Product Description
Covers the period from the beginning of Greek Philosophy to St. Augustine. ... Read more

Product Description
Philosophy: The Classics, Third Edition is a brisk and invigorating tour through the great books of western philosophy. It explores the works of Plato, Aristotle, Boethius, Machiavelli, Descartes, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Schopenhauer, Mill, Kierkegaard, Marx and Engels, Nietzsche, Russell, Ayer, Sartre, Wittgenstein, and Rawls.

In his exemplary clear style, Warburton introduces and assesses twenty-seven philosophical classics from Plato's Republic to Rawl's A Theory of Justice. The new text design and revised further reading make this the ideal starting point for anyone interested in philosophy.This new edition also includes three new chapters on Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil, Russell's The Problems of Philosophy and Sartre's Existentialism and Humanism.

Offering twenty-five guidebooks for the price of one, not only is this great value, it's the most comprehensive introduction to philosophers and their texts currently available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent survey of classical philosophy
Philosophy is a hobby I enjoy greatly but it is hard to find book that covers a wide variety of philosophers and does it well. He covers twenty-four works from Plato's "The Republic" to Rawl's "A Theory of Justice" in 239 pages. For each work he provides background on each work, a summary and hits all the keys points and then rounds it off with some critical analysis and provides further reading advise. I found the coverage of each piece to be just right, you can read through the book relatively fast yet gleam enough to decide what you want to read more about. Plus you will feel confident that you have a grasp of the key ideas and can start thinking critically about them. You definitely will not be an expert but the passages will be illuminated enough for you to decide which ones you are interested in traveling down further.

Great introduction to a pretty complex field
This is a good book for anyone who wants to understand or start to understand philosphy.

Great start !

Excellent Introduction
PTC is my first book which I seriously read about philosophy.This is an excellent introduction to this difficult subject which will never reach the daily life if there is no effort in its popularization made by someone like Mr Warburton.He is successful in highlighting the theme of each classic work of a wide range from Plato's Republic to Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigation.He never fails to present the argument of each philosopher from different angles and focus on the crux.The book in itself provides a great reading but if you follow the list of further reading of each chapter recommended by Mr Warburton, you even can learn more about the philosophers concerned.Some of the books as recommended are even classics of their own.

In passing, if you like to learn more about Mr Warburton's philosophy of the popularization of the subject, please do not miss an interview with him in another book New British Philosophy - The Interviews by the same publisher.

Simplicity without oversimplification
Warburton is one of my favorite philosophers.I thoroughly enjoyed all his books.This author has the gift of breaking down complex ideas and explaining them in a highly intelligible fashion.But while Warburton does not assume that his reader has a substantial background on the subject, his writings are not superficial, nor is his style condescending.This book is a great read for virtually anyone with a genuine interest in philosophy.

Now a word from Phil O. Sopher
This book is easy to read.I like books that are easy to read.Therefore, I like this book.PTC is an introduction to twenty great works in the history of philosophy.They are:Plato's Republic;Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics;Descartes' Meditations;Hobbes' Leviathan;Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Second Treatise of Government;Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion;Rousseau's The Social Contract;Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals;Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Idea;Mill's On Liberty and Utilitarianism;Kierkegaard's Either/Or; Marx and Engel's The German Ideology;Nietzche's On the Genealogy of Morality;Ayer's Language, Truth and Logic;Sartre's Being and Nothingness;Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations.The point of each chapter is simply to introduce each book and present the important ideas.Each chapter usually consists of ten to twelve pages, enough space to provide the pertinent details without overwhelming the reader (Warburton assumes that his readers will have had little or no previous experience reading or studying philosophy).He ends each chapter with common criticisms of each work presented, a glossary of terms, and a reading list for further study. ... Read more

Product Description

Hilary Putnam, one of America's most distinguished philosophers, surveys an astonishingly wide range of issues and proposes a new, clear-cut approach to philosophical questions--a renewal of philosophy. He contests the view that only science offers an appropriate model for philosophical inquiry. His discussion of topics from artificial intelligence to natural selection, and of reductive philosophical views derived from these models, identifies the insuperable problems encountered when philosophy ignores the normative or attempts to reduce it to something else.

Customer Reviews (1)

Heavy book that needs consentration!
I only reed chapter 9, since this was what I had to read for my assignment. I found it interesting but very heavy. Maby someone else find the book better? I should add that I am not a native speaker of English. ... Read more

Product Description
Hailed as "monumental," "impressive," and "the most wide-ranging encyclopedia of philosophy ever published in English," the award-winning Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy set a new standard in the field and is fast becoming the definitive reference for generations to come. Now, the extraordinary scholarship of this acclaimed 10-volume work is available in one affordable book. The Concise Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (C-REP) brings together the more than 2,000 entries from the original work in a shortened, more accessible format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Comprehensive but can be ignorant
I spent a few days browsing thru, to get a rough idea of what areas of philosophy I might do well to study more. For that purpose, this book seemed good.

I was alarmed, however, to find in the entry for "Skinner, Burrhus Frederick" this statement: "Both it [i.e. scientific behaviorism] and radical behaviorism have been obviated by the development of a computational theory of the mind." That's false. Radical behaviorism is the philosophy of behavior that informs the science of applied behavior analysis, of which there are thousands of practicing analysts and thousands of clients benefitting from those analysts. Computational theories of the mind are speculative, tend toward "mentalism" (fictitous explanation) and, as yet, have yielded little if any practical benefit. Skinner expected that (physical) brain science would advance and welcomed that, but behaviorism is operating at a different level and is not invalidated by advances in brain science. Limitations in any theory of the mind, computational or otherwise, were precisely what led Skinner to a behaviorist approach. The emergence of computational theories of the mind presents nothing to lessen the problems Skinner recognizes were inherent in theories of the mind. On the contrary, study of Radical Behaviorism is all the more important so that the fictitous aspects of such theories be recognized. It was no accident that in the March 1994 issue of the American Psychological Society's magazine "Observer",president Roddy Roediger, a cognitive psychologist, in his article "What Happened to Behaviorism", suggested celebrating "the power of behavioristic analyses...even if you are one of the cognitive psychologists who believe behaviorism is irrelevant, passe and/or dead. It isn't".

