convention or tradition, but he instead lights a torch on an original path of discovery. I came away feeling that Goff's work contributes to the purpose of the universe in a profound and beautiful way. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the big question of why we are here and what life might be about. * Josh Rasmussen, Associate Professor of Philosophy. Azusa Pacific University *What's the meaning of life? Raw science tells us we live in an uncaring universe, devoid of purpose and oblivious to the wants and needs of humans. Or does it? In this new book, Goff explores purpose in the cosmos, not a purpose rooted in religion, but in a conscious fabric of the universe itself. Whilst Goff and I have argued over the implications of cosmological fine-tuning and the statistics of typing monkeys, the contents will certainly make you think about life and its meaning. * Geraint Lewis, Professor of Astrophysics, Sydney Institute for Astronomy, the University of Sydney *One of the most persuasive panpsychists. * Stephen Fry *Why? makes a succinct, ambitious case for a new, secular view of cosmic purpose. * Isaac Randel, Foreword Reviews *Why? is designed to appeal both to a wide audience who know little about philosophy or physics and to academics who know the relevant technical terms and literature... It is an exciting and challenging book. * Richard Swinburne, TLS *An ingenious and accessible discussion of a big question we'll never answer - the reason for our existence... a rich book... It'll turn quite a few heads. * Galen Strawson, The Guardian *I would strongly recommend this book as a clear, well-argued, and undogmatic example of analytical philosophy at its best. * Keith Ward, Church Times *An original and fascinating book. * Wouter van Noort, NRC Handelsblad *Table of Contents1: What's the point of living? 2: Why science points to purpose 3: Why consciousness points to purpose 4: Why the omni-God probably doesn't exist 5: Cosmic purpose without God 6: A conscious universe 7: Living with purpose

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Book SynopsisA philosophy still relevant in the modern world, Pigliucci, one of the top philosophers on Twitter and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Newsweek, Washington and Huffington Posts, shows how you can apply stoicism to your everyday life and make it more meaningful. With practical tips and exercises, meditations and mindfulness, this is perfect for fans of Jules Evans' Philosophy of Life - or anyone wanting to imbue their life with new meaning.'Pigliucci makes a good case for Stoicism and living stoically' -- Daily Telegraph'A good case for the enduring relevance of 2,000-year-old precepts' -- TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT'Enjoyed reading this - enough information to be enlightening and clear and simple enough for a novice in the field to access easily' -- ***** Reader review'Enlightening' -- ***** Reader review'Loved this book so much' -- ***** Reader review'Easy to understand with just the right twist of Philosophy' -- ***** Reader review'Very thought provoking' -- ***** Reader review'A great book full of great wisdom' -- ***** Reader review'I am loving this book. Have been reading it non-stop since I got it' -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************************'In this thought-provoking book, Massimo Pigliucci shares his journey of discovering the power of Stoic practices in a philosophical dialogue with one of Stoicism's greatest teachers.' RYAN HOLIDAY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE OBSTACLE IS THE WAY AND THE DAILY STOICWho am I?What am I doing?How ought I to live my life?Stoicism teaches us to acknowledge our emotions, reflect on what causes them and redirect them for our own good. Whenever we worry about how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal seems more elusive.Massimo Pigliucci explores this remarkable philosophy and how its wisdom can be applied to our everyday lives in the quest for meaning. He shows how stoicism teaches us the importance of a person's character, integrity and compassion.Whoever we are, we can take something away from stoicism and, in How to be a Stoic, with its practical tips and exercises, meditations and mindfulness, he also explains how relevant it is to every part of our modern lives.Trade ReviewPigliucci makes a good case for Stoicism and living stoically * Daily Telegraph *A good case for the enduring relevance of 2,000-year-old precepts * TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT *In this thought-provoking book, Massimo Pigliucci shares his journey of discovering the power of Stoic practices in a philosophical dialogue with one of Stoicism's greatest teachers. * RYAN HOLIDAY, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic *Excellent -- Oliver Burkeman * The Guardian *As its title suggests, How to Be a Stoic is a how-to book, but one of a very high order. Yes, Massimo Pigliucci gives his readers advice on how to live a happy and meaningful