BookOdyssey

WOULD YOU KILL ONE PERSON TO SAVE FIVE OTHERS?If you could upload all of your memories into a machine, would that machine be you? Is it possible we\'re all already artificial intelligences, living inside a simulation?These sound like questions from a philosophy class, but in fact they\'re from modern, popular video games. Philosophical discussion often uses thought experiments to consider ideas that we can\'t test in real life, and media like books, films, and games can make these thought experiments far more accessible to a non-academic audience. Thanks to their interactive nature, video games can be especially effective ways to explore these ideas.Each chapter of this book introduces a philosophical topic through discussion of relevant video games, with interviews with game creators and expert philosophers. In ten chapters, this book demonstrates how video games can help us to consider the following questions:1. Why do video games make for good thought experiments? (From the ethical dilemmas of the Mass Effect series to \'philosophy games\'.)2. What can we actually know? (From why Phoenix Wright is right for the wrong reasons to whether No Man\'s Sky is a lie.)3. Is virtual reality a kind of reality? (On whether VR headsets like the Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and HTC Vive deal in mass-market hallucination.)4. What constitutes a mind? (From the souls of Beyond: Two Souls to the synths of Fallout 4.)5. What can you lose before you\'re no longer yourself? (Identity crises in the likes of The Swapper and BioShock Infinite.)6. Does it mean anything to say we have choice? (Determinism and free will in Bioshock, Portal 2 and Deus Ex.)7. What does it mean to be a good or dutiful person? (Virtue ethics in the Ultima series and duty ethics in Planescape: Torment.)8. Is there anything better in life than to be happy? (Utilitarianism in Bioshock 2 and Harvest Moon.)10. How should we be governed, for whom and by who? (Government and rights in Eve Online, Crusader Kings, Democracy 3 and Fable 3.)11. Is it ever right to take another life? And how do we cope with our own death? (The Harm Thesis and the good death in To The Moon and Lost Odyssey.) Σελίδες: 384, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0801, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

The stoics lived a long time ago, but they had some startling insights into the human condition - insights which endure to this day. The philosophical tradition, founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in 301 BC, endured as an active movement for almost 500 years, and contributions from dazzling minds such as Cicero, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius helped create a body of thought with an extraordinary goal - to provide a rational, healthy way of living in harmony with the nature of the universe and in respect of our relationships with each other.In many ways a precursor to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Stoicism provides an armamentarium of strategies and techniques for developing psychological resilience, while celebrating all in life which is beautiful and important. By learning what stoicism is, you can revolutionise your life and learn how to seize the day, live happily and be a better person. This simple, empowering book shows how to use this ancient wisdom to make practical, positive changes to your life. Using thought-provoking case studies, highlighting key ideas and things to remember and providing tools for self-assessment, it demonstrates that Stoicism is a proven, profound pathway to happiness. Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0911, Διαστάσεις: 16.4x16.4cm

In Either/Or, using the voices of two characters - the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply \'A\', and the ethical Judge Vilhelm of the second section - Kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as Mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous Seducer\'s Diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman. A masterpiece of duality, Either/Or is a brilliant exploration of the conflict between the aesthetic and the ethical - both meditating ironically and seductively upon Epicurean pleasures, and eloquently expounding the noble virtues of a morally upstanding life. Σελίδες: 640, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

In this revelatory volume, Roberto Calasso, whom the Paris Review has called \'a literary institution\', explores the ancient texts known as the Vedas. Little is known about the Vedic people who lived more than three thousand years ago in northern India: they left behind almost no objects, images, ruins. Only a \'Parthenon of words\' remains: verses and formulations suggesting a daring understanding of life. \'If the Vedic people had been asked why they did not build cities,\' writes Calasso, \'they could have replied: we did not seek power, but rapture.\' This is the ardor of the Vedic world, a burning intensity that is always present, both in the mind and in the cosmos. With his signature erudition and profound sense of the past, Calasso explores the enigmatic web of ritual and myth that define the Vedas. Often at odds with modern thought, he shows how these texts illuminate the nature of consciousness more than neuroscientists have been able to offer us up to now. Σελίδες: 432, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLEROne of the most influential voices in modern philosophy - the author of The Course of Love, Religion for Atheists, The Art of Travel and The School of LifeAlain de Botton presents a one-stop shop for solving the problems of everyday life through the wisdom of history\'s great philosophers\'Singlehandedly, de Botton has taken philosophy back to its simplest and most important purpose: helping us live our lives\' Independent\'Few discussions on the great philosophers can have been so entertaining... An ingenious, imaginative book\' The Sunday Times\'Witty, thoughtful, entertaining... It manages to make philosophy both enjoyable and relevant\' Anthony Clare, Literary Review\'No doubt about it, philosophy is the new rock and roll and Alain de Botton is its Colonel Tom Parker... A pleasure to read. And good writing, like good philosophy, is always a consolation\' John Banville, Irish Times Alain de Botton has set six of the finest minds in the history of philosophy to work on the problems of everyday life. Find out what Socrates, Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche would say about the things that bother us all the most: lack of money, the pain of love, inadequacy, anxiety, the fear of failure and the pressure to conform. Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

From Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen, The Idea of Justice is a refreshing alternative approach to mainstream theories of justice. Is justice an ideal, for ever beyond our grasp, or something that may actually guide our practical decisions and enhance our lives? At the heart of Sen\'s argument is his insistence on the role of public reason in establishing what can make societies less unjust. But there are always choices to be made between alternative assessments of what is reasonable, and competing positions can each be well defended. Rather than rejecting these pluralities, we should use them to construct a theory of justice that can accommodate divergent points of view. Sen also inspiringly shows how the principles of justice in the modern world must avoid parochialism and address vital questions of global injustice. The breadth of vision, intellectual acuity and striking humanity of one of the world\'s leading public intellectuals have never been more clearly shown than in this remarkable book. \'A major advance in contemporary thinking\'  John Gray, Literary Review \'The most important contribution to the subject since John Rawls\'s A Theory of Justice\'  Hilary Putnam, Harvard University \'Sen writes with dry wit, a feel for history and a relaxed cosmopolitanism ... a conviction that economists and philosophers are in business to improve the world burns on almost every page\'  Economist \'Sen\'s magisterial critique of the dominant mode of liberal political philosophy confirms him as the English-speaking world\'s pre-eminent public intellectual\'  New Statesman Books of the Decade Amartya Sen is Lamont University Professor at Harvard. He won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998 and was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge 1998-2004. His most recent books are The Argumentative Indian, Identity and Violence and Development as Freedom. His books have been translated into thirty languages. Σελίδες: 496, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Words of Wisdom brings together 360 of Philosophy\'s most famous quotations, explaining their meaning and telling the stories behind them. Western philosophy may be said to have begun in ancient Greece, where, inscribed in his temple at Delphi, the words of the god Apollo commanded those who sought wisdom to first \'know thyself\'. With the author\'s usual humour and clarity of style, the whole 2,500 year history of philosophy is laid bare. Each quote is set in the context of its cultural background, author biography and general outlook; trends are highlighted, links established, and influences traced, all in a way that is entertaining, thought-provoking, and even fun. Words of Wisdom is the perfect book for those who always wanted to ask what philosophy was about, but were afraid they might not understand the answer. Σελίδες: 384, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1013, Διαστάσεις: 13.1x13.1cm

Philosophy in Minutes distils 200 of the most important philosophical ideas into easily digestible, bite-sized sections. The core information for every topic - including debates such as the role of philosophy in science and religion, key thinkers from Aristotle to Marx, and introductions to morality and ethics - is explained in straightforward language, using illustrations to make the concepts easy to understand and remember. Whether you are perplexed by existentialism or pondering the notion of free will, this accessible small-format book will help any reader to quickly grasp the basics of this highly nuanced subject. Chapters include: Truth and logic, Marxism, Communism and Socialism, Ontology, Philosophy and literature, Existence of God, Feminist theory, Consciousness, The future of philosophy. Σελίδες: 416, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0301, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

Since the beginning of time mankind has struggled with the big questions surrounding our existence. Whilst most people have heard of Socrates, Machiavelli and Nietzsche, many are less clear on their theories and key concepts. In The Great Philosophers, bestselling author Stephen Law condenses and deciphers their fundamental ideas. Avoiding the technical jargon and complex logic associated with most books on philosophy, Law brings the thoughts of these great thinkers, from Confucius and Buddha to Wittgenstein and Sartre, to life. Σελίδες: 384, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0501, Διαστάσεις: 12.5x12.5cm

The teachings of Epicurus-about life and death, religion and science, physical sensation, happiness, morality, and friendship-attracted legions of adherents throughout the ancient Mediterranean world and deeply influenced later European thought. Though Epicurus faced hostile opposition for centuries after his death, he counts among his many admirers Thomas Hobbes, Thomas Jefferson, Karl Marx, and Isaac Newton. This volume includes all of his extant writings-his letters, doctrines, and Vatican sayings-alongside parallel passages from the greatest exponent of his philosophy, Lucretius, extracts from Diogenes Laertius\' Life of Epicurus, a lucid introductory essay about Epicurean philosophy, and a foreword by Daniel Klein, author of Travels with Epicurus and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar. Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER\'Honest, funny and dripping with witty aphorisms. Extremely entertaining and enlightening [...] all the way to journey\'s end\' Herald One of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, Religion for Atheists and The School of Life, presents a travel guide with a difference - an exploration of why we travel, and what we learn along the way...Few activities seem to promise as much happiness as going travelling: taking off for somewhere else, somewhere far from home, a place with more interesting weather, customs and landscapes. But although we are inundated with advice on where to travel to, we seldom ask why we go and how we might become more fulfilled by doing so.With the help of a selection of writers, artists and thinkers - including Flaubert, Edward Hopper, Wordsworth and Van Gogh - Alain de Botton provides invaluable insights into everything from holiday romance to hotel minibars, airports to sightseeing. The perfect antidote to those guides that tell us what to do when we get there, The Art of Travel tries to explain why we really went in the first place - and helpfully suggest how we might be happier on our journeys.\'Delightful, profound, entertaining. I doubt if de Botton has written a dull sentence in his life\' Jan Morris\'An elegant and subtle work, unlike any other. Beguiling\' Colin Thubron, The Times Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

A key work of ancient Chinese philosophy is brought back to life in Ian Johnston\'s compelling and definitive translation, new to Penguin Classics. Very little is known about Master Mo, or the school he founded. However, the book containing his philosphical ideas has survived centuries of neglect and is today recognised as a fundamental work of ancient Chinese philosophy. The book contains sections explaining the ten key doctrines of Mohism; lively dialogues between Master Mo and his followers; discussion of ancient warfare; and an extraordinary series of chapters that include the first examples of logic, dialectics and epistemology in Chinese philosophy. The ideas discussed in The Book of Master Mo - ethics, anti-imperalism, and a political hierarchy based on merit - remain as relevant as ever, and the work is vital to understanding ancient Chinese philosophy.Translator Ian Johnston has an MA in Latin, a PhD in Greek and a PhD in Chinese, and was Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Sydney University until his retirement. He has published translations of Galen\'s medical writings, early Chinese poetry (Singing of Scented Grass and Waiting for the Owl), and early Chinese philosophical works (the Mozi and - with Wang Ping - the Daxue and Zhongyong). In 2011 he was awarded the NSW Premier\'s Prize and the PEN medallion for translation.Unlike previous translations, this version includes the complete text. It also includes an introduction and explanatory endnotes. \'A landmark endeavour\' - Asia Times\'A magnificent and valuable achievement\' - Journal of Chinese Studies\'Eminently readable and at the same time remarkably accurate...Johnston\'s work will be the standard for a long time\' - China Review International\'Compelling and engaging reading...while at the same time preserving the diction and rhetorical style of the original Chinese\' - New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies Σελίδες: 512, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

The phenomenal international bestseller that shows us how to stop trying to predict everything - and take advantage of uncertaintyWhat have the invention of the wheel, Pompeii, the Wall Street Crash, Harry Potter and the internet got in common? Why are all forecasters con-artists? Why should you never run for a train or read a newspaper? This book is all about Black Swans: the random events that underlie our lives, from bestsellers to world disasters. Their impact is huge; they\'re impossible to predict; yet after they happen we always try to rationalize them. \'Taleb is a bouncy and even exhilarating guide ... I came to relish what he said, and even develop a sneaking affection for him as a person\' Will Self, Independent on Sunday\'He leaps like some superhero of the mind\' Boyd Tonkin, Independent Σελίδες: 480, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

‘One of the greatest thinkers of the age’ The Dalai Lama\'One of the five saints of the 20th century\' - TIME magazine \'Krishnamurti influenced me profoundly\' - Deepak Chopra Who are you?What are you?What do you want from life? One of the world’s great philosophical teachers, Krishnamurti, offers his inspiring wisdom on many of life’s hurdles from relationships and love, to anxiety and loneliness. He answers such questions as ‘What is the significance of life?’ and \'How do I live life to the full?\' to reveal the best way of being true to yourself. Read by millions from all walks of life, Krishnamurti shows us there is no path, no higher authority, no guru to follow, and that ultimately it is our own responsibility as to how we live our lives. Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

Raising questions that are as relevant to modern society as they were to the ancient world, Aristotle\'s The Politics remains central to the study of political science millennia after its compilation. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the Greek by T.A. Sinclair, revised and re-presented by Trevor J. Saunders.In The Politics Aristotle addresses the questions that lie at the heart of political science. How should society be ordered to ensure the happiness of the individual? Which forms of government are best and how should they be maintained? By analysing a range of city constitutions - oligarchies, democracies and tyrannies - he seeks to establish the strengths and weaknesses of each system, and to decide which are the most effective, in theory and in practice. Like his predecessor Plato, Aristotle believed that the ideal constitution should be good in itself and in accordance with nature, and that it is needed by man - \'a political animal\' - to fulfil his potential. A hugely significant work, which has influenced thinkers as diverse as Thomas Aquinas and Machiavelli, The Politics remains an outstanding commentary on fundamental political issues and concerns, and provides fascinating insights into the workings and attitudes of the Greek city-state.The introductions by T.A. Sinclair and Trevor J. Saunders discuss the influence of The Politics on philosophers, its modern relevance and Aristotle\'s political beliefs. This edition contains Greek and English glossaries, and a bibliography for further reading.Aristotle (384-322BC) was born at Stagira, in the dominion of the kings of Macedonia. For twenty years he studied at Athens in the Academy of Plato. Some time later, became the tutor of young Alexander the Great. His writings, including De Anima, The Nicomachean Ethics, Poetics, and The Politics, profoundly affected the whole course of ancient and medieval philosophy.If you enjoyed The Politics, you might like Plato\'s Republic, also available in Penguin Classics. Σελίδες: 512, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

This epoch-making book cuts through confused thinking and forces us to re-examine many cherished ideas about knowledge, imagination, consciousness and the intellect. The result is a classic example of philosophy. Σελίδες: 336, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Barely acknowledged in his lifetime, the New Science of Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) is an astonishingly perceptive and ambitious attempt to decipher the history, mythology and laws of the ancient world. Discarding the Renaissance notion of the classical as an idealised model for the modern, it argues that the key to true understanding of the past lies in accepting that the customs and emotional lives of ancient Greeks and Romans, Egyptians, Jews and Babylonians were radically different from our own. Along the way, Vico explores a huge variety of topics, ranging from physics to poetics, money to monsters, and family structures to the Flood. Marking a crucial turning-point in humanist thinking, New Science has remained deeply influential since the dawn of Romanticism, inspiring the work of Karl Marx and even influencing the framework for Joyce\'s Finnegan\'s Wake. Σελίδες: 560, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

\'Poverty does not consist in the want of money,\' I answered, \'nor is begging to be deplored. Poverty consists in the desire to have everything, and through violent means if necessary\'From their founding in the fifth century BC and for over 800 years, the Cynic philosophers sought to cure humanity of greed and vice with their proposal of living simply. They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech, poverty, self-sufficiency and physical hardiness. In this fascinating and completely new collection of Cynic writing through the centuries, from Diogenes and Hipparchia, to Lucian and the Roman emperor Julian, the history and experiences of the Cynic philosophers are explored to the full.Robert Dobbin\'s introduction examines the public image of the Cynics through the ages, as well as the philosophy\'s contradictions and how their views on women were centuries ahead of their time. This edition also includes notes on the text, chronology, glossary and suggested further reading.Translated, edited and with an introduction by Robert Dobbin Σελίδες: 288, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Where did the universe come from? Is time travel possible? Are genetically designed babies morally acceptable? If you have ever asked yourself such questions, then you have already begun to think philosophically. This book is for those who want to take the next step. Stephen Law poses questions about some of the most important philosophical issues of today - and of yesterday. Light-hearted questions about whether a pickled sheep is really art rub shoulders with more profound and time-honoured fears about whether God exists. In this radically new way of looking at philosophy, Stephen Law illustrates the problem with a story then lets both sides of the argument battle it out in clear, easily digestible and intelligent prose. And, by separating each issue into a distinct section, it is possible to dip in and out of in any order and at any time you like! Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0415, Διαστάσεις: 13.4x13.4cm

\'An indispensable companion for all interested in yoga, both scholars and practitioners\' Professor Alexis G. J. S. SandersonDespite yoga\'s huge global popularity, relatively little of its roots is known among practitioners. This compendium includes a wide range of texts from different schools of yoga, languages and eras: among others, key passages from the early Upanisads and the Mahabharata, and from the Tantric, Buddhist and Jaina traditions, with many pieces in scholarly translation for the first time. Covering yoga\'s varying definitions, its most important practices, such as posture, breath control, sensory withdrawal and meditation, as well as models of the esoteric and physical bodies, Roots of Yoga is a unique and essential source of knowledge.Translated and Edited with an Introduction by James Mallinson and Mark Singleton Σελίδες: 592, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'A poetic, erudite exploration of history and myth\' Financial TimesAn unforgettable journey through centuries and across cultures to the pivotal moment in evolution - when humans did something that no species had yet tried - when we became the hunter and no longer the prey. Informed by Greek and Egyptian myth, the stories of poets, shamans and gods, Roberto Calasso\'s expansive exploration of our relationship to animals and sacrifice, encourages us to reframe our understanding of our place in history, and in the world. \'Calasso has created a much discussed original genre for these books ... a dense pastiche of myth, biography, criticism, philosophy, history and minutiae ... woven together by Calasso\'s unflagging vision\' The New Yorker Σελίδες: 464, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

\'The most innovative and influential French thinker of the contemporary era\' GuardianThis is the ideal introduction to one of the most significant and radical philosophers of the past century. It includes detailed excerpts from all of Foucault\'s major works, including Discipline and Punish and The History of Sexuality, as well as many of his most revealing interviews, covering subjects from madness to desire, art to the nature of truth. No other writer has made us think more about the structures of power and control in our society, both past and present.\'Scarcely any philosopher working on the history of philosophy or historian working on the history of institutions, social science or sexuality can avoid confronting the challenge of Foucault\'s books\' Michael IgnatieffEdited by Paul Rabinow Σελίδες: 400, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Has liberalism failed because it has succeeded?  \"Why Liberalism Failed offers cogent insights into the loss of meaning and community that many in the West feel, issues that liberal democracies ignore at their own peril.\"—President Barack Obama  \"Deneen\'s book is valuable because it focuses on today\'s central issue. The important debates now are not about policy. They are about the basic values and structures of our social order.\"—David Brooks, New York Times   Of the three dominant ideologies of the twentieth century—fascism, communism, and liberalism—only the last remains. This has created a peculiar situation in which liberalism’s proponents tend to forget that it is an ideology and not the natural end-state of human political evolution. As Patrick Deneen argues in this provocative book, liberalism is built on a foundation of contradictions: it trumpets equal rights while fostering incomparable material inequality; its legitimacy rests on consent, yet it discourages civic commitments in favor of privatism; and in its pursuit of individual autonomy, it has given rise to the most far-reaching, comprehensive state system in human history. Here, Deneen offers an astringent warning that the centripetal forces now at work on our political culture are not superficial flaws but inherent features of a system whose success is generating its own failure. Σελίδες: 264, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0514, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

If this life is all there is, what should we do with it? Join Swedish philosopher Martin Hägglund on an original inquiry into the deepest questions of existence, beginning with a radical declaration: \'What I do and what I love can matter to me only because I understand myself as mortal.\' Through revelatory engagements with some of history\'s greatest philosophers, including Aristotle, St Augustine, Nietzsche, Hegel and Marx, Hägglund attacks our two great deceivers, religion and capitalism. Only by stripping away their subtle illusions can we discover the true value of our earthly freedom. Existence is revealed as a collective project: everything is at stake in what we do together, and no victory can survive us. \'The light of bliss - even when it floods your life - is always attended by the shadow of loss.\' By illuminating this truth, This Life forges an existential philosophy fit for a darkening century. Σελίδες: 464, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1001, Διαστάσεις: 12.4x12.4cm

In this highly prescient work - which has had a big impact on figures such as Pablo Oglesias of Podemos in Spain - Ernesto Laclau continues the philosophical and political exploration initiated in Hegemony and Socialist Strategy. Here he focuses on the construction of popular identities and how \"the people\" emerge as a collective actor. Skillfully combining theoretical analysis with a myriad of empirical references from numerous historical and geographical contexts he offers a critical reading of the existing literature on populism, demonstrating its dependency on the theorists of \"mass psychology\" such as Taine and Freud. He demonstrates the relation of populism to democracy and to the logic of representation, and differentiates his approach from the work of Zizek, Hardt and Negri, and Ranciere. This book is essential reading for all those interested in the question of political identities in a world marked by figures such as Trump, Farage, Le Pen as well as Sanders, Iglesias and Mélenchon. Σελίδες: 288, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1201, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

A guide to new ambitions in work, relationships and learning, by our most inspired thinker on society and community.\"Scintillating . . . prophetic . . . engaging\" - Financial Times\"A masterpiece\" - The TimesWhat is worth knowing? What does it mean to be alive? Where can one find nourishment for the mind? What is the great adventure of our time? What is a wasted life? What can the poor tell the rich? What could the rich tell the poor? How many ways of committing suicide are there? How can prejudices be overcome? How else can one think about the future, apart from trying to predict it or worrying about it? Is ridicule the most effective form of non-violent protest? How does one acquire a sense of humour? What stops people feeling completely at home in their own country? How many nations can one love at the same time? Why do so many people feel unappreciated, unloved and only half alive? How else might women and men treat one another? What can replace the shortage of soul-mates? Is another kind of sexual revolution achievable? What is more interesting than becoming a leader? What is the point of working so hard? Are there more amusing ways of earning a living? What else can one do in a hotel? Theodore Zeldin is the bestselling author of Conversation and An Intimate History of Humanity. His TED talk has now been viewed 1 million times.Winner of the Salon London Transmission Prize Σελίδες: 416, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0726, Διαστάσεις: 13.1x13.1cm

‘Omoiyari is a form of selfless compassion – putting yourself in the shoes of others, and from their perspective anticipating their needs, acting in a way that might make them at ease, happy or comfortable.’ This book will help you embrace omoiyari and bring joy and happiness into your own life and the lives of others. Care, consideration and empathy underpin all aspects of daily life in Japan and are essential to the social spirit. From Omotenashi (Japanese hospitality), Kirei (cleanliness and organisation) and Mottainai (reducing waste) to Zakka (finding beauty in the mundane) and Senbazuru (the origami art of folding one thousand paper cranes), there are so many different ways that the Japanese emphasise the importance of community and helping others. With practical and actionable advice throughout, you can learn how to incorporate Japanese culture and the art of compassion into your daily life, because even the smallest of considerate actions can make a world of difference. Σελίδες: 224, Διαστάσεις: 13.4x13.4cm

A guide to the complex subject of ethics explained in clear and entertaining language. This new edition is fully revised and updated. This popular introduction to the subject of ethics poses vital contemporary questions and explores the approach of leading thinkers. The authors take the reader, step by step, through the complex arguments on issues such as animal an human rights, environmental ethics and the morality of war. ‘It is a great gift to be able to make philosophy accessible to the general reader. This is a wonderfully clear introduction both to moral philosophy and to contemporary ethical concerns.’David Atkinson, Church Times Σελίδες: 240, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'Brings cooling clarity to the heat of today\'s culture wars\' Priyamvada Gopal, author of Insurgent Empire\'Allows us to not only interrogate our own views, but to persuade others using reason and optimism. A must read\' Aaron Bastani, author of Fully Automated Luxury CommunismCan white people be victims of racism?Is it sexist to say \'men are trash\'?Should we worry about \'cancel culture\'?Tired of having the same old arguments? Kicking yourself for not being able to justify your views? Wondering whether individuals can bring about meaningful change?Now imagine that instead of losing another hour of your life in a social media spat or knowing that the only way to make it through lunch was by biting your tongue, you could find a way to talk about injustice - and, just possibly, change someone\'s mind.Many of us know what we think about inequality, but flounder when asked for our reasoning, leading to a conversational stalemate - especially when faced with a political, generational, or cultural divide. But living in echo chambers blunts our thinking, and if we can\'t persuade others, we have little hope of collectively bringing about change.In Arguing for a Better World, philosopher Arianne Shahvisi draws on examples from everyday life to show us how to work through a set of thorny moral questions, equipping us to not only identify our positions but to carefully defend them.\'Logical, readable, authoritative . . . An everyday manual on how oppression came about, how it works, why it persists, and how to defeat it\' Danny Dorling, author of Injustice: Why Social Inequality Still Persists and A Better Politics Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0827, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

\'Beautiful, moving, profoundly imaginative in itself - this book is as entertaining as it is relevant and practical\' ALAIN DE BOTTON\'Anyone who has an imagination - that is, everyone - should read this book\' EDWARD ENNINFUL\'An extraordinary book - an elaborate cabinet of curiosities\' SPECTATORFor some, the imagination is a luxury in the modern age; something which is by turns elusive, difficult to employ and better left to others. But what is it to imagine exactly? How do we go about it, and why is it so important that we imagine for ourselves?In this insightful and life-affirming book, Albert Read puts the imagination back at the forefront of our lives. Not merely a nebulous concept reserved for artists and creatives, it is a muscle - an essential faculty of the mind to be trained and developed over a lifetime. It is boundless in its potential, infinitely rewarding and central to human achievement.Spanning pre-historic times through to the twenty-first century, The Imagination Muscle explores the genesis of ideas - from Thomas Edison\'s serial embracing of failure to Jane Jacobs\' vision of how we should build cities together; from Steve Jobs\' approach to office design to the Japanese concept of Ma. Touching on art, music, film, literature, science and entrepreneurship, this book examines how the imagination has evolved - in shape, power and pace - through the millennia.Albert Read reveals how we can harness the imagination in our day-to-day lives and why, in the new Age of Technology, it is more pressing than ever that we do so. Discover where to find ideas, how to foster skill in observation and connection, and how to be more attentive to the fluxes of our own minds.After all, as Read expertly outlines, the imagination is our supreme gift, our biggest opportunity, our greatest source of fulfilment and our most vital asset for the future. Σελίδες: 320, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0514, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