Computational theories of the mind may seem intriguing, but they hardly obviate Radical Behaviorism. That such an ignorant statement was published makes me wonder about how many other similar false statements are in this book.

See if the following doesn't seem a more wise and professional way of handling the differences between the cognitive and behaviorist positions. It's from G.E. Zuriff's review of Lattal's and Chase's "Behavior Theory and Philosophy" and appeared in May 2005 issue The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior:

"In principle, there are no decisive philosophical objections to a cognitive theory. Practically, however, there is ample disagreement over whether such a theory will, in fact, generate fruitful research progress. Cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience are betting that such a theory is feasible, whereas SIB [ Skinner Inspired Behaviorism ] seems committed to its unlikelihood."

An encyclopedia entry on the father of an active and fruitful philosophy and science is no place for ignorant or biased dismissal.

Excellent overall;however,the discussion of Keynes is wrong
Overall,this encyclopedia is an excellent source of important information on philosophy and philosophers in general.I have two minor quibbles,given my interest in the work of J M Keynes.There are errors in the assessment of Keynes's A Treatise on Probability(TP)which was published in 1921.On p.233,it is ascerted that only a qualitative estimate of probability is,in general,possible in Keynes's system.On p.234,it is claimed that"...what is,at best ,known qualitatively."Again, the "what"refers to estimating probabilities.These assessments are based on the misinterpretations of chapter 3 of the TP made by A. Carabelli,B.Bateman,J.Runde and D.Moggridge concerning the meaning of the words "nonnumerical"and "nonmeasurable"used by Keynes in chapter 3 of the TP.Contrary to the above authors,Keynes meant that a single numeral could not ,in general ,be used to estimate a probability.Instead,it took two numerals to estimate a probability.Keynes is the founder of the interval estimate approach to estimating probabilities,where a lower bound and an upper bound specify the probability.Nonnumerical is clearly defined in chapter 15 of the TP on page 160 by Keynes to mean "...between numerical limits."Of course, interval estimates are subject to problems of noncomparability,nonrankability and incommensurability.However,the intervals themselves are quantitative estimates of probability.Finally,it is simply incorrect to make the followingclaim about Frank Ramsey:"He produced the first quantitative theory of how we make decisions".(p.777 or p.737).Keynes's interval estimate approach was combined by him with his index,w, to measure the completeness of the evidence upon which probability estimates are based and with his conventional coefficient of weight(w)and risk,c.The goal of the decision maker is to maximize cA,where A is some outcome.Ramsey,who started the misinterpretation of chapter 3 of the TP with his very poor reviews of 1922 and 1926,was second.Keynes was the first to put together a complete quantitative system of decision making.

A concise, college-level reference
This weighty reference title will interest college-level and specialty collections with its concise reference to all branches of philosophy, from abstractions to ancient Egyptian philosophy. Over 2,000 entries are arranged alphabetically for quick and easy reference, representing studies of over 1,200 of the world's philosophers. The latest thoughts and developments on the topics make for a contemporary reference with extensive bibliographic and research cross-references.

Quite Disappointing
Despite such a great reputation that Routledge has in the field ofphilosophy, this concise encyclopedia really did disappoint me. The 10volume encyclopedia is great, no doubts about that but this concise versionof it is nothing but an advertisement to the larger version.

Yes, thisencyclopedia is comprehensive, it includes philosophers and philosophy fromall over the world but too bad not in sufficient depth to make itmeaningful enough. It is assumed that this book is for the layman butfrankly speaking, all it can do is to introduce the names/terms/concepts tothe layman without being able to shed more light.

If one would reallywant to know more, the Oxford Companion will do a better job. And if youwant to know more about a particular philosopher or movement, the internetwill be a better place although less authoritative.

Looks nice on thebookshelf though.

A Nice Effor, But...
It is always a pleasure to find another high quality single volume philosophy reference. In its favor are the wide sampling of philosophical issues and personalities.There are more obscure philosophers mentioned inthis text than even I knew existed.The articles tend to be fairly shortand perfunctory; they will not tax the advanced student of philosophy. Itis a good general text for the layman. The advanced student of philosophywill find the text of little use.Filled with obscure philosophers andexplaining Kant in half a page does not make good sense.Any one wanting amore advanced and useful single volume reference to philosophy would bemuch better served by the Oxford Companion to Philosophy.Though it toohas its limitations, the Companion is more thorough and more scholarly. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive introductory textbook to early Chinese philosophy covers a range of philosophical traditions which arose during the Spring and Autumn (722-476 BCE) and Warring States (475-221 BCE) periods in China, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism. It considers concepts, themes and argumentative methods of early Chinese philosophy and follows the development of some ideas in subsequent periods, including the introduction of Buddhism into China. The book examines key issues and debates in early Chinese philosophy, cross-influences between its traditions and interpretations by scholars up to the present day. The discussion draws upon both primary texts and secondary sources, and there are suggestions for further reading. This will be an invaluable guide for all who are interested in the foundations of Chinese philosophy and its richness and continuing relevance. ... Read more

Product Description
Philosophy of Law provides a rich overview of the diverse theoretical justifications for our legal rules, systems, and practices.

• Utilizes the work of both classical and contemporary philosophers to illuminate the relationship between law and morality
• Introduces students to the philosophical underpinnings of International Law and its increasing importance as we face globalization
• Features concrete examples in the form of cases significant to the evolution of law
• Contrasts Anglo-American law with foreign institutions and practices such as those in China, Japan, India, Ireland and Canada
• Incorporates diverse perspectives on the philosophy of law ranging from canonical material to feminist theory, critical theory, postmodernism, and critical race theory

Product Description
"This [text] is an introduction to some of the main problems of philosophy—the existence of God, the nature of the mind, human freedom, the limits of knowledge, and the truth about ethics. The chapters may be read independently of one another, but when read in order, they tell a more or less continuous story. We begin with some reflections on the life of Socrates and then go on to the existence of God, which is the most basic philosophical question, because our answer to it affects everything else. This leads naturally to a discussion of death and the soul, and then to more modern ideas about the nature of persons. The later chapters are about whether we can have objective knowledge in either science or ethics." -from the Preface

Problems from Philosophy represents the final work of author and philosopher James Rachels.In it, he brings the same liveliness and clarity to the introduction of philosophy that he brings to his best-selling ethics text, The Elements of Moral Philosophy.This second edition has been revised by Rachels' son Stuart, who carefully has carefully refined his father's work to further strengthen its clarity and accessibility. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Companion
This book was required for a college Philosophy class that I took, and I honestly did not read it until final exams rolled around. Throughout the semester we had been reading Plato, Descartes, etc. And mostly I thought I had understood those philosophers. However, Rachels' book helped me work all of the problems out for myself. I satdown for hours reading this text aloud, boring my poor roommate to tears. But honestly, this book is in incomparable resource. Even if it is not required, I would recommend this book. You can find it for very little expense, and it's worth every penny spent. Philosophy of Human Nature.

Good Textbook for Philosophy 100
At Cerritos College, Norwalk, California, Philosophy 100 class, Dr. Stolze is teaching based on this book for the first part of the semester. he uses two books and one of em is this book. It's good good contents and a lot of good examples to easily explain theories and examples.

An excellent introduction to philosophy
After reading T.Z. Lavine's _From Socrates to Sartre_, I stumbled upon Rachels' _Problems from Philosophy_.While Lavine's book is a great history of philosophy, Rachels covers what philosophy IS.

The book broadly discusses the major fields of philosophy: free will vs. determinism (exploring the question "is there such a thing as free will?"- the answer may surprise you), the nature of evil ("how can there be evil if there is an omnipotent, benevolent diety?"), ontology ("is there a God?") and ethics ("what makes right?").

These questions are fascinating, but Rachels does much more than simply asking solid philosophical questions.He engages the reader into grappling with them, providing clear, logical arguments on both sides of the issue, and leaving the reader to arrive at their own conclusions and wrestle with the implications of their answers.

The PowerWeb (an on-line resource through the publisher) was moderately helpful - while its a good and useful thing to be able to read source work by the great philosophers (from Plato and Augustine to Hume and Nagel), they can be a bit dense and difficult reading for the amateur (at least they were for me.)Rachels' explainations were much preferred.

While it is merely an introduction, I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Martin Benjamin bridges the gap between academic philosophy and the questions of educated nonspecialists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Excellent Introduction to Philosophy
I have been using Martin Benjamin's _Philosophy & This Actual World_ in my introduction to philosophy class for several years now. I use his text in conjunction with several primary sources. Philosophy is often portrayed as a "removed" discipline, removed from the normal everyday concerns of the "common person." Benjamin disagrees with this assessment. Philosophy is both theoretically and practically important. His aim is to have this text reflect that belief. He begins with some classic philosophical issues and then considers the importance they have on our daily lives, employing the tools of the pragmatists and Ludwig Wittgenstein. These issues include: what do we really know; what is reality; what does it mean to have a mind; is there a basis for our morality; what is the best way to live as a community; the subject of life and death; and finally, how are we to make our lives meaningful. Students often comment about the clarity and precision he brings to hard (and sometimes muddled) philosophical arguments. What students often find most helpful is his presentation of the arguments and his systematic examination of when and where these arguments fail. This is an excellent introductory book for anyone interested in philosophy and philosophical issues.

Real World Application of Philosophical Thought
This book does a great job of using philosophical inquiry to address real world problems.Some of the more interesting concepts debated are: what makes life meaningful, what our ethical bases should be, how and when our moral beliefs should be reflected on and changed, when is a person truly dead, how can we know what reality is, the free will problem, etc.Dr. Benjamin does a great job of using examples and easily understood concepts that make the book accessible to a broad cross section of readers.Yet, he still advances the arguments far enough as to not bore those that are well read.The best chapter is number 8, Meaningful Lives.Here he uses concepts from The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Plague to explain the different ways life can be meaningful.The chapter on Ethics is also very interesting.In this chapter Dr. Benjamin describes the concept of wide reflective equilibrium and how it can be used to examine and change our moral framework.
In conclusion, anyone looking for a book that uses sound philosophical debate and reason to address current real world problems should read this book.

Take MY word for it
Benjamin did not mean for this to be a great philosophical text.Instead, Dr. Benjamin wrote the book in order to make a digestible account of philosophy for those who are mainly unfamiliar with its history.He accomplishes this quite well actually, and if anyone were to be a student of his you would understand even more where he was coming from with this book.He may not back up his arguments about Permanent Vegetative State all that well in this book because that requires a completely separate book on its own, but he did what any good philosopher should do: he raised the question.Again, if you were to be a student of his you would understand his views much better, but do not believe what you have read in the other 1-star review.That person obviously had preconceived notions about the world that cannot be changed with any amount of critical thought.I encourage people to welcome this book with an open mind.It is only then that you will understand the meaning of the book and can then apply it to your life if you so desire. ... Read more

Product Description

This book provides an in-depth overview of 20th century continental philosophy organized to allow the philosophers to speak for themselves. Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy presents comprehensive selections from every major 20th century continental philosopher. This allows reader to immerse themselves in the thought of a specific philosopher, rather than skimming the surface. The book's integrated structure also allows readers to understand the movement from one approach to the next and presents the origins, development, and connections among these ideas. Finally, the book provides a readable historical overview of the themes that appear in 20th century continental philosophy to orient the reader to the important themes and debates in 20th century thought. A valuable book for any reader who wishes a greater understanding of the major trends in 20th century philosophical thought.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great, Non-Watered-Down Introduction To Postmodernists
Crucial thinkers from the phenomenological, structuralist, psycho-analytic, hermeneutical, and post-structuralist traditions are presented here in the form of crucial, seminal, in-depth writings.

Todd May's long, impressively comprehensive introductory essay is a highly illuminating starting point for engaging the various thinkers and movements featured in the text.It also stands alone well as an in-depth and very accessible overview of the history of 20th Century Continental thought for those with very little or no previous understanding of it.I cannot recommend it highly enough.

In the anthologized writings themselves, Edmund Husserl and Maurice Merleau-Ponty explain their phenomenological approaches to method, Ferdinand Saussure provides his most controversial and fascinating insights into language which Claude Levi-Strauss then applies to anthropology and which Jacques Lacan draws on as part of his taking psychoanalytic theory to new levels of philosophical complexity and interdisciplinarity.Also here is chapter 2 of "The Sex Which Is Not One," Luce Irigaray's mindblowing psychoanalytic feminsist account of female sexuality in contra-distinction to the Freudian/Lacanian one.Feminist psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva provides a very dense and richly insightful essay exploring some questions of linguistics and commenting a good deal on Husserl, and Hans-Georg Gadamer is here in an accessible yet dense introduction to his philosophical hermeneutics.

And as if all this wasn't enough, we also have Martin Heidegger's difficult classic "Letter On 'Humanism,'" Jacques Derrida's justly famous, unavoidable 1968 essay, "Differance," Michel Foucault's frequently anthologized "Nietzsche, Genealogy & History" and an essay from Lyotard, the coiner of the word "postmodernism," which provides a characterization of the meanings of the words "postmodernism" and "modernism" which I would think all those who ever venture to use these terms should reckon with and be instructed by.

A difficult yet extremely helpful and rewarding anthology and introduction to an amazing century in Continental philosophy. ... Read more

Product Description

In A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century, Christian Delacampagne reviews the discipline's divergent and dramatic course and shows that its greatest figures, even the most unworldly among them, were deeply affected by events of their time. From Ludwig Wittgenstein, whose famous Tractatus was actually composed in the trenches during World War I, to Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger -- one who found himself barred from public life with Hitler's coming to power, the other a member of the Nazi party who later refused to repudiate German war crimes. From Bertrand Russell, whose lifelong pacifism led him to turn from logic and mathematics to social and moral questions, and Jean-Paul Sartre, who made philosophy an occasion for direct and personal political engagement, to Rudolf Carnap, a committed socialist, and Karl Popper, a resolute opponent of Communism. From the Vienna Circle and the Frankfurt School to the contemporary work of philosophers as variously minded as Jacques Derrida, Jürgen Habermas, and Hilary Putnam. The thinking of these philosophers, and scores of others, cannot be understood without being placed in the context of the times in which they lived.

Customer Reviews (4)

History of Philosphy
This is a textbook for a philosophy class.It is full of very pertinent information , however, I found it an extremely difficult read.

A Useful History of (the politics) of 20th Century Philosophy
This is a useful history of 20th century philosophy but it has its flaws and limitations.

Delacampagne is not reliable about analytic philosophy.He makes several errors and misrepresentations (many minor ones like calling Russell's classic article "On Denotation" p.34--its title is "On Denoting"--but others are more serious) and omissions--e.g. there is almost no discussion of Quine and none of Davidson, Kripke, or David Lewis.He also makes errors about historical figures--e.g. he describes Berkeley as a solipsist (p. 31).Delacampagne's discussions of the Tractatus and Rorty were okay and useful.

Fortunately the main emphasis of the book is on 20th century Continental philosophy about which the author seems to be quite knowledgeable and actively familiar.He also seems to be very interested in and familiar with 20th century Jewish philosophy.

I found particularly valuable and useful Delacampagne's discussion of Heidegger, and especially his exposing Heidegger's Nazism and the reactionary aspects of his philosophy.I also found quite illuminating the author's discussions of structuralism, anti-structuralism, the ideas of Gadamer, Habermas, and Derrida.

Delacampagne's basic orientation is a sort of highly evolved Marxism and he devotes much of his book to describing infighting among various factions of French philosophy, both pro- and anti-Marxist.In a way this book could almost be titled:A History of the Politics of 20th Century Philosophy.

This book assumes some background in philosophy--there are many unexplained references.Also it is translated from the French and in places the English is a bit tough to follow.

Excellent survey
Delacampagne's survey of this century's major philosophical thinkers is impressive in its breadth. The author effectively integrates the ideas of each era and sometime sacrifices chronology to present threads of influence through the century. At times, the author seems oversympathetic to the left; he spends more space on them and is less critical of their ideas. He is not fawning towards the left, however, so he did not entirely lose credibility with me.

This book is specifically aimed at people who have already been introduced to the major themes of philosophy. Overall, I would recommend this book, since I know of no others that attempt to survey twentieth-century philosophy.

20th century philosophy
An unusually lucid exposition of 20th century events in philosophy, logic, and politically related events.Extremely wide scope - there is nothing significant that is not in the index. I read French and this is a flawlesstranslation. ... Read more

Product Description
In Making Sense, Julian Baggini examines the philosophical issues and disputes that lie behindsuch news stories as the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, the war against terrorism, the siege at Waco, genetically modified foods, and advances in human therapeutic cloning. Baggini, founding editor of the highly popular Philosopher's Magazine, shows how we can use the techniques of philosophy and the insights of its greatest practitioners to understand the issues behind the headlines. He explains the proper role of philosophy in such inquiries, showing both the limits and the reach of the philosophical analysis of current affairs, and also argues that applying philosophy to news stories can and should inform our wider understanding--what we know, believe, and value.Baggini covers themes such as war, truth, morality, the environment, religious faith, the ending of life, and the meaning of value. He weaves philosophy and current affairs to create a compelling narrative that challenges how we make sense both of the world around us and of our own beliefs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

News examples a little dated now, but philosphy is timeless.
Julian Baggini is a near-genius when it comes to making philosophy accessible, interesting, relevant, and entertaining, and those qualities are nowhere in much greater evidence than they are in "Making Sense."Baggini uses headlines (that were current within the past decade or so, but include aging examples related to, say, Bill Clinton's sex scandal) as a launching pad to explore questions about knowledge, ethics, the media, ideals, politics...a range of issues that he masterfully ties to key philosophical concepts.And while Baggini has some favorite philosophers for sure (Hume comes up a lot...but of course he's among many folks' favorite philosophers), he draws from a pretty wide range of Western philosophical influences.He has a knack for finding and presenting provocative and sometimes amusing quotations from the likes of Ayers or Wittgenstein, often to startling effect.

I was especially pleased by the early chapters that explore the idea of epistemology, how we think we can know what we think we know.His deconstruction of relativism is brief, colloquial, and highly potent.I wish every New Ager and politically correct liberal could read it so we could start getting rid of this "It's true for you" nonsense that fuzzes up attempts at discussion.

If you haven't discovered Baggini by now, "Making Sense" is a good introduction, and I have little doubt that when you finish it, you'll be checking back to see what other books of his you might enjoy.My experience to date has been universally positive and I owe Baggini a debt when it comes to how I think about thinking.

My crirtical review
This book was published in 2002 so the "headlines" are slightly dated.The thinking behind the headlines, however, are timely and relevant.This book teacheshow you should do critical thinking and proper investigation before leaping to conclusions. During these critical times concerning the economy, healthcare, immigration issues, and secuity it would be wise to think before you talk.

A highly readable approach to philosophy
Julian Baggini has written a philosophical guide to making sense of the world, the news and current events that is highly readable and logical. His approach is to spur one's thinking as one peruses the actions of the press, governments, science and popular and current beliefs. He applies philosophy to the meaning of values and judgments and ultimately to the meaning of life. His approach is quite low key and dare one say "sensible"?

This is the type of book to keep on one's library shelf and dip into when the headlines and actions of the world make your head spin. I found it calming and fascinating. So much of current events seem to be dictated by a hardening, inflexible mindset, whether right or left, that it is refreshing to read an objective guide.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND CURRENT CENTRAL ISSUES
Julian Baggini,editor of The Philosopher's Magazine, has written a wonderful contribution, forthe layman. One that enables us to easily understand, from a practical standpoint, thecentral issues of modern philosophy. This is a very well written and readable book. It dwells with the concepts and meaning ofwar, morality, faith, truth, amongst other, from a philosopher's perspective. At the same time, the author clearly teaches how everybody can utilize the techniques of the philosophers in order to better grasp the meaning of the issues thatinvade the mind of the human being in these confuse times. Who should read this book ? Anybody concerned about the problems we find reflected and discussed in the media everyday. Drugs, science, nature, moral relativism are discussed in a manner that truly reflects the effort made by the author to dismiss the "nonsense talked about the relationship between philosophy and the concerns of real life" (Introduction) . So, if you are after a fresh approach to the relationship between philosophy and the central issues of our society, this is a book you would not want to overlook....... ... Read more

Product Description
Death and Philosophy presents a wide ranging and fascinating variety of different philosophical, aesthetic and literary perspectives on death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Great Book to Buffer a Dark Wind
In his introduction to the book, Robert C. Solomon rightly points out that if, as the ancients once asserted, philosophy is essentially concerned with death, then "contemporary philosophizing has failed to fulfil one of its essential functions, since death is a topic that is seldom addressed in contemporary philosophical discussion" (1).

Sure, many of the fashionable postmodernists have catchy titles that sometimes allude to death, but when you delve into their books, what you often end up with are lengthy discussions on the meaning of the word "but" or long-winded excursions into linguistics and semantics. The turgid, bloated prose is enough to make you think that the text you are reading is itself a corpse and, in terms of meaningful content, it might as well be. One starts to wonder if Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death" has found its most obvious validation in philosophy that claims to speak about death, but then does little more than speak about speaking about death.

This book, on the other hand, keeps its promise and fills a void.Published by Routledge, in terms of readability and format, it might just as easily have been published by Blackwell or OpenCourt, the same folks that have been publishing books on popular culture and philosophy.You know the series: "Lost and Philosophy" or "Science Fiction and Philosophy." Inside, are fourteen solid, lucid essays about death: the moving testimony of an existentialist who died and was brought back to life; an edifying comparison of Western and Eastern ideas regarding death (by way of investigations of Daoism, Buddism, and other Asian traditions); a galvanizing look at the (flawed) argument against death by Elias Canetti; and a personal and profound reflection on the fear of death as a personal, social, and metaphysical phenomenon. This, to highlight just a few.

The authors draw primarily from the Existentialists and their influences: scattered about are some of the clearest explications of Heidegger that I have ever read. Moreover, references to Epicurus, Camus, Nietzsche, and Sartre abound. While a couple of the essays might be heavy going for the uninitiated, the book is clearly intended for an intelligent general audience (much like the above mentioned Blackwell/OpenCourt series). And while each of the essays is about death and mortality, the overall tone of the book is uplifting and empowering (Solomon's essay "Death Fetishism, Morbid Solipsism" especially). This may be because, as Confucious and Heidegger and Camus and Sartre and so many others have suggested (directly or indirectly), to die well one must live well.

Ironically, philosophizing about death is really philosophizing about life.To that end, this is a book that might just inspire you to live better.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
The first unauthorized look at the philosophy behind Heroes, one of TV's most popular shows

When ordinary individuals from around the world inexplicably develop superhuman abilities, they question who they are, struggle to cope with new responsibilities, and decide whether to use their new power for good or for evil. Every episode of Tim Kring's hit TV show Heroes is a philosophical quandary. Heroes and Philosophy is the first book to analyze how philosophy makes this show so compelling. It lets you examine questions crucial to our existence as thinking, rational beings. Is the Company evil, or good? Does Hiro really have a destiny? Do we? Is it okay to lie in order to hide your powers or save the world? Heroes and Philosophy offers answers to these and other intriguing questions.

• Brings the insight of history's philosophical heavyweights such as Plato and Nietzche to Heroes characters and settings
• Adds a fun and fascinating dimension to your understanding of the show
• Expands your thinking about Heroes as the series expands from graphic and text novels to action figures and a video game

Whether you're new to Heroes or have been a fan since day one, this book will take your enjoyment of the show to the next level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great way to learn philosophy
I enjoyed Heroes and Philosophy immensely. I also actually enjoyed learning philosophy while reading, because I could now relate to the lessons through the use of the Heroes characters. Not all television shows have enough philosophical implications to create a book. Heroes, on the other hand, is probably at the top of the list. Some of the many questions discussed in Heroes and Philosophy are:

1. What are the obligations of heroes?
2. The foreknowledge of the painter, is our fate predetermined?
3. What are the ethics of time travel and changing the past or future?
4. What are the philosophical implications of the memory loss (the Haitian) and mind-reading (Parkman)?
5. Are the heroes good?

Throughout the book, events that took place and quotes that were spoken during Heroes are discussed. This is a must read book for any Heroes fan, the philosophy lessons are a great bonus. ... Read more

Product Description
Thousands of years of wisdom, in one updated guide.

Socrates’s admonition that "the unexamined life is not worth living" still resonates with many people, and this guide is a great introduction to that mental exercise. The author skillfully covers the subject both historically and topically and brings the reader all the way up to the present, with insights into 21st-century philosophical thought.

• Essential philosophers and philosophies, from ancient times right up to today

• New information on such topics as Eastern philosophy, women philosophers, postmodernism, and critical theory

• The relevance of philosophy to a variety of other subjects and to today’s world ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Good book, but...
The book was great, but the shipping was an issue. It came two days late and I needed it as soon as possible, at least I had no issues stalling but that really killed points for the review. Sorry, but three stars. :[ Book had no problems though! :]

Helpful for beginners
I love Philosophy and can't get enough of learning about it.This book is good for newbies to the subject and will give you an overall idea about many of the ideas of philosophy.

Find something else
I did not like this book at all. I would not even say buy it used and throw it away. The explanations are not clear, I found I could not learn anything about philosophy with it at all - which was the reason why I bought it.

Kindle owners beware
Note that despite implications to the contrary, the Kindle version will not be the same as the paperback version sold through Amazon.The paper version is Third Ed, 2005.The Kindle version is Second Ed, 2002.

A funny introduction to philosophy
My wife is a philosophy teacher and she enjoys with the book because give a new point of view to introduce her Highschool students in these themes. maybe it's not a textbook, but it's more friendly and funny. ... Read more

Product Description
Is it possible to be a committed Christian and a rock superstar? Can political activists make good music? Do hugely successful rock bands really care about AIDS and poverty in Africa, or is it just another image-enhancing schtick? U2 and Philosophy ponders these and other seeming dichotomies in the career of the Irish supergroup. For over two decades, U2 has been one of the biggest acts in rock music. They’ve produced over a dozen platinum and multiplatinum records and won 15 Grammy Awards. Critics everywhere have praised the band’s thoughtful, complex lyrics and the artistry of their music. At the same time, Bono, the group’s lead singer, has dedicated himself to political and social causes, blurring the line between rock star and respected statesman. Offering fresh insight into the band’s music and activism, these thought-provoking essays allows fans to discover philosophy through the eyes of U2, and rediscover U2 through the eyes of philosophers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Best!
This is probably the best book in the entire "X and Philosophy" series.(The Matrix and Philosophy is excellent too.)Indeed, it has so many major Heidegger scholars in it that it could have been called "U2 and Heidegger." If you like U2 and want to read some real philosophy (not the watered down stuff typical of most of these volumes), this is the book for you!

For insomia sufferers or hardcore philosophy students.
This book is too abstract and is incomprehensible. Save your money unless you LOVE philosophy.

Great idea poorly executed
This could've been a great collection, but many of the pieces just aren't very well written. The writers use very few actual examples from U2's songs, and most of the chapters jump all over the place, with subtitles seemingly inserted at random. There are stylistic and spelling inconsistencies, as well as some factual errors (it lists The Unforgettable Fire as released in 1990, when in fact it came out in 1984, for example). While it's not a bad introduction to some key philosophical ideas, students would be better off seeking out a textbook or the original texts, and I don't think the scant references to U2 made any of the essays better. In fact, most of them felt convoluted because they didn't provide enough proof to back up what they were trying to argue.

That said, the chapter on the Joshua Tree and place was fantastic. If the whole book had been that way, I'd be writing a much different review. As it is, though, that chapter just made the others in the book look bad.

Good for those somewhat interested in philosophy, but U2 fans will be disappointed. Those interested in learning more about U2 would be better off searching out U2 at the End of the World or U2 By U2, or simply just listening to U2's music and thinking about it on their own.

A top pick for fans of the group
U2 AND PHILOSOPHY: HOW TO DECIPHER AN ATOMIC BAND is a top pick for fans of the group, introducing philosophy in the context of a popular music venue review to make it more understandable to modern audiences. What does U2 have to do with Plato, existentialism, and Nietzsche, among others? This is the perfect pick for a high school collection wishing to introduce students to philosophy without appearing dry or dull in the process!

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description

"... provocative and rewarding... " -- Religious Studies Review

"... a tour de force."  -- Theological Studies

Theology and Difference reconceives the options confronting modern theology and investigates the disputed questions that underlie it. Pressing beyond the ready-made enlightenment offered by the subject-object framework, Walter Lowe uncovers a number of remarkable convergences between the contemporary philosopher Jacques Derrida and the early twentieth-century theologian Karl Barth.

Product Description
By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the basic concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis.Amazon.com Review
We've come a long way from "I think, therefore I am." If only things were that simple; as we see in Philosophy and the Neurosciences: A Reader, the interplay between our thoughts about ourselves and our body of scientific knowledge is becoming increasingly complex and arcane. Edited by Washington University's William Bechtel and several of his former graduate students, the book uses classic and contemporary selections to thoroughly cover several areas of mutual interest to neuroscientists and philosophers. Vision, language, and representation are the hottest topics, and heavy hitters like Broca and the Churchlands dissect them as precisely as their considerable knowledge and skill permit. Each broad section is bookended between a brief introduction and an intriguing question list; the readings are best suited for sparking classroom-style discussion and further research. Still, the individual reader will profit from the clarity and force of the book's arguments regarding the intersection between these two profoundly interesting fields. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Product Description
Combines physics, history, and philosophy in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics. An ideal guide for those who want to go beyond the equations and discover what physics reveals about reality. Softcover. Hardcover available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An excellent beginning
This book made me hungry for more texts on the topic.It examines fascinating questions and is excellent for the inquisitive physics or beginning philosophy student.As a physics major, I found parts of the chapter on dispositions heavy going, far deeper than I would prefer.The chapters on electromagnetism were pure delight, however.Towards the end of the book, the author and I parted ways over the issue of relativity;it takes rather a lot of nerve to tell the entire physics community, "you're doing it wrong," about a subject upon which they are constantly fending off attacks already.

I have read the book through twice, taken extensive notes, and will likely read much of it again.I have yet to find another text on the topic that touched so many of the interesting questions of ontology in physics, and I have been looking.

Great introduction
In college, foundational questions in physics are often swept under the rug, typically by rushed professors who neither have the time nor the inclination to answer questions like:'What, exactly, is an electric field?''Is a Poynting vector a real thing or merely a mathematical construct that aids our ability to visualize or make calculations?''How do we make sense of quantum non-locality?'Having been shut down in class on several occasions, most students just turn in their problem sets and learn what's necessary to do well on exams.Well, these questions still remain, and this book does a fantastic job in both identifying and addressing at an introductory level how they may be ultimately resolved.The mass-energy equivalence and the specious conclusions even physicists derive from it was an eye-opener, to say the least.Physics professors should put this book on their suggested reading lists to address the questions of the more inquisitive.I wholeheartedly recommend this book for people just starting out in the philosophy of physics, and even for physics majors who, during a summer soul-searching session, desire to think about things on a deeper level.

Amust read
This is just an excellent book. With questions that all early physics students ask and are usually shunned for asking them. Is the electric field a real entity? What is the difference between a real quantity and a math tool that gives us the right answer. Spactiotemperal locality is covered very well, the mix of physics and philosophy is superb. The last chapter on quantum mechanics could be expanded and perhaps the author can do a seperate book on that topic.This book is a must for all students of physics and philosophy. ... Read more

Product Description
In New Philosophy for New Media, Mark Hansen defines the image in digital art in terms that go beyond the merely visual. Arguing that the "digital image" encompasses the entire process by which information is made perceivable, he places the body in a privileged position—as the agent that filters information in order to create images. By doing so, he counters prevailing notions of technological transcendence and argues for the indispensability of the human in the digital era.

Hansen examines new media art and theory in light of Henri Bergson's argument that affection and memory render perception impure—that we select only those images precisely relevant to our singular form of embodiment. Hansen updates this argument for the digital age, arguing that we filter the information we receive to create images rather than simply receiving images as preexisting technical forms. This framing function yields what Hansen calls the "digital image." He argues that this new "embodied" status of the frame corresponds directly to the digital revolution: a digitized image is not a fixed representation of reality, but is defined by its complete flexibility and accessibility. It is not just that the interactivity of new media turns viewers into users; the image itself has become the body's process of perceiving it.

To illustrate his account of how the body filters information in order to create images, Hansen focuses on new media artists who follow a "Bergsonist vocation"; through concrete engagement with the work of artists like Jeffrey Shaw, Douglas Gordon, and Bill Viola, Hansen explores the contemporary aesthetic investment in the affective, bodily basis of vision. The book includes over 70 illustrations (in both black and white and color) from the works of these and many other new media artists.Amazon.com Review
Mark B. N. Hansen's New Philosophy for New Media departs from much theorizing about the cognitive effects of new media to argue that the embodied experience--rather than a de-contextualized, disembodied flow of information--is the proper framework for understanding perception. His nuanced claims, infused with both cognitive theory and science, offer compelling insights into the human interaction with the digital image, but the book falls somewhat short of its title’s dramatic promise.

Ultimately, Hansen's project it to update Henri Bergson's notion of the "affective body" for the 21st century. He claims that in the world of interactive new media "the 'image' has itself become a process, and, as such, has become irreducibly bound up with the activity of the body." The body acts as a filter to frame the digital image. In contrast, Hansen offers a sustained critique of Gilles Deleuze’s "treatment of the movement image in which the cinematic image is purified of connection with the human body" (as described by Tim Lenoir). The book expands Hansen's vision across seven chapters that variously engage with new media art theory, virtual reality, the "digital facial image," and digital artwork. His most compelling illustration comes in the final chapter, where he demonstrates how artists Douglas Gordon and Bill Viola open "experience to the subperceptual inscription of temporal shifts (machine time)." Here, drawing on work of neuroscience, he shows that art actually engages the body and expands perception of the interstices between what human normally experience as "now."

While, like many contemporary works of theory, Hansen sometimes falls into opaque passages of academic, postmodern jargon, he tries to ground his theorizing in a concrete language that he lays out early on (with definitions of such terms as "embodiment" made explicit in relation the neuroscience). In the end, though, Hansen doesn't make entirely clear why this "new" philosophy of embodied experience is actually particular to new media. His supposition seems, rather, that new media art--interactive digital images--heighten the felt experience of perception, but this difference appears to be quantitative, rather than qualitative, relative to the experience of "old" media. In the end, then, Hansen provides a useful remedy to the abundance of "disembodied" theories of virtuality, but his book does not present a comprehensive "new philosophy" for those seeking guidance in a the new media era. --Patrick O’Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

very disappointing
I found this book to be very uninspiring and ultimately disappointing. The book should be called "New Philosophy" for "New Media" instead of New Philosophy for New Media. It is certainly not new philosophy and certainly doesn't cover all new media or media art.

First of all, mr. Hansen is very selective when it comes to new media art. The artists he discusses have given the body a central role, but one could name just as much artists for whom the body is not *that* central. But one could even contest the representation of this 'centralness': whereas one could discern some sort of negotiation between the body and the outside world (in this case technology) in the works of these artists, for Hansen this negotiation has always already been decided in favor of the human body.

So in the end it is not exactly 'new philosophy' we're dealing with, but, at least in this reader's view, desperate attempts to keep some old ways of thinking supreme, without ever trying to question them or trying out new ways of thinking. In a strange way one can sense this desperateness especially when it goes hand in hand with something that seems to be some sort of grudge against a new batch of thinkers who have attracted most of the attention, at least in some circles in the academic world (read: the world of cultural studies).

In these moments mr. Hansen's style leaves academic or creative thinking altogether and changes in a very childish name-calling and misrepresentation. For example, mr. Hansen seems to be very displeased by the fact that Friedrich Kittler has made such a name for himself as a media scientist. So whenever he refers to Kittler, he puts media scientist inbetween quotation marks, as on p. 71:

Without a doubt, it is German "media scientist" Friedrich Kittler... (p.71)

This is not the first time mr. Hansen refers to Friedrich Kittler in his book, so, one could ask him(/her)self, why here refer to the nationality of Kittler, should it suddenly matter that Kittler is not only a "media scientist" but also a German? And should the combination of being a German AND a "media scientist" (note the quotation marks) tell us enough, without even taking the substance of Kittler's work into account?

Even though this might seem to be something too little to fall over when judging a book, it becomes VERRY annoying when it keeps happening all through the work, especially when it threatens to take over the place of philosophical critique or thinking.

Of course, I didn't choose the passage above for no reason. It was exactly on that spot when I was totally repelled by Hansen's "work" (note that I am also using the quotation marks in a strategic way, just to mirror mr. Hansens's style). Let's see the rest of the sentence:

Without a doubt, it is German "media scientist" Friedrich Kittler who has most provocatively engaged the post-(anti-)humanist implications of digitization. (p.71)

This whole passage (and one could actually say: the whole book) serves no other end than to (mis-)represent post-humanist thinking as anti-humanism. Every priority given to technology becomes easily "technical determinism" (p.74) and Hansen knows how to connect some feelings of superiority to his own way of thinking: his quest is a quest of keeping the human in humanity alive, while all other thinkers reduce the human being in some way.

Well, let's read a short quote from one work from among the many books on post-humanism:

Humanism, in by now well-rehearsed arguments [!], produces oppressive institutions and discourses because it presumes that one sort of person (usually male, white, educated, and wealthy) is exemplary, and/or that there exists a "human nature" that is "the same" for all. (From the book: Avatar Bodies by Ann Weinstone, p. 3).

Apparently this is not so well-rehearsed for mr. Hansen: post-humanism has *nothing* whatsoever to do with anti-humanism, it is simply put a different way of thinking about what it is to be a human being. In general it tries to get rid of some rigid ways of thinking about the 'human', to create more space for other beings (be it people who do not fit the rigid image of humanism or be it some other being which is part of our world). One could say that in the end post-humanism is a much more 'humane' way of thinking than the obsolete and dogmatic ideas of european or western humanism. Whichever way you take it though, it is *NOT* anti-humanism.

As Deleuze argues in Difference and Repetition, real freedom is not about trying to find answers for old questions, but to be able to ask new questions, relevant and actual at the moment the questions are asked, in an always changing world. It is no wonder that affect and technology have become some of the central issues in todays thinking. But mr. Hansen misrepresents these issues in a very, well, creative way. But this creativity has nothing to do with asking new, relevant question, but a creativity in keeping creativity at bay!

So, the central argument of this book goes as follows: even though some things have changed (technology and with technology the nature of the work of art and the media in general), it was always already the human body which framed these changes. It is assumed, but mostly hidden in clever ways, that despite all these changes, the human body has stayed the same and will stay the same and will thus continue to determine (if we are carefull enough to see) how things will continue to change in the future.

Do we actually know this for a fact? It is exactly here that one could (and several have already tried to do so, even if Hansen puts their new ways of thinking inbetween quotation marks) that one could open up new spaces of thinking, ask new questions.

The central idea of affect is that we, human beings, are capable of changing the world, because we are capable to do things with our bodies, but also - and certainly not less! - that we are capable of being changed by the world. So, even if most art is created for or through human embodiment, the central question one should ask in relation to Hansens work is: is this still the same body as a century ago? As five centuries ago? How can we know? Well, we need to ask questions to find out, we cannot assume that the human body has not changed and has dictated all changes. This would be the least philosophical and least creative way one could take.

Claiming that technology, even if it is created by humanity, can change the human body in unforeseen ways is no technical determinism, on the contrary, it is claiming that we human beings are very human because we *are* affectable, through our bodies, in ways we are not even aware of. A very beautiful example is the chapter on Stelarc in Brian Massumi's work: Parables for the Virtual. Movement, Affect, Sensation, from 2002. (It is very surprising by the way that mr. Hansen doesn't mention Stelarc even once in this book, while it is a book on new media art).

One of Hansen's arguments at this point becomes how the human body itself creates some sort of rhythm or duration. This functions as an example of how the body creates the frame for our perception. This frame is so rooted in our bodies, that it becomes in Hansen's view a non-changeable, transcendental given. The philosophical journey Hansen undertakes always ends up with our bodies. Or, in other words, a journey to the self, the world outside has no place in this whole whatsover. Whereas other thinkers use this kind of bodily rhythm to argue that the body has always been open to and in sync with the outside world.

In the end, it was always an illusion (a sweet one of course) that the human body was outside and especially above the rest of nature, it is no smaller illusion that the body is outside or above technology. Because we created this technology does not mean that we totally control it's direction and/or nature. Most technology is invented by chance and through an ongoing negotiation with the outside world (material resources, natural 'laws' etc.) and not because we human beings directed it in some way. We could at least give ourselves the opportunity to ask questions about how techonology affects us, whether this is indeed framed by "the human body" (if there is such one unchanging universal substance) or not.

In fact one could put Hansen's scheme totally upside down: technology or art (in what media whatsoever) has never been framed by the human body, but by the world, the cosmos we live in. The human being or the human body has always been just a little dot framed and affected by cosmic forces in many ways through our embodiment. Let the fact that technology is created by humanity not fool anyone, we are still affected by cosmic forces, but this time through a combination of our emodiment and technology. It is the nature of this combination and how certain forces affect our being in new ways through this combination that we must study, this, in my view, can never be a journey to our own body, but to the great unknown outside.

New thinking...
I must mention two points in relation to this work.

1. There is a true "newness" to new media espoused by Hansen in this work. This is based around the numeric, addressible quality of the digital image (Hansen reading Couchot) which renders it a process in exploded, bodily enacted frame rather than a traditional picture delimited by inherent form, so I must disagree with the editorial review.

2. I am unsure about Hansen's concept of the digital facial image as proposed in this work; I am not totally sure that this is quite the way forward - my thinking is not yet finalised on this.

Beyond these two comments, I must add that this work is a very weighty and useful addition to that philosophical project of revising and updating the continually pertinent Bergson, which I can recommend to all new media scholars. ... Read more