life. He is careful, though, to put a secure foundation under that advice by explaining who the ancient Stoics were and how they arrived at the conclusions they did. Do you want to avoid wasting the one life you have to live? Read this book! * WILLIAM B. IRVINE, author of A Guide to the Good Life *How to Be a Stoic proves many things: that the ancient school of Stoicism is superbly relevant to our times; that profound wisdom can be delivered in lively, breezy prose; and that Massimo Pigliucci is uniquely gifted at translating philosophy into terms helpful for alleviating and elevating the lives of many * REBECCA NEWBERGER GOLDSTEIN, author of Plato at the Googleplex *This is a lucid, engaging, and persuasive book about what it means to pursue Stoic ideals in the here and now. Massimo Pigliucci's imaginary conversations with Epictetus carry the reader effortlessly along while grounding the discussion firmly in the ancient Stoic tradition-and in his own life experience. The result is a compelling picture of a Stoic way of life that is consistent with contemporary science and philosophy, and is both eminently ethical and down-to-earth practical. It will be inviting to Stoics and non-Stoics alike who are willing to reason together seriously about how (and why) to be a modern Stoic. * LAWRENCE C. BECKER, author of A New Stoicism *If you want to learn the ways of Stoicism, and you're living in the 21st century, this should be one of the first books you read. Massimo has written a fine primer for the aspiring Marcus Aurelius. * DONALD J. ROBERTSON, author of The Philosophy of CBT and Stoicism and the Art of Happiness *

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Book SynopsisRobert M. Pirsig was born in 1928 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He holds degrees in chemistry, philosophy, and journalism and also studied Oriental philosophy at Benares Hindu University in India. He is the author of this book's sequel, entitled Lila.Trade ReviewMr Pirsig has written a work of great, perhaps urgent, importance. Read this book * Observer *Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is an unforgettable trip * Time *Disturbing, deeply moving, full of insights. This is a wonderful book * Times Literary Supplement *The book is inspired, original...the narrative tact, the perfect economy of effect defy criticism.The analogies with Moby-Dick are patent * New Yorker *Profoundly important-full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThis book is no less than a guide to the whole of Western philosophy--the ideas that have undergirded our civilization for two-and-a-half thousand years. Anthony Kenny tells the story of philosophy from ancient Greece through the Middle Ages and the Enlightenment into the modern world. He introduces us to the great thinkers and their ideas, starting with Plato, Aristotle, and the other founders of Western thought. In the second part of the book he takes us through a thousand years of medieval philosophy, and shows us the rich intellectual legacy of Christian thinkers like Augustine, Aquinas, and Ockham. Moving into the early modern period, we explore the great works of Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Leibniz, Spinoza, Hume, and Kant, which remain essential reading today. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Hegel, Mill, Nietzsche, Freud, and Wittgenstein again transformed the way we see the world. Running though the book are certain themes which have been constant concerns of philosophy since its early beginnings: the fundamental questions of what exists and how we can know about it; the nature of humanity, the mind, truth, and meaning; the place of God in the universe; how we should live and how society should be ordered. Anthony Kenny traces the development of these themes through the centuries: we see how the questions asked and answers offered by the great philosophers of the past remain vividly alive today. Anyone interested in ideas and their history will find this a fascinating and stimulating read.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent update on the original. The main advantage of this much fatter version is the direct contact with primary sources that it gives to students ... I have nominated this as the main textbook for the course I teach * Ben Pugh, Cliff College *Table of ContentsPART I: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY; PART II: MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY; PART III: THE RISE OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY; PART IV: PHILOSOPHY IN THE MODERN WORLD

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Book SynopsisIn a series of 50 accessible essays, Joanne Baker introduces and explains the fundamental physical concepts and laws that govern the inner workings of our universe.From Schrodinger's cat to Einstein's theory of relativity, energy conservation to speed of light, 50 Quantum Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to the most important quantum physics concepts in history.

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Book Synopsis'Radical, humane, witty' Alain de Botton 'Magisterial' Will Self, Guardian Explore historical, political and philosophical paths traced by walkers in this profound and diverting modern classic. What does it mean to be out walking in the world, whether in a landscape or a metropolis, on a pilgrimage or a protest march? In this first general history of walking, Rebecca Solnit draws together numerous stories to create a new way of looking at one of humanity's most fundamental and expressive acts. Arguing that walking as history means walking for pleasure and for political, aesthetic, and social meaning, Solnit homes in on the walkers whose everyday and extreme acts have shaped our culture, from the philosophers of ancient Greece to the poets of the Romantic Age, from the perambulations of the Surrealists to the ascents of mountaineers. With profiles of some of the most significant walkers in history and fiction - from Wordsworth to Gary Snyder, from Rousseau to Argentina's Mother of the Plaza de Mayo, from Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet to Andre Breton's Nadja - Wanderlust takes us on an unforgettable journey and shows how walking can affect the body, the imagination, and the world around us. 'One of those rare, quirky, rather lovable books that makes you look anew at something so familiar ... Solnit winningly traces the shifting cultural significance of putting one foot in front of another' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewRadical, humane, witty, sometimes wonderfully dandyish, at other times, impassioned and serious -- Alain de Botton[A] magisterial history of walking -- Will Self * Guardian *A history of walking that is about time and space and consciousness of the world as much as about putting one foot in front of the other * The Times *A writer of startling freshness and precision * New York Times Book Review *Solnit walks, but her prose soars. This is a stunningly original account of the simple, subversive activity that keeps us human. Pedestrians of the world, unite! -- Mike Davis, author * City of Quartz *One of those rare, quirky, rather lovable books that makes you look anew at something so familiar ... Solnit winningly traces the shifting cultural significance of putting one foot in front of another * Telegraph *Thoughtful and fascinating -- Stephanie Merritt * Observer *

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Book Synopsis''many men compete in digging and kicking but no one at all in the pursuit of human excellence.''Diogenes the Cynic is best remembered today for having lived in a storage-jar, and walking the streets with a lamp in daylight, looking for an honest man. Such stories formed part of a rich tradition of sayings and anecdotes; his biting wit and eccentric behaviour were legendary, and it was by means of these oft-repeated and embellished aphorisms that his moral teachings were transmitted. He scorned the conventions of civilized life, and his ascetic lifestyle and caustic opinions gave expression to the Cynic philosophy that in turn influenced Stoicism. This unique edition also covers Diogenes'' immediate successors, such as Crates, his wife Hipparchia, and the witty moral preacher Bion. The contrasting teachings of the Cyrenaic school, founded by Aristippos, a pleasure-loving friend of Socrates, complete the volume, together with a selection of apocryphal letters. An ideal compendium of SocTable of ContentsDIOGENES AND THE EARLY CYNICS; ARISTIPPOS AND THE CYRENAICS; APOCRYPHAL LETTERS

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'In story after page-turning story, Lives of the Stoics brings ancient philosophers to life.' - David Epstein, bestselling author of Range 'Wonderful' - Chris Bosh, two-time NBA Champion For millennia, Stoicism has been the ancient philosophy that attracts those who seek greatness, from athletes to politicians and everyone in between. And no wonder: its embrace of self-mastery, virtue and indifference to that which we cannot control has much to offer those grappling with today's chaotic world. But who were the Stoics? In this book, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman offer a fresh approach to understanding Stoicism through the lives of the people who practiced it - from Cicero to Zeno, Cato to Seneca, Diogenes to Marcus Aurelius. Through short biographies of all the famous, and lesser-known, Stoics, this book will show what it means to live stoically, and reveal the lessons to be learned from their struggles and successes. The result is a treasure trove of insights for anyone in search of living a good life.Trade ReviewStellar work ... This illuminating collection of biographies makes great use of Stoic wisdom to demonstrate the tradition's values * Publisher's Weekly *In story after page-turning story, Lives of the Stoics brings ancient philosophers to life. -- David Epstein, bestselling author of RangeA great read, particularly for a tough time -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal, author of 'Team of Teams' and 'Leaders: Myth and Reality'Wonderful -- Chris Bosh, two-time NBA ChampionThere is philosophy for school and philosophy for life. This book is about the lives of men and women who lived their words and shows you how to do the same. -- Thomas Tull, founder of Legendary EntertainmentWhether you're a general or a gardener, a stockbroker or a senator, there is much to learn from Ryan Holiday's excellent Lives of the Stoics. -- Senator Ben SasseAt a time when public nobility is hard to come by, this is a good reminder of the power of ethical leadership. * Kirkus Reviews *Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have achieved something remarkable with Lives of the Stoics. It's a gift to the many of us today who are searching for inspiration and sense a deep connection with the thought of Zeno, Cato, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Indispensable to anyone who genuinely wants to learn about Stoic philosophy. -- Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman EmperorWith its emphasis on individual success and perserverence, stoicism is seeing an American renaissance. The authors offer brief instructional biographies of its major ancient practitioners. * New York Times *

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Book Synopsis'Baggini offers us a tempting smorgasbord of some of the most baffling, weird and occasionally downright creepy scenarios ever envisaged... enjoy these mind-boggling tales from the outer limit of thought' Guardian Is it right to eat a pig that wants to be eaten? Are you really reading this book cover, or are you in a simulation? If God is all-powerful, could he create a square circle? Here are 100 of the most intriguing thought experiments from the history of philosophy and ideas - questions to leave you inspired, informed and scratching your head, dumbfounded. A collection of short, accessible philosophical quandaries to stimulate, challenge and entertain. 'This book is like the Sudoku of moral philosophy: apply your mind to any of its "thought experiments" while stuck on the Tube, and quickly be transported out of rush-hour hell' New StatesmanTrade ReviewBaggini offers us a tempting smorgasbord of some of the most baffling, weird and occasionally downright creepy scenarios ever envisaged... enjoy these mind-boggling tales from the outer limit of thought * Guardian *This book is like the Sudoku of moral philosophy: apply your mind to any of its "thought experiments" while stuck on the Tube, and quickly be transported out of rush-hour hell * New Statesman *Thinking again is what this taut, incisive, bullet-hard book is dedicated to promoting * Sunday Times *An eloquent and engaging introduction to the major philosophical quandaries * Scotland on Sunday *An engaging read ... It's one to which I'll keep returning - whenever I feel like an argument and have nobody to argue with * Sunday Herald *An eloquent and engaging introduction to the major philosophical quandaries about identity, knowledge, morality and rationality.It is the best kind of popularising work: amusing enough to provide an easy way into difficult questions, but uncompromising in terms of the meanings deduced from the fables * Scotland on Sunday *Baggini frames various philosophical conundrums so that we focus on the nub of the matter without the extraneous considerations that complicate them in real life... helpfully cross- referenced and ideal for reading aloud * Metro (London) *

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Book SynopsisDrawing on the author''s work with primates - as well as on psychological experiments, language and anecdote - this book explores the widespread idea that humans are superior to animals, and argues that we need to divest ourselves of this belief in order to stop destroying the planet and ensure a habitable environment for future species. It shows how our belief in our superior intelligence and importance is not actually inherent in us, and not something many children share, but something learned and acquired by the time we are adults, in Western culture in particular. It also explores how our belief that we are ''above'' nature has contributed to climate change but also to pandemics like Covid 19. In the market this would sit alongside other books like Entangled Life, Other Minds and The Hidden Life of Trees, about nature and the intelligence of non-human life forms - but what sets this book apart is its particular focus on the link between human exceptionalism and the ecological crisi

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Book SynopsisThis book shows how self-improvement culture became so toxic—and why we need both a new concept of the self and a mission of social change in order to escape it. Mark Coeckelbergh delves into the history of the ideas that shaped this culture, critically analyzes the role of technology, and explores surprising paths out of the self-improvement trap.Trade ReviewThis scintillating “anti–self-help guide” is bold and convincing. * Publishers Weekly *In Self-Improvement, Mark Coeckelbergh explains why technology cannot cure what ails our soul. Artificial intelligence will not make us better human beings. An oppressive social environment is at the root of the rage for self-improvement. We need to work not on ourselves but on our society. Technology can help us improve it if we join together to make sensible changes. Self-Improvement is the guide we need to escape from the technologized self. -- Andrew Feenberg, author of Technosystem: The Social Life of ReasonCoeckelbergh's diagnoses of the extensive historical and contemporary sources of a toxic culture of 'improving ourselves to death,' specifically as relentlessly driven by contemporary AI and surveillance capitalism, ground his prescriptions for alternative understandings of ourselves and of possible good lives as interwoven both with our technologies and the larger environment. The upshot is a book of exceptional insight and urgently needed wisdom. -- Charles Ess, author of Digital Media EthicsSelf-Improvement connects the dots between innovations in print technology, the development of the literary genre of the 'confession,' and the way these practices are being currently amplified by social media platforms. Coeckelbergh's ability to identify what is truly interesting and to draw out the important connections between these different (and often times seemingly incompatible) materials is in full force here. Engaging, easy to follow, and full of the kinds of insights that make reading a text like this so satisfying. -- David J. Gunkel, author of Gaming the System: Deconstructing Video Games, Games Studies, and Virtual WorldsTable of Contents1. The Phenomenon: The Self-Improvement Imperative2. The History: Ancient Philosophers, Priests, and Humanists in Search of Self-Knowledge and Perfection3. The Society: Modern Self-Obsession from Rousseau to Hipster Existentialism4. The Political Economy: Self-Taming and Exploitation Under Wellness Capitalism5. The Technology: Categorized, Measured, Quantified, and Enhanced, or Why AI Knows Us Better Than Ourselves6. The Solution (Part I): Relational Self and Social Change7. The Solution (Part II): Technologies That Tell Different Stories About UsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed critic Sianne Ngai theorizes the gimmick as an aesthetic category reflecting the fundamental laws of capitalism. Gimmicks make promises of saving labor and increasing value that we distrust but also find attractive. Exploring the use of this form, Ngai shows how its aesthetic dissatisfactions reflect deeper anxieties about capitalism.Trade ReviewA culmination of Ngai’s work as a critic…Ngai makes the case that the gimmick, whose value we regularly disparage, is of tremendous critical value. The gimmick, she contends, is the capitalist form par excellence…Ngai’s study lies somewhere between critical theory and Sontag’s best work. -- Andrew Koenig * Los Angeles Review of Books *One of the most creative humanities scholars working today…Ngai sets off on another mind-blowing exploration, this time drawing a line between our own judgements of productivity, as well as considering what entertainment is worth to us. My god, it’s so good. -- Olivia Rutigliano * Literary Hub *Theory of the Gimmick is a masterpiece—a culmination of the dazzling project begun in Sianne Ngai’s Ugly Feelings and elaborated in Our Aesthetic Categories, both celebrated books that have anchored affect theory to a strong account of tone and form. It is a major advance in aesthetic theory, and Marxist theory in particular, one that could help us all get over our Frankfurt melancholy and down to the garrulous work of actually naming the dynamics that produce art and artistic judgment under capitalism. -- Christopher Nealon, author of The Matter of CapitalThe gimmick draws out our unease about capitalism’s seductions, deflating their lofty appeals with the suddenness of a punch line. It is an aesthetic category that dunks on capitalism’s too-good-to-be-true promises by dunking on itself…It is undeniable that part of what makes Ngai’s analyses of aesthetic categories so appealing—so appealing as to even appear to raise the esteem of the object under analysis—is simply her capacity to speak about them brilliantly. -- Jane Hu * Bookforum *In its extraordinary analysis of the gimmick as a compromised expression of what Walter Benjamin or Fredric Jameson have labeled the age of “late capitalism,” Ngai’s book—much like her previous book publications—is a stellar critique and rethinking of Continental aesthetic theory. …Ngai’s work will not and must not be bypassed by future theories of aesthetics and consumer capitalism, not least in American studies. -- Dustin Breitenwischer * Amerikastudien *Ngai exposes capitalism’s tricks in her mind-blowing study of the time- and labor-saving devices we call gimmicks. -- Katrina Forrester * New Statesman *Ngai tracks the gimmick through a number of guises: stage props, wigs, stainless-steel banana slicers, temp agencies, fraudulent photographs, subprime loans, technological doodads, the novel of ideas…[She] has slowly been building a reputation as one of America’s most original and penetrating cultural theorists. -- Charlie Tyson * Chronicle of Higher Education *Ngai is a keen analyst of overlooked or denigrated categories in art and life…Moves quickly from the fantastical contraptions of Rube Goldberg to the philosophical machinery in Kant or Marx that might explain their appeal…Highly original in theme and suggestive in approach. -- Brian Dillon * 4Columns *Ngai has done so much to illuminate. -- David Trotter * London Review of Books *Ngai’s penetrating and at times humorous work feels uncommonly generous at a deeply polarized moment when emotions run high and much theory and criticism has taken on an increasingly grave, moralizing tone…Explores across a remarkably broad range of works of art, film, and literature the ‘gimmick,’ a simultaneously attractive and repulsive form that links the aesthetic to the economic. -- Matthew Rana * Kunstkritikk *It is the simplicity and vernacular quality of Sianne Ngai’s central concept that elevates this book to a classic in the making. Ngai’s most important contribution to Marxist cultural and economic theory comes from her insight that—like the judgment of the beautiful for Kant—the gimmick is a subjective category, neither cognitive nor ethical, but historical through and through. The gimmick is a way to bring together the theory of the commodity with Kant’s category of judgment. Through Ngai, we are able to vernacularize Marx and to understand the most basic but enigmatic proposition: that truth and appearance are identical in the commodity. -- Timothy Bewes, author of Reification: Or, The Anxiety of Late CapitalismBooks of this ambition and accomplishment are rare! Theory of the Gimmick continues the work of Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, and others in seriously putting together aesthetic theory and Marxist theories of capital. In an impossibly erudite, wide-ranging, and theoretically sophisticated argument, Ngai gives us a unique insight into the relationship between labor, time, and value in a capitalist economy. This book is a major event in American intellectual life. -- Jonathan Flatley, author of Affective Mapping: Melancholia and the Politics of ModernismThe whole book suggests that critique is an occasion for delight, as the explication of how the gimmicks Ngai finds everywhere from Henry James to a toy box reveal the inner workings of capital is accomplished with a joyful relentlessness. The book is a page turner. -- Theo Davis * American Literary History *[A] groundbreaking argument. * Choice *[Theory of the Gimmick] firstly offers an eminently usable theory of the gimmick, and secondly offers a series of masterful extensions of that theory in practically unrepeatable analyses of texts…where we witness, in addition to Ngai the theorist, Ngai the virtually peerless reader. -- Astrid Lorange * Sydney Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisMany Americans assume that the country was founded by skeptics of “big government,” who saw minimal state power as freedom’s prerequisite. Annelien de Dijn takes on this myth. In fact, this was the view not of the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century revolutionaries who created modern democracies, but of their critics and opponents.Trade ReviewAmbitious and impressive…Explores an alternate history of the concept from the ancient world to the Age of Revolution to the Cold War, charting those moments when new notions of freedom—such as freedom from government supervision or repression—deviated from its more classical and longstanding definition as self-government… At a time when the very survival of both freedom and democracy seems uncertain, books like this are more important than ever, as our societies contemplate both the heritage of the past and the prospects for the future. -- Tyler Stovall * The Nation *Ambitious and bold, this book will have an enormous impact on how we think about the place of freedom in the Western tradition. -- Samuel Moyn, author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal WorldAt once magisterial and finely grained, this is history on the grand scale. De Dijn succeeds in bringing, with clarity and a lightness of touch, the weight of the past to bear on freedom and its fragilities in our own time. -- Darrin M. McMahon, author of Divine Fury: A History of GeniusWith remarkable sweep and erudition, de Dijn recounts the whole history of thinking about freedom in the West. In the process, she also profoundly upends the standard liberal narrative, convincing us that what we understand by freedom today—namely, the opportunity to be left alone to do our own thing—is a recent invention. This is an important book for historians, political theorists, and all readers who like big ideas. -- Sophia Rosenfeld, author of Democracy and Truth: A Short HistoryDe Dijn has written a marvelous book on the history and various meanings of freedom. Its scope is enormous, its writing elegant, its insights strikingly original. We will all be reading this book for many years to come. -- Michael P. Zuckert, author of Launching LiberalismA sweeping history of the idea of freedom in the West, from Ancient Greece, to our time…Shows how the notion of democratic freedom has developed and deepened…Importantly, de Dijn traces how the Old Oligarchy—which was overthrown by Athenian democracy—feared the redistributive power of political democracy. From the time of Ancient Athens until today, this fear has been a constant in reactionary thought. -- Paul Sutton * Jacobin *For two millennia liberty was conceived as popular self-government. But nineteenth-century liberals and conservatives redefined freedom as the guarantee of individual rights against state power, and democratic equality as a threat to liberty. This timely book presents urgent and persuasive arguments to rethink liberty and democracy in an era of fast-increasing inequality. -- Siep Stuurman, author of The Invention of Humanity: Equality and Cultural Difference in World HistoryThis book brings remarkable clarity to a big and messy subject, the definition of freedom in the Western tradition. New insights and hard-hitting conclusions about the resistance to democracy make this essential reading for anyone interested in the roots of our current dilemmas. -- Lynn Hunt, author of History: Why It MattersA wonderful book—extremely well written, engaging, and compelling. De Dijn offers a sweeping history of the notion of freedom across 2,000 years, arguing that identifying liberty with limited government, the way we do today, is a very modern idea. -- Helena Rosenblatt, author of The Lost History of LiberalismThought-provoking…Helps explain how partisans on both the right and the left can claim to be protectors of liberty, yet hold radically different understandings of its meaning…This deeply informed history of an idea has the potential to combat political polarization. * Publishers Weekly *Works through the intellectual history of the idea of freedom from antiquity to the present and puts those ideas in their political and historical context to show how the idea of freedom was used…Challenge[s] us to look at our history to better understand our present and to fight for our future. -- Michael Mirer * Public Books *Annelien De Dijn delivers a compelling and accessible analysis of a highly relevant subject…In a post-pandemic world that has exposed the fragile tension between individual rights, collective interests and democratic legitimacy, De Dijn’s plea for a re-evaluation of our understanding of liberty deserves to be listened to. -- Christophe Maes * Legal History Review *Beautifully written…De Dijn’s work is singularly ambitious and iconoclastic, seeking to restructure a field thick with entrenched interpretation while sending a message about the necessary reform of the politics of the present. -- Richard Whatmore * Journal of Modern History *

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Book SynopsisFrom the cutting edge of science and living spirituality: a guide to understanding our identity and purpose in the world • Explains how we can evolve consciously, become connected with each other, and flourish on this planet • "From the time when the conscious universe was a preposterous notion to today, when it's a cutting-edge idea full of promise for your future, Ervin Laszlo has been its staunch champion." - Deepak Chopra, author of You Are the Universe. For the outdated mainstream paradigm the world is a giant mechanism functioning in accordance with known and knowable laws and regularities. The new paradigm emerging in science offers a different concept: The world is an interconnected, coherent whole, and it is informed by a cosmic intelligence. We are conscious beings who emerge and co-evolve as complex, cosmic-intelligence in-formed vibrations in the Akashic Field of the universe. Ervin Laszlo and his collaborators from the forefront of science, cosmology, and spirituality show how the re-discovery of who we are and why we are here integrates seamlessly with the new emerging worldview in the sciences, revealing a way forward for humanity on this planet. Offering a guidepost to orient this evolution, Laszlo examines the nature of consciousness in the universe, showing how our bodies and minds act as transmitters of consciousness from the intelligence of the cosmos and how understanding science’s new concept of the world enables us to re-discover our identity and our purpose in our world. With bold vision and forward thinking, Laszlo and his contributors Maria Sagi, Kingsley L. Dennis, Emanuel Kuntzelman, Dawna Jones, Shamik Desai, Garry Jacobs, and John R. Audette outline the new idea of the world and of ourselves in the world. They help us discover how we can overcome these divisive times and blossom into a new era of peace, coherence, connection, and global wellbeing.Trade Review“From the time when the conscious universe was a preposterous notion to today, when it’s a cutting-edge idea full of promise for your future, Ervin Laszlo has been its staunch champion. Now he and his colleagues press the argument with even more urgency and depth. I concur that consciousness must be regarded as the ground state of existence. Only when we begin to see ourselves embedded in a reality where mind, body, ecology, planet Earth, and the cosmos are all expressions of the same consciousness will we truly know who we are.” * Deepak Chopra, coauthor of You Are the Universe *“Ervin Laszlo is without any doubt one of the greatest scientists and philosophers of our time. His seminal concepts of the Akashic holofield and the connectivity hypothesis represent an extraordinary intellectual achievement that will be seen in the future as a critical landmark in the history of science. Laszlo succeeded in something previously deemed impossible--creating a ‘map of everything’ that dissolves the boundaries between natural sciences, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. In his latest book, The Intelligence of the Cosmos, Laszlo summarizes in a clear and captivating style his profound understanding of the nature of reality and human nature that has emerged from six decades of his unrelenting search for truth. His work might become the cornerstone of the new comprehensive scientific worldview of the twenty-first century.” * Stanislav Grof, M.D., author of Beyond the Brain and Psychology of the Future *“Professor Ervin Laszlo, author of the 1987 world-changing classic Evolution: The Grand Synthesis, again gives us a great work for the future, The Intelligence of the Cosmos: Why Are We Here? New Answers from the Frontiers of Science. For the entire past century science has inched steadily toward a synthesis of physics, cosmology, and biology. Increasingly cosmology looks more and more like evolutionary biology, and intelligence is discovered in the tiniest nooks and crannies of the universe. Now comes the bold step in which Laszlo points out the obvious, showing us that the universe is a living intelligent being. This book is science at its most engaging and absolute best!” * Allan Combs, Ph.D., professor at the California Institute for Integral Studies and author *“In 1897 the French painter Paul Gauguin titled one of his masterpieces Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? The painting ended up in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. But those questions, and many others brilliantly embraced in this remarkable work, The Intelligence of the Cosmos, continue to haunt every aspect of our lives. Ervin Laszlo and colleagues have gently and demonstrably entered a domain of that luminous haunting, that “supercoherence” which they reveal to be rooted to the quintessential mysteries of all life forms: life’s origins, destiny, and seemingly incomprehensible, flickering instant of Being. It is a book like no other and offers a remarkable and hopeful context for better navigating these colossally challenging times—for biodiversity, for humanity, and for something indescribable shaping our entire universe and ourselves. Indeed, this may be the most important book ever written on the subject of consciousness, against the backdrop of a starry night and the alluring earth beneath our feet.” * Michael Charles Tobias, Ph.D., president of Dancing Star Foundation *“I highly recommend this timely cutting-edge material from Ervin Laszlo, as it brings together science-based evidence in a way to understand the transformational revolution and new insights into consciousness and the evolution of humankind taking place now!” * Kevin Moore, host of The Moore Show *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword by Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBEPART ONE Perennial Questions and the New Answers 1 Who Are We? A NEW CONCEPT OF THE WORLD A NEW CONCEPT OF CONSCIOUSNESS AN IN-FORMED WORLD2 Why Are We Here? INDICATIONS OF PURPOSE IN THE DIRECTION OF EVOLUTION 3 New Answers WHO WE ARE WHY WE ARE HERE PART TWO The Meaning of the New Answers for Our Life and Times 4 The New Answers Re-Enchant Our Worldview Kingsley L. Dennis 5 The New Answers and the Power of Purpose Emanuel Kuntzelman 6 The New Answers and the Goals of Contemporary Social Change Maria Sagi7 The New Answers and the Purpose of Business Dawna Jones 8 The New Answers and the Wisdom Traditions Shamik Desai 9 The New Answers--A Meaning for This Life and the Next John R. Audette10 The New Answers and the Challenge: Reconciling Science and Spirituality with Life Garry Jacobs Afterword by James O’Dea Biographical Notes on the Author and Contributors Books by Ervin Laszlo: A Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFor more than 2,000 years utopian visionaries have sought to create a blueprint of the ideal society: from Plato to HG Wells, from Cloud cuckoo land to Shangri-La, the utopian impulse has generated a vast body of work, encompassing philosophy and political theory, classical literature and science fiction. And yet these utopian dreams have often turned to nightmare, as utopia gives way to its dark reflection, dystopia. Utopia takes the reader on a journey through these imaginary worlds, charting the progress of utopian ideas from their origins within the classical world, to the rebirth of utopian ideals in the Middle Ages. Later we see the emergence of socialist and feminist ideas; while the twentieth century was to be dominated by expressions of totalitarian oppression. From the novel to the political manifesto, from satire to science fiction, utopias have always reflected the age that gave rise to them, and this guide will explore this historical context, offering both an analysis of the key texts and an account of their political and cultural background. Today, it is claimed that we are witnessing the death of utopia, as increasingly the ideals that give rise to them are undermined or dismissed. These arguments are explored and evaluated here, and contemporary examples of utopian thought used to demonstrate the enduring relevance of the utopian tradition.Trade ReviewCrams a lot of information into a slim guide...Cleverly written -- William Darragh * Fortean Times *Dr Merlin Coverley's pithy new book Utopia -- Duncan Brown * Prospect Magazine *Although a slim paperback, this book turns out to be quite exhaustive on the chosen topic and, in its brevity, to be quite original in its perspective as well -- Marialuisa Bignami / University of Milan * Modern Language Review *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPenetrating and sophisticated. -- James Ryerson * New York Times Book Review *Mere Civility is centered in the years after the Reformation, when the emergence of myriad Protestant sects splintered communities across Western Europe. That splintering was magnified, just as in our own time, by the explosion of a new means of communication—the printing press—which allowed people who had never before had a public voice to spread their ideas far and wide. Invectives and broadsides were the order of the day, as members of different religious denominations fought for each other’s souls, and incivility became a central concern of political thought. I doubt that for most readers of Mere Civility, this account of social disarray in the Reformation years is a huge surprise. But by keeping a tight focus on the concept of civility, Bejan manages to make that old story feel new—or at least to draw new lessons from it, lessons that are particularly interesting within the context of contemporary political theory… [Mere Civility] does not purport to solve the problems of incivility, but it unknots them, making the nature of the problems—both in general and in this time of numbing nostalgia—more evident. Would that more of us might learn to look into the past with such gravity and humility. We might end up with a more (or mere) civil society, yet. -- Susan McWilliams * Los Angeles Review of Books *A deeply admirable book: original, persuasive, witty, and eloquent. It is also admirably, bracingly, skeptical, in the best sense: the kind of liberal skepticism that we associate in political theory with Judith Shklar, Bernard Williams, and George Kateb. -- Jacob T. Levy * Review of Politics *Bejan’s important book is beautifully written, cogently argued, and provocative. It foregrounds the matter of ‘civility’ with astute historical analysis of touchstone texts in political thought. -- Jeffrey Collins, Queens UniversityMere Civility is a terrific book—learned, vigorous, and challenging. Bejan makes Roger Williams the hero of this story and the thinker who provides a principled justification for America’s exceptional permissiveness toward ‘uncivil’ speech. Justifying the American status quo isn’t easy. Doing it with arguments that are often surprising is even harder. -- Alison McQueen, Stanford UniversityThis carefully argued and documented volume documents three early modern understandings of civility, offering that of Rhode Island’s founder, Roger Williams, as a fitting response to our perceived crisis of civility. -- J. H. Fritz * Choice *Impressive. -- Scott Yenor * Claremont Review of Books *

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Book Synopsis60 cards to help us to better understand ourselves and how we are really feeling.

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Book SynopsisJohn Gray is the author of a number of highly regarded and controversial books, including False Dawn, Straw Dogs and, most recently, The Silence of Animals. He has taught at Oxford, Harvard, Yale and the LSE. John Banville described The Silence of Animals as 'a marvellous statement of what it is to be both an animal and a human in the strange, terrifying and exquisite world in which we straw dogs find ourselves'.Trade ReviewA generous and energising tumble of ideas...he is inventive and penetrating -- Galen Strawson * Financial Times *Like Isaiah Berlin with a thing for sci-fi -- Tibor Fischer * The Spectator *We might believe that we are on a voyage towards a future of perfect freedom, but Gray is here to tell us that we are really only going round in circles, repeating ancient heresies, and retelling old myths in modern cant -- Stephen Cave * Literary Review *Gray must be one of the best read of contemporary philosophers, trawling insouciantly through high-, middle- and low-brow literature with the sharp-eyed eclecticism of a magpie of genius -- John Banville * The Guardian *A brain-twisting meditation on freedom...a brief, elliptical inquiry designed to raise more questions than anyone could answer * Kirkus Reviews *

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