Walter Benjamin is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic intellectual figures of this century. Not only was he a thinker who made an enormous impact with his critical and philosophical writings, he shattered disciplinary and stylistic conventions. This collection, introduced by Susan Sontag, contains the most representative and illuminating selection of his work over a twenty-year period, and thus does full justice to the richness and the multi-dimensional nature of his thought. Included in these pages are aphorisms and townscapes, esoteric meditation and reminiscences of childhood, and reflections on language, psychology, aesthetics and politics. Σελίδες: 480, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0803, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\"It\'s hard to be brave,\' said Piglet, sniffing slightly, \"when you\'re only a Very Small Animal.\" Rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said: \"It is because you are a very small animal that you will be useful in the adventure before us.\" Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world\'s most beloved bear, and Pooh\'s Way, as Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism. And as for Piglet, he embodies the very important principle of Te, meaning Virtue of the Small. Benjamin Hoff\'s explanations of Taoism and Te through Pooh and Piglet show that this is not an ancient and remote philosophy but something that you can use, here and now. An utterly unique book which makes complex concepts accessible with a little help from Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh may be a Bear of Very Little Brain but there are lessons to be learned from his approach to life. Beautifully decorated by E.H.Shepard. Σελίδες: 432, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'Foucault must be reckoned with by humanists, social scientists, and political activists\' The New York Times Book ReviewSociety Must Be Defended is Michel Foucault\'s devastating critique of the systems of power and control inherent in civilization. Taken from a series of lectures given by Foucault at the Collége de France in 1975-76, it reveals how war is the foundation of all power relations, and politics ultimately a continuation of battlefield violence. He offers a politically charged re-reading of history, with examples ranging from the Trojan myth to Nazi Germany, to show a continual, \'silent war\' between the powerful and the powerless.\'A timely and prescient book, mainly because of what it says about the way in which war is necessary as a means of control\' New StatesmanTranslated by David Macey Σελίδες: 336, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Taking the form of a discussion between the hedonist Philebus, his naïve disciple Protarchus and Socrates, Philebus is a compelling consideration of the popular belief that pleasure is the greatest attainable good. Here, Socrates speculates on the differing intensities of both pleasure and pain; explores the notion that they can be divided into pure and impure types; considers the relationship between the one and the many; and establishes knowledge as a far higher goal. A profound argument that true fulfillment can only be achieved by the pursuit of beauty, truth and moderation, Philebus is among the earliest and most fascinating explorations of one of the most fundamental human questions: how to lead a good life. Σελίδες: 160, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman PrizeParis, near the turn of 1932-3. Three young friends meet over apricot cocktails at the Bec-de-Gaz bar on the rue Montparnasse. They are Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and their friend Raymond Aron, who opens their eyes to a radical new way of thinking…‘It’s not often that you miss your bus stop because you’re so engrossed in reading a book about existentialism, but I did exactly that... The story of Sartre, Beauvoir, Camus, Heidegger et al is strange, fun and compelling reading. If it doesn’t win awards, I will eat my copy’ Independent on Sunday‘Bakewell shows how fascinating were some of the existentialists’ ideas and how fascinating, often frightful, were their lives. Vivid, humorous anecdotes are interwoven with a lucid and unpatronising exposition of their complex philosophy… Tender, incisive and fair’ Daily Telegraph‘Quirky, funny, clear and passionate… Few writers are as good as Bakewell at explaining complicated ideas in a way that makes them easy to understand’ Mail on Sunday Σελίδες: 448, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

In Intuition Pumps, Daniel Dennett, one of the world\'s leading philosophers, and author of Consciousness Explained and Freedom Evolves, offers aspiring thinkers his personal trove of mind-stretching thought experimentsThinking is hard. A few of us may be natural geniuses; others are blessed with reserves of willpower. Then there\'s the rest of us: not prodigies and short on time, but still aspiring to understand the world. What can we do? Daniel Dennett, one of the world\'s most original thinkers, reveals a collection of his favourite thinking tools, or \'intuition pumps\'. From Occam\'s Razor to the benefit of mistakes, the 90% rule to avoiding \'deepitites\', this entertaining guide will enable you to tackle life\'s most fundamental questions - evolution, meaning, consciousness and free will - and teach you to think truly independently and creatively.Daniel Dennett is one of the most original and provocative thinkers in the world. A brilliant polemicist and philosopher, he is famous for challenging unexamined orthodoxies. His books include Brainstorms, Brainchildren, Elbow Room, Consciousness Explained, Darwin\'s Dangerous Idea and Freedom Evolves. He lives in North Andover, Massachusetts.\'One of the world\'s most original and provocative thinkers\' Daily Telegraph\'A master class\' Guardian \'Intelligence, insight and flair ... They don\'t come much bigger than Daniel Dennett\' Julian Baggini, Guardian\'A philosopher\'s box of tools for the musing mind\' Melvin Konner, Nature\'You\'ll enjoy and be challenged by it\'Steven Rose, Guardian\'A lively primer on the radical answers Mr. Dennett has elaborated to the big questions in his nearly five decades in philosophy\' Jennifer Schuessler, The New York Times\'America\'s most important and entertaining philosopher\' Observer Σελίδες: 512, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm