History, Politics and Commentary - Philosophy

This is a unique and quirky exploration of the stories and meanings behind the everyday objects that shape our lives. From combs and keys to sweets and handkerchiefs, certain objects, though seemingly mundane, can have a magical quality, and an often surprising power to arouse, absorb, disturb, or soothe. Take bags, for example. Why do most women carry handbags, while men rely on pockets? Why do so many houses have bags of bags? And why do we 'let the cat out the bag' or 'give someone the sack'? What significance do our bags hold f... read more

The Hidden Brain takes a look at how we actually think both consciously and unconsciously. It delves into a wide variety of stories that intriguingly point towards the astounding notion that people are much more dependent on the unconscious than most of us would like to believe.

Shows that there is a paradox at the heart of our lives. This title describes that most people want more income and yet as societies become richer, they do not become happier.

Are you still the person who lived 15, 10 or five years ago? 15, 10 or five minutes ago? Can you plan for your retirement if the you of 30 years hence is in some sense a different person? What and who is the real you? Does it remain constant over time and place, or is it something much more fragmented and fluid? Is it known to you, or are you as much a mystery to yourself as others are to you?With his usual wit,infectious curiosity and bracing scepticism, Julian Baggini sets out to answer these fundamental and unsettling questions.... read more

In "The Philosophy of The X-Files", Dean A. Kowalski has gathered a remarkable group of contributors to shed light on the philosophical mysteries of the television show "The X-Files". With sections devoted to the show's credos, such as "The Truth Is Out There," individual characters, and specific episodes, "The Philosophy of The X-Files" illuminates the philosophical assumptions and presuppositions of the show and presents discussions through the show to help the reader better understand philosophy and philosophical inquiry.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume were giants of the Enlightenment, men whose writings would forever shape our world. But when they fell out, they did so on a grand scale - to reveal a very human story of compassion, treachery, anger and revenge. In "Rousseau's Dog", David Edmonds and John Eidinow bring their narrative verve to the bitter quarrel that turned these two Enlightenment giants into mortal foes. The result is a story of celebrity and its price, of shameless spin, of destroyed reputations and shattered friendships.

This "New York Times" bestseller gives any teacher or parent all the techniques, exercises, and innovations that have made its author an educational icon, from personal codes of behavior to tips on tackling literature and algebra. The result is a powerful book for anyone concerned about the future of our children.

In 2006, Yu Dan, a professor of media studies at Beijing Normal University, gave a series of lectures titled 'Yu Dan's Insights into the Analects', which was broadcast for seven days on China Central Television. Her highly personal interpretation of Confucian thought was rapturously received. An edited transcript of the lectures sold 10,000 copies on the day it was published in book form. It has sold millions since and remains at the top of the Chinese bestseller lists today. Simply written, and with a view to taking the wisdom of ... read more

Searching for Order traces the search for order in the natural world, a search that for hundreds of years occupied some of the most brilliant minds in Europe. Redefining man's relationship with nature was an important feature of the Renaissance. But in a world full of plagues and poisons, there was also a practical need to name and recognise different plants: most medicines were made from plant extracts. Anna Pavord takes us on a thrilling adventure into botanical history, travelling from Athens in the third century BC, through Con... read more

In the summer of 2009, Alain de Botton will be invited by the owners of Heathrow airport to become their first ever Writer in Residence. He will be installed in the middle of Terminal 5 on a raised platform with a laptop connected to screens, enabling passengers to see what he is writing and to come and share their stories. He will meet travellers from around the world, and will be given unprecedented access to wander the airport and speak with everyone from window cleaners and baggage handlers to air traffic controllers and cabin ... read more

In Socrates, Gwen Hunter examines the Socratic method of seeking wisdom against the background of pre-Socratic philosophy. Important aspects of the historical and political context of Socrates’ trial and his death sentence are explained in a clear and accessible way. Plato’s four dialogues on the death of Socrates – the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Phaedo – are carefully discussed and the student is guided through the intricacies of each of these texts, which are our primary source of knowledge about the Socratic method. An an... read more

In The Life You Can Save, philosopher Peter Singer, uses ethical arguments, provocative thought experiments, illuminating examples, and case studies of charitable giving to show that our current response to world poverty is not only insufficient but ethically indefensible.

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This essential guide to the ancient Jewish doctrine of esoteric knowledge was written by one of modern occultism's most influential figures. Unlike lesser works, it focuses on the actual sacred texts -- "The Book of Concealed Mystery," "The Greater Holy Assembly," and "The Lesser Holy Assembly" -- to offer an objective, reliable interpretation.

In this remarkable spiritual journey about his life-long struggle with the questions of God and death, Bishop Spong reveals how he ultimately came to believe in eternal life. God, says Spong, is ultimately one, and each of us is part of that oneness. This is how we live on after death: not in Heaven or Hell, but as part of the eternity that continues after we die beyond the barriers of time and space. Spong says the discovery of the eternal can be found within each of us as we go deeper into ourselves and become most fully human. B... read more

The celebrated artist Marc Chagall began illustrating the Bible in 1931, and it became his lifelong passion. This extraordinary volume includes more than 150 of his finest works, paired with three books from the Old Testament. When a portion of these Biblical illustrations were presented as an exhibition, the "New York Times" exclaimed that Chagall's art was "a lively and enriching way for anyone, no matter how deeply or how casually schooled in the Bible, to become reacquainted with scenes and stories from the Old Testament convey... read more

The Freedom Paradox is a radical reconsideration of the meaning of freedom in the modern world. Despite all the freedoms we now enjoy, the citizens of rich countries do not appear to be the contented, creative and flourishing individuals that were envisaged by the liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Nor has the extension of political rights to all groups in society or free-market libertarianism brought promised personal fulfilment. Instead, the space created by the freedoms won has been filled by another form of coercion, ... read more

Being wrong is an inescapable part of being alive. And yet, we go through life tacitly assuming (or loudly insisting) that we are right about nearly everything - from our political beliefs to our private memories, from our grasp of scientific fact to the merits of our favourite team. Being Wrong looks at why this conviction has such a powerful grip on us, what happens when this conviction is shaken, and how we interpret the moral, political and psychological significance of being wrong.Drawing on philosophies old and new and cutt... read more

For over three decades, Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future. In his classic "The Age of Spiritual Machines," he argued that computers would soon rival the full range of human intelligence at its best. Now he examines the next step in this inexorable evolutionary process: the union of human and machine, in which the knowledge and skills embedded in our brains will be combined with the vastly greater capacity, speed, and knowledge-sharing ability of our creations.

The essays in this book, drawn mainly from A. C. Grayling's columns in Prospect, the Dubliner and The Times, are in fact responses to questions set by editors and readers. If beauty existed only in the eye of the beholder, would that make it an unimportant quality? Are human rights political? Can ethics be derived from evolution by natural selection? If both sides in a conflict can passionately believe that theirs is the just cause, does this mean that the idea of justice is empty? Does being happy make us good? And does being go... read more

'If there is any such person in Britain today as The Thinking Man, it is A.C. Grayling' The Times 'An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity' Independent 'While most philosophy is written in abstruse and ponderous prose, Grayling's is a model of clarity and elegance' The Times 'He is a philosopher engaged in what he rightly praises, adding value to life, in a way that is not too taxing' Guardian