BookOdyssey

A LANDMARK WORK OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. A GLOBAL BESTSELLER. STILL AS RELEVANT TODAY. With the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 the threat of the Cold War which had dominated the second half of the twentieth century vanished. And with it the West looked to the future with optimism but renewed uncertainty. The End of History and the Last Man was the first book to offer a picture of what the new century would look like. Boldly outlining the challenges and problems to face modern liberal democracies, Francis Fukuyama examined what had just happened and predicted what was coming next. Now updated with a new afterword, Fukuyama shows how the central issue today remains the same. Have any political and economic models arisen that could challenge liberal democracy as the best way of organizing human societies? He remains unconvinced. Tackling religious fundamentalism, politics, scientific progress, ethical codes and war, The End of History and the Last Man is as compelling today as it was when it was written - and just as provocative too.\'Awesome . . . a landmark . . . profoundly realistic and important . . . supremely timely and cogent\' Washington Post \'Clearly written, immensely ambitious\' New York Times \'Clever, important, teeming with original ideas\' Mail on Sunday \'We are indebted to Fukuyama for such an ambitious work of political philosophy\' Foreign Affairs Σελίδες: 464, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

\'Life-transforming\' Susan Cain, author of QuietSearching for happiness is overrated, learn to find meaning insteadThere is a persistent myth in our culture that in order to lead a fulfilling life we must pursue happiness at all times. In her groundbreaking work, Emily Esfahani Smith explains that it is actually the search for meaning that will bring fulfilment. She argues that meaning is all around us in vast untapped resources, and that the key is finding it in the right here, right now. Her inspiring TED Talk on the same topic has been viewed over a million times.To explore how we can change our lives for the better, she draws on the latest research in psychology, sociology, philosophy and neuroscience, as well as insights from figures in literature and history such as George Eliot, Viktor Frankl, Aristotle and the Buddha. She shows us how cultivating connections to others, identifying and working toward a purpose, telling stories about our place in the world, and seeking out mystery, can immeasurably deepen our lives. To do this she visits remarkable people and places, such as a tight-knit fishing village in the Chesapeake Bay, a dinner where young people gather to share their experiences of profound loss, and a drug kingpin who finds his purpose in helping people get fit. She explores how we might begin to build a culture that leaves space for introspection and awe, cultivates a sense of community, and imbues our lives with meaning. Σελίδες: 304, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

Written by Robert Wicks, a recognised Kant specialist who teaches at the University of Auckland, Kant: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear jargon-free English, and then providing added-value features like summaries of key books, and even lists of questions you might be asked in your seminar or exam.The book uses a structure that mirrors many university courses on Freud and psychoanalysis - explaining and contextualising Kant\'s theories, which have been among the most influential in Philosophy. The book starts by introducing Kant and his way of thinking and arguing, before looking at how Kant answered three key questions: What can I know? What should I do? What may I hope? In doing so, Professor Wicks introduces the reader to all of Kant\'s key work, including The Critique of Pure Reason.Teach Yourself titles employ the \'Breakthrough method\', which is designed specifically to overcome problems that students face.- Problem: \"I find it difficult to remember what I\'ve read.\"; Solution: this book includes end-of-chapter questions and summaries, and flashcards of key points available on-line and as apps- Problem: \"Most books mention important other sources, but I can never find them in time.\"; Solution: this book includes key texts and case studies are summarised, complete with fully referenced quotes ready to use in your essay or exam.- Problem: \"Lots of introductory books turn out to cover totally different topics than my course.\"; Solution: this book is written by a current university lecturer who understands what students are expected to know. Σελίδες: 256, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0909, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Σελίδες: 160

If truth can set us free, where do we find it? In The First and Last Freedom, Krishnamurti argues that we will not find truth in formal institutions, nor in organised religions and their dogmas, nor in any guru or outside authority; for, according to Krishnamurti, truth can only be realised through self-understanding. Controversial and challenging, yet always enlightening, Krishnamurti guides us through society’s common concerns, such as suffering and fear, love and loneliness, sex and death, the meaning of life, the nature of God, and personal transformation - consistently relating these topics to the essential search for pure truth and perfect freedom. This classic philosophical and spiritual study offers wisdom and insights particularly suited to our own uncertain times. Σελίδες: 352, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

From the ethicist the New Yorker calls “the most influential living philosopher,” a new way of thinking about living ethically\"Singer’s argument is powerful, provocative and, I think, basically right. The world would be a better place if we were as tough-minded in how we donate money as in how we make it.\"—Nicholas Kristof, New York Times\"Bold, fresh, inspired, reasoned, optimistic.\"—Walter M. Bortz II, MD, Huffington Post Blog Peter Singer’s books and ideas have been disturbing our complacency ever since the appearance of Animal Liberation. Now he directs our attention to a new movement in which his own ideas have played a crucial role: effective altruism. Effective altruism is built upon the simple but profound idea that living a fully ethical life involves doing the \"most good you can do.\" Such a life requires an unsentimental view of charitable giving: to be a worthy recipient of our support, an organization must be able to demonstrate that it will do more good with our money or our time than other options open to us. Singer introduces us to an array of remarkable people who are restructuring their lives in accordance with these ideas, and shows how living altruistically often leads to greater personal fulfillment than living for oneself.The Most Good You Can Do develops the challenges Singer has made, in the New York Times and Washington Post, to those who donate to the arts, and to charities focused on helping our fellow citizens, rather than those for whom we can do the most good. Effective altruists are extending our knowledge of the possibilities of living less selfishly, and of allowing reason, rather than emotion, to determine how we live. The Most Good You Can Do offers new hope for our ability to tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Σελίδες: 232, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer are the leading figures of the Frankfurt School and this book is their magnum opus. Dialectic of Enlightenment is one of the most celebrated works of modern social philosophy that continues to impress in its wide-ranging ambition.Writing just after the Second World War and reflecting on the bureaucracy and myths of National Socialism and the inanity of the dawn of consumerism, Adorno and Horkheimer addressed themselves to a question which went to the very heart of the modern age: \'why mankind, instead of entering into a truly human condition, is sinking into a new kind of barbarism\'. Modernity, far from redeeming the promises and hopes of the Enlightenment, had resulted in a stultification of mankind and administered society, characterised by simulation and candy-floss entertainment.Tracing humanity\'s modern fall to the very rationality that was to be its liberation, the authors exposed the domination and violence that underpin the Enlightenment project. Σελίδες: 288, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

One of the most iconoclastic philosophers of all time, Nietzsche dramatically rejected notions of good and evil, truth and God. Beyond Good and Evil demonstrates that the world is steeped in false piety and infected with a \'slave morality\'. With wit and subversive energy, Nietzsche demands that the individual impose their own \'will to power\' upon the world. Σελίδες: 352, Διαστάσεις: 11.3x11.3cm

Σελίδες: 624, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0201, Διαστάσεις: 13.5x13.5cm

When published in 1981, The Mismeasure of Man was immediately hailed as a masterwork, the ringing answer to those who would classify people, rank them according to their supposed genetic gifts and limits. And yet the idea of innate limits—of biology as destiny—dies hard, as witness the attention devoted to The Bell Curve, whose arguments are here so effectively anticipated and thoroughly undermined by Stephen Jay Gould. In this edition Dr. Gould has written a substantial new introduction telling how and why he wrote the book and tracing the subsequent history of the controversy on innateness right through The Bell Curve. Further, he has added five essays on questions of The Bell Curve in particular and on race, racism, and biological determinism in general. These additions strengthen the book\'s claim to be, as Leo J. Kamin of Princeton University has said, \"a major contribution toward deflating pseudo-biological \'explanations\' of our present social woes.\" Σελίδες: 448, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0108, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

Σελίδες: 256, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1215, Διαστάσεις: 25x25cm

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: 0808, Διαστάσεις: 15.2x15.2cm

By mid-5th century BC, Athens was governed by democratic rule and power turned upon the ability of the citizen to command the attention of the people, and to sway the crowds of the assembly. It was the Sophists who understood the art of rhetoric and the importance of transforming effective reasoning into persuasive public speaking. Their enquiries - into the status of women, slavery, the distinction between Greeks and barbarians, the existence of the gods, the origins of religion, and whether virtue can be taught - laid the groundwork for the insights of the next generation of thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. Σελίδες: 464, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'Bursting with practical wisdom and engaging stories ... a Stoicism 2.0 for twenty-first century happiness\' Skye Cleary \'A bold, contemporary updating of Stoicism for the present day\' John Sellars, author of Lessons in StoicismLearn how to survive life\'s hardships and enjoy its pleasures with the modern stoic mindset. In this enlightening book, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers a thoughtful and modern reinterpretation of Epictetus\'s 53 lessons for living a good life. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the Stoics, this is a comforting guide that will help you reclaim the power of your emotional response and let go of the things you can\'t control. Σελίδες: 160, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Regarded as the founder of Neo-Platonism, Plotinus (AD 204-70) was the last great philosopher of antiquity, producing 0works that proved in many ways a precursor to Renaissance thought. Plotinus was convinced of the existence of a state of supreme perfection and argued powerfully that it was necessary to guide the human soul towards this state. Here he outlines his compelling belief in three increasingly perfect levels of existence - the Soul, the Intellect, and the One - and explains his conviction that humanity must strive to draw the soul towards spiritual transcendence. A fusion of Platonism, mystic passion and Aristotelian thought, The Enneads offers a highly original synthesis of early philosophical and religious beliefs, which powerfully influenced later Christian and Islamic theology. Σελίδες: 688, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

‘The rare read that might actually help you become a better person’ ADAM GRANT‘A fierce and brilliant call to arms for anyone who has been wondering whether there\'s more to life. (There is.)’ TIM HARFORD‘Gives us hope, humour and guidance at a time when all are in short supply’ TIMOTHY SNYDER‘Clear, brave, important and provocative’ RORY STEWARTTHE ANTIDOTE TO APATHY FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR RUTGER BREGMANEvery day we’re bombarded with methods, mantras and life-hacks that promise us mindfulness, prosperity and wellness. We read countless self-help books to unlock the seven habits, twelve rules or one big secret to living a long and happy life, while time and talent remain some of our most squandered resources. The average full-time worker will spend 80,000 hours at their job: are you making the most of them? Do you truly believe in what you do, day in day out?Maybe you want to do something else with your limited time on the planet. Maybe your own happiness isn’t your only life goal, or you don’t want to get to your deathbed with the gnawing feeling you had much more in you. In that case, you’ll need a different kind of book.Internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman shows us that with moral ambition – the will to make the world a wildly better place – it is possible to be both idealistic and successful, and to change the world along the way. Looking to the great change-makers of history, he uncovers the qualities that made them so persuasive, influential and effective, and shows how we, too, can lend our talents to the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to gross inequality to the next pandemic. With moral ambition, we can do more than be on the right side of history: we can make history itself.This is not a self-help book. It won’t make your life easier – but it should make it more meaningful. The question is: what will you do with it? Σελίδες: 288, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0429, Διαστάσεις: 15.3x15.3cm

This book is a comprehensive investigation of lying in everyday life. What exactly is a lie, and how does lying differ from related phenomena such as ‘bullshit’ or being truthful? Lars Svendsen also investigates the ethics of lying – why is lying almost always morally wrong, and why is lying to one’s friends especially bad? The book concludes by looking at lying in politics, from Plato’s theory of the ‘noble lie’ to Donald Trump. Svendsen’s conclusion is that, even though we all occasionally lie, we are for the most part trustworthy. Trusting others makes you vulnerable, and you will be duped from time to time, but that is – all things considered – preferable to living in a constant state of distrust. Σελίδες: 180, Διαστάσεις: 12x12cm

What would the ancient Greek philosopher make of the twenty-first-century Google headquarters?A dazzling exploration of the role of ancient philosophy in modern life from the acclaimed writer and thinker.Imagine that Plato came to life in the twenty-first century and embarked on a multi-city speaking tour. How would he mediate a debate between a Freudian psychoanalyst and a \'tiger mum\' on how to raise the perfect child? How would he handle the host of a right-wing news program who denies there can be morality without religion? What would Plato make of Google, and of the idea that knowledge can be crowdsourced rather than reasoned out by experts? Plato at the Googleplex is acclaimed thinker Rebecca Newberger Goldstein\'s dazzling investigation of these conundra. With a philosopher\'s depth and erudition and a novelist\'s imagination and wit, Goldstein probes the deepest issues confronting us by allowing us to eavesdrop on Plato as he takes on the modern world; it is a stunningly original plunge into the drama of philosophy, revealing its hidden role in today\'s debates on religion, morality, politics and science. Σελίδες: 480, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

In 1999 His Holiness The Dalai Lama published the bestselling Ancient Wisdom: Modern World, which addressed the question of ethics for the new millennium. A decade later, His Holiness enters the contemporary debate about religion vs atheism, and returns to the theme of ethics with a major new work: Beyond Religion: ethics for a whole world.In this thought-provoking new book he argues that religion is not a necessity for pursuing a spiritual life. Rather, focusing on tolerance and understanding between religions, as well as tolerance and understanding between believers (of any faith) and non-believers is the way forward. The way to achieve such an approach, he proposes, is through a system of secular ethics grounded in a deep appreciation of our common humanity. Aimed particularly at the general reader, Beyond Religion: ethics for a whole world is a modern-day polemic which outlines those ethics he believes should be central to our lives. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) rose from humble beginnings to become a leading spiritual and philosophical thinker. His works continue to influence thousands of people around the world; Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra have all been indebted to him. And yet he belonged to no religion, sect or country. Nor did he subscribe to any school of political or ideological thought. On the contrary, Krishnamurti maintained that these are the very factors that divide human beings and bring about conflict and war – an approach that makes his teachings particularly appealing in our own times.The Flight of the Eagle is regarded as one of Krishnamurti’s key works, grappling with themes such as freedom, change, peace, violence and – finally – the transcendental and the unknown. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 12.7x12.7cm

Friedrich Engels is one of the most attractive and contradictory figures of the nineteenth century. Born to a prosperous mercantile family in west Germany, he spent his career working in the Manchester cotton industry, riding to the Cheshire hounds, and enjoying the comfortable, middle-class life of a Victorian gentleman. Yet Engels was also the co-founder of international communism - the philosophy which in the 20th century came to control one third of the human race. He was the co-author of The Communist Manifesto, a ruthless party tactician, and the man who sacrificed his best years so Karl Marx could write Das Kapital. Tristram Hunt relishes the diversity and exuberance of Engels\'s era: how one of the great bon viveurs of Victorian Britain reconciled his raucous personal life with this uncompromising political philosophy. Σελίδες: 464, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Originally written only for his personal consumption, Marcus Aurelius\'s Meditations has become a key text in the understanding of Roman Stoic philosophy. This Penguin Classics edition is translated with notes by Martin Hammond and an introduction by Diskin Clay.Written in Greek by an intellectual Roman emperor without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a wide range of fascinating spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the leader struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Spanning from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the question of virtue, human rationality, the nature of the gods and Aurelius\'s own emotions. But while the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation, in developing his beliefs Marcus also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a series of wise and practical aphorisms that have been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and ordinary readers for almost two thousand years.Martin Hammond\'s new translation fully expresses the intimacy and eloquence of the original work, with detailed notes elucidating the text. This edition also includes an introduction by Diskin Clay, exploring the nature and development of the Meditations, a chronology, further reading and full indexes.Marcus Aelius Aurelius Antoninus (121-80) was adopted by the emperor Antoninus Pius and succeeded him in 161, (as joint emperor with adoptive brother Lucius Verus). He ruled alone from 169, and spent much of his reign in putting down various rebellions, and was a persecutor of Christians. His fame rest, above all, on his Meditations, a series of reflections, strongly influenced by Epictetus, which represent a Stoic outlook on life. He was succeeded by his natural son, thus ending the period of the adoptive emperors.If you enjoyed Meditations, you might like Seneca\'s Letters from a Stoic, also available in Penguin Classics. Σελίδες: 416, Διαστάσεις: 11.2x11.2cm

In Fear and Trembling, Søren Kierkegaard\'s infamous and controversial work made a lasting impression on both modern Protestant theology and existentialist philosophers such as Sartre and Camus. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the Danish with an introduction by Alistair Hannay.Writing under the pseudonym of \'Johannes de silentio\', Kierkegaard expounds his personal view of religion through a discussion of the scene in Genesis in which Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son Isaac at God\'s command. Believing Abraham\'s unreserved obedience to be the essential leap of faith needed to make a full commitment to his religion, Kierkegaard himself made great sacrifices in order to dedicate his life entirely to his philosophy and to God. The conviction shown in this religious polemic - that a man can have an exceptional mission in life - informed all Kierkegaard\'s later writings. His \'teleological suspension of the ethical\' challenged the contemporary views of Hegel\'s universal moral system, and was also hugely influential for both protestant theology and the existentialist movement. Alastair Hannay\'s introduction evaluates Kierkegaard\'s philosophy and the ways in which it conflicted with more accepted contemporary views. This edition also includes detailed notes to complement this groundbreaking analysis of religion, and a new chronology.Danish-born S¢ren Kierkegaard (1813-55) wrote on a wide variety of themes, including religion, psychology, and literature. He is remembered for his philosophy, which pioneered the idea of the Absurd, and was influential and in the development of 20th century existentialism. His other works include The Sickness unto Death, Either/Or, and Papers and Journals, all of which are available in Penguin Classics.If you enjoyed Fear and Trembling, you might like Kierkegaard\'s The Sickness unto Death, also available in Penguin Classics. Σελίδες: 256, Διαστάσεις: 11.2x11.2cm

Selected from the Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium, Seneca\'s Letters from a Stoic are a set of \'essays in disguise\' from one of the most insightful philosophers of the Silver Age of Roman literature. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the Latin with an introduction by Robin Campbell.A philosophy that saw self-possession as the key to an existence lived \'in accordance with nature\', Stoicism called for the restraint of animal instincts and the severing of emotional ties. These beliefs were formulated by the Athenian followers of Zeno in the fourth century BC, but it was in Seneca that the Stoics found their most eloquent advocate. Stoicism, as expressed in the Letters, helped ease pagan Rome\'s transition to Christianity, for it upholds upright ethical ideals and extols virtuous living, as well as expressing disgust for the harsh treatment of slaves and the inhumane slaughters witnessed in the Roman arenas. Seneca\'s major contribution to a seemingly unsympathetic creed was to transform it into a powerfully moving and inspiring declaration of the dignity of the individual mind.Robin Campbell\'s lucid translation captures Seneca\'s humour and tautly aphoristic style. In his introduction, he discusses the tensions between Seneca\'s philosophy and his turbulent career as adviser to the tyrannical emperor Nero.Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c.4BC - AD65) was born in Spain but was raised according to the traditional values of the republic of Rome. In AD48 he became tutor to the future emperor Nero and became his principal civil advisor when he took power. His death was eventually ordered by Nero in AD65, but Seneca anticipated the emperor\'s decree and committed suicide.If you enjoyed Letters from a Stoic, you might like Marcus Aurelius\'s Meditations, also available in Penguin Classics. Σελίδες: 352, Διαστάσεις: 11.1x11.1cm

Σελίδες: 248, Διαστάσεις: 13.3x13.3cm

The unabridged version of this definitive work is now available in this highly designed hardcover with an introduction by Odysseus Makridis. Published around 380 BCE, Plato’s most famous work explores the idea of justness, among other things, through a Socratic dialogue. Considered to be one of the most influential writings in the development of Western philosophy and political theory, The Republic is as relevant today as when it was originally published. This collectible edition features:An elegant faux-leather cover with foil-embossed designsUnabridged textAn introduction by Odysseus MakridisEnhance your home library with this timeless, display-worthy volume.Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, these deluxe classics editions include beautifully presented works from some of the most important authors in literary history. Other deluxe classics from Chartwell include Little Women, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Inferno, Dracula, The Iliad, The Essential Tales of Edgar Allan Poe, Meditations, and Irish Fairy and Folk Tales. Σελίδες: 416, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1128, Διαστάσεις: 14.6x14.6cm

Experience the world of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the tremendous challenges he faced and overcame with the help of Stoic philosophy  “[Robertson] thoughtfully and readably capture[s] the essence of this great man and his great life. It’s a must read for any aspiring Stoic.”—Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Daily Stoic   This novel biography brings Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) to life for a new generation of readers by exploring the emperor’s fascinating psychological journey. Donald J. Robertson examines Marcus’s relationships with key figures in his life, such as his mother, Domitia Lucilla, and the emperor Hadrian, as well as his Stoic tutors. He draws extensively on Marcus’s own Meditations and correspondence, and he examines the emperor’s actions as detailed in the Augustan History and other ancient texts.   Marcus Aurelius struggled to reconcile his philosophy and moral values with the political pressures he faced as emperor at the height of Roman power. Robertson examines Marcus’s attitude toward slavery and the moral dilemma posed by capturing enemies in warfare; his attitude toward women; the role of Stoicism in shaping his response to the threat of civil war; the treatment of Christians under his rule; and the naming of his notorious son Commodus as his successor.    Throughout, the Meditations is used to shed light on the mind of the emperor—his character, values, and motives—as Robertson skillfully weaves together Marcus’s inner journey as a philosopher with the outer events of his life as a Roman emperor. Σελίδες: 248, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1202, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

Σελίδες: 350

Do demons and devils have free will? Does justice exist in Menzoberranzan? What’s the morality involved with player characters casting necromancy and summoning spells? Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy probes the rich terrain of philosophically compelling concepts and ideas that underlie Dungeons & Dragons, the legendary fantasy role-playing game that grew into a world-wide cultural phenomenon. A series of accessible essays reveals what the imaginary worlds of D&D can teach us about ethics, morality, metaphysics and more. Illustrates a wide variety of philosophical concepts and ideas that arise in Dungeons & Dragons gameplay and presents them in an accessible and entertaining mannerReveals how the strategies, tactics, improvisations, and role-play employed by D&D enthusiasts have startling parallels in the real world of philosophyExplores a wide range of philosophical topics, including the nature of free will, the metaphysics of personal identity, the morality of crafting fictions, sex and gender issues in tabletop gameplay, and friendship and collaborative storytellingProvides gamers with deep philosophical insights that can lead to a richer appreciation of D&D and any gaming experience Σελίδες: 240, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0905, Διαστάσεις: 14.5x14.5cm

Fashion never ceases to interest psychologists, aestheticians and sociologists. Roland Barthes, however, examined fashion from a new point of view. Using descriptions from magazines, he uncovered a system of meaning and subjected it for the first time to semantic analysis. The Fashion System, published in France in 1967, is bold and imaginative. In his endeavour to confine his love, outrage and passion for fashion to a system, Barthes created a work of literature that is witty, humane, personal and enormously stimulating Σελίδες: 320, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

In these interviews, given between 1962 and 1980, Barthes speaks about the development of his thought, explaining why and how he wrote his many books, paying tributes to philosophers, linguists, novelists, poets, painters and film-makers who have inspired him, as well as discussing how his life became dedicated to an exploration of semiotics. What comes across is the sheer gusto of a man who never stopped developing and changing, and the warm personal side of his rich and probing intelligence. Σελίδες: 384, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Who am I? What\'s my life\'s purpose? Where am I going when I die?These questions lie at the heart of all our lives, yet clear answers seem hard to come by. A Complete Guide to the Soul explains that answers can in fact be found in a secret history that runs like quicksilver through Western culture, from philosophy and alchemy, to poetry and modern psychology. This hidden tradition places our soul at the centre of the universe and shows us how to recover a sense of meaning that so many of us have lost today.In this important book, Patrick Harpur explores the nature of our soul, as well as its destiny. He unpacks the myths that surround it and shows how it may actually be the very fabric of reality. And he explains that, not until we have a clear understanding of this invisible part of ourselves, can we discover the answers to many of our questions about existence and human nature. Ultimately, this knowledge could help us find our true place within the world in which we live. Σελίδες: 256, Διαστάσεις: 13.5x13.5cm

The global triumph of democracy was announced thirty years ago, promising an age of consensus in which the dispassionate consideration of objective problems would give birth to a world at peace. Today, these grand hopes lie in ruins, and the era touted as new has turned out to be remarkably similar to the old order. To understand why this might be so, we need to examine the nature of the consensus itself, which is not the peace that it promised but rather the map of a territory on which new forms of warfare are being waged. The objective reality that imposed itself at the end of the 1990s was an absolutized and globalized capitalism which has produced ever more inequality, exclusion and hate.    In this book Jacques Rancière delivers a frank and piercing critique of the globalized capitalist consensus. The invasion of Iraq, the riots on Capitol Hill and the rise of the European far right all attest to the true nature of this consensus, as does the current state-sanctioned racism which exploits the disenchanted progressive tradition and is led by an intelligentsia that claims to be left-wing. At the same time, Rancière praises the dynamism of social movements which affirm the power of the assembly of equals and its capacity for worldmaking: autonomous protest collectives have proven themselves capable of opening breaches in the consensual order and challenging the post-1989 system of domination. Σελίδες: 200, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0617, Διαστάσεις: 13.7x13.7cm

Soul Machine takes us back to the origins of modernity, a time when a crisis in religious authority and the scientific revolution led to searching questions about the nature of human inner life. This is the story of how a new concept—the mind—emerged as a potential solution, one that was part soul and part machine but fully neither. George Makari shows how writers, philosophers, doctors and anatomists worked to construct notions of the mind as not an ethereal thing but a natural one. This became the basis of the mind sciences, liberal politics, secular ethics and radically new visions of the self, society, the ordering of knowledge and the sources of unreason. Boldly original and synthetic, Soul Machine is a masterful new history of the mind, madness and the emergence of psychological man in the Western world. Σελίδες: 672, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0104, Διαστάσεις: 14.2x14.2cm

**A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK** \'Laurence Scott … writes beautifully about the experience of reality in the digital age, and about how grief changes our perceptions … I’m besotted with Scott’s writing.\' Derren Brown, i paper \'Clever, funny and deeply moving... an engaging and thought-provoking journey through the fakery of modern life.\' Mail on Sunday\'A stylish, playful exploration of what digital life is doing to the way we find meaning in the world.\' Guardian, \'Book of the Week\' ________________________ In Vladimir Nabokov\'s Lolita, the narrator offers a memorably brief account of his mother’s death: \'picnic, lightning\'. Picnic Comma Lightning similarly opens with the death of Laurence Scott\'s parents, and the definitive ending of their deaths raises for him one fundamental question: how much of what we live through is truly real? With humour and insight, Scott transforms this personal meditation on loss into an exploration of what it means to exist in the world now. It used to be that our vision of the world was rooted to reasonably solid things: to people, places and memories. But today, in an age of constant internet debates, online personas and alternative truths, reality feels more vulnerable than ever before. Picnic Comma Lightning looks at how digital life is distorting, echoing and magnifying our age-old preoccupation with what is real and what isn\'t. Where do we draw the line? How is technology shifting these boundaries? And how do we maintain a sense of reality in an increasingly unreal world? ________________________\'A report from the front line of the digital generation by someone superbly well-equipped to read and decode the signals.\' Sunday Times Σελίδες: 304, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Σελίδες: 384, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1114, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm