Philosophy

This fascinating book charts the relationship between Mark Rowlands, a rootless philosopher, and Brenin, his extraordinarily well-travelled wolf.
More than just an exotic pet, Brenin exerted an immense influence on Rowlands as both a person, and, strangely enough, as a philosopher, leading him to re-evaluate his attitude to love, happiness, nature and death. By turns funny (what do you do when your wolf eats your air-conditioning unit?) and poignant, this life-affirming book will make you reappraise what it means to be human.

Scholar, philosopher and political sage, Confucius lived at a turbulent time in his country's history, the so-called 'Spring and Autumn Period' of the sixth century BC, during which China was wracked by warfare between rival feudal states. Against this backdrop he developed a system of social and political behaviour that he hoped could be used to create harmony and peace throughout the land. The teachings of Confucius attracted a large number of pupils, but were largely ignored by the rulers of China's various kingdoms. As a result... read more

Something went wrong around the start of the twenty-first century. The crowd was wise. Social networks replaced individual creativity. There were more places to express ourselves than ever before ...yet no one really had anything to say. Does this have to be our future? In You Are Not A Gadget digital guru and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier reveals how recent developments in our culture are deadening personal interaction, stifling genuine inventiveness and even changing us as people. Showing us the way to a future ... read more

Every day around the world millions of people enter virtual worlds through video games. These games are now the fastest-growing form of entertainment – and being played by people of all ages. International communities are coming together to play, have fun and share ideas – without ever meeting. How To Play A Video Game unlocks this amazing world, giving an insight into what makes video games so fascinating and entertaining to the people who play them. The author, a game player who has turned his passion into an acade... read more

Gopnik, a leading psychologist and philosopher as well as a mother, explains the groundbreaking new psychological, neuroscientific and philosophical developments in our understanding of very young children, transforming our understanding of how babies see the world.

Easeful Death sets out in straightforward terms the main arguments both for and against the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The legal choices confronting those caring for the terminally ill, and indeed those patients themselves who may be facing intolerable suffering towards the end of their lives, have been the cause of fierce public debate in recent years. The book takes as its starting point attempts in Britain and other countries to bring compassion into the rules governing the end of a patient's life. Drawing ... read more

Since their first publication in 1821, de Maistre's dark writings have fascinated and appalled critics, with their relentless hatred of the Enlightenment and view of humans as murderous beasts who can only be controlled by the threat of overwhelming punishment. Terrifying and bizarre, "The Executioner" is a meditation on human evil like no other. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have en... read more

Discursive, entertaining and provocative, Secular Sermons contains fourteen essays by celebrated philosopher Professor Alan Musgrave, examining the basic assumptions of science, religion and mathematics. Can we decide what to believe? Why do scientists do experiments and what can their experiments show? Is evolution a scientific theory? Such apparently simple questions are brilliantly investigated by Musgrave in order to interrogate the worldviews we inhabit - and their consequences. He brings to these questions an expansive histor... read more

This is a brilliant study on the nature of choice, and how limitless freedom can lead to despair. We are encouraged from all sides to view our lives as being full of choices. Like the products on a supermarket shelf, our careers, our relationships, our bodies, our very identities seem to be there for the choosing. But paradoxically this seeming freedom to choose can create extreme anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy and guilt. "Choice" explores how late capitalism's shrill exhortations to 'be oneself' can be a tyranny which only le... read more

If life is meaningless as Sartre suggests, what is the point of being born? What does Freud have to say about losing one's virginity or Nietzsche about having a mid-life crisis? Drawing on philosophy, art, literature and psychology, this book explores the real meaning of the hoops we all have to jump through.

No Description

The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts confront the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers from history's great thinkers. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas. In Big Questions: Philosophy, bestselling author Simon Blackburn addresses 20 essential questions.

First published 2009.

An exciting, radical work of philosophy, which sets out to challenge our most cherished assumptions about what it means to be human. A demolition of two and a half thousand years of thought, Straw Dogs is an exhilarating, sometimes disturbing book that leads the reader to question their deepest held beliefs. First published 2002.

Professor James R. Flynn is renowned for his belief that the IQ gap between black and white Americans is not genetic, but environmental in origin. Flynn's controversial new book offers an alternative to the vision of American society popularized by Herrnstein and Murray in The Bell Curve and is a must-read for all those wanting to keep up to date with the IQ debate. It traces the history of American idealism from Jefferson to the followers of Leo Strauss; analyses the black marriage market, the case for affirmative action, the foll... read more

"Unlike Freud, I do not claim that religion is just an illusion and a source of neurosis. The time has come to recognize, without being afraid of 'frightening' either the faithful or the agnostics, that the history of Christianity prepared the world for humanism."So writes Julia Kristeva in this provocative work, which skillfully upends our entrenched ideas about religion, belief, and the thought and work of a renowned psychoanalyst and critic. With dialogue and essay, Kristeva analyzes our "incredible need to believe"& mdash;the i... read more

"This personal witty and insightful book teaches us about the fears that drive failure and the self-awareness that can help us navigate it. The great point about this book is that it is both philosophical with regards the nature of fear and its impact on achievement, and practical. For those that may be paralysed by a fear of failure, it offers a way through,"Luke Johnson, serial entrepreneur, Financial Times columnist and Chairman of the RSA"This powerful, insightful book shows you how to unlock your unconscious brakes and step on... read more

When beer starts to flow, philosophical discussions naturally follow. Philosophy on Tap takes pub philosophy to the next level, pairing 48 of life's greatest philosophical questions with 48 of the world's best beers. Features a unique presentation of philosophical puzzles, paradoxes, and debates by considering 48 of life's biggest questions in the context of 48 distinctive beers from around the world Provides a highly engaging and sociable approach to the classic philosophical problems as well as a unique look at the conundrum... read more

When we interact with animals, we intuitively read thoughts and feelings into their expressions and actions - it is easy to suppose that they have minds like ours. And as technology grows more sophisticated, we might soon find ourselves interpreting the behaviour of robots too in human terms. It is natural for us to humanize other beings in this way, but is it philosophically or scientifically justifiable? How different might the minds of animals or machines be to ours? As David McFarland asks here, could robots ever feel guilty, a... read more

A new statement of how "beauty" in nature is understood and appreciated. Aesthetic experience is one of the fundamental ways that we develop a relationship to our natural surroundings. Emily Brady provides a comprehensive study of this type of experience and the central philosophical issues related to it, developing her own original theory of aesthetic appreciation of nature. She provides useful background to the current debate and an up-to-date critical appraisal of contemporary theories.The context of the contemporary debate is l... read more