Product 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...read more

Unique in its multicultural character, this text includes Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, African, Native American, Islamic, Jewish, and feminist philosophies. It is edited to promote a multicultural approach to philosophy, to teach students how to read primary sources, and to encourage students to think independently and critically about fundamental philosophical issues. This anthology offers significant readings on traditional philosophical topics that educate students for the ever-increasing pluralism of society and assist them in developing an international perspective.

A timely volume that uses the science fiction genre to provoke reflection and discussion on a variety of philosophical issues from time travel and artificial intelligence to trans-humanism virtual reality and neuro-ethics.

Does Farmer Field really know his prize cow, Daisy, is in the field? When is an unexpected exam not wholly unexpected? Are all bachelors (really) unmarried? Martin Cohen's bestselling 101 Philosophy Problems is a witty and engaging introduction to philosophy, covering classical as well as contemporary problems from the fields of medical ethics, modern physics and artificial intelligence. For the third edition, many of the problems have been revised and there are several brand new ones, including Lewis Carroll's problem of people who don't eat lentils and Poincare's problem of the gaseous people whose measurements keep changing. With an updated glossary of helpful terms and possible solutions to the problems at the end of the book, 101 Philosophy Problems is essential reading for anyone coming to philosophy for the first time.

Product Description: As Douglas Adams points out, if there is no final answer to question, 'What is the meaning of life?', '42' is as good or bad an answer as any other. Indeed, 42 quotes might be even better! Gary Cox guides us through 42 of the most misunderstood, misquoted, provocative and significant quotes in the history of philosophy providing a witty and compelling commentary along the way...read more

Product Description: What is this thing called Philosophy? is the definitive textbook for all who want a thorough introduction to the field. It introduces philosophy using a question-led approach that reflects the discursive nature of the discipline. Edited by Duncan Pritchard, each section is written by a high-profile contributor focusing on a key area of philosophy, and contains three or four question-based chapters offering an accessible point of engagement...read more

Puzzled?! seamlessly fuses two traditional approaches to the study of philosophy at the introductory level. It is thematic, examining fundamental issues in epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and more. It is also historical, introducing major philosophical arguments that have arisen throughout the history of Western philosophy. But its real innovation lies elsewhere. Each of its twelve chapters begins with a traditional argument of a thoroughly puzzling kind: a valid philosophical argument with highly plausible premises but a surprising conclusion. The remainder of the chapter shows how major innovations in the history of philosophy arise as logical responses to that argument. Written with a light touch, Puzzled?! nevertheless offers a rigorous introduction to the ideas it explores and to the foundations of critical thinking itself. It will serve as effectively as a main or supplementary text in an introduction to critical thinking as it will in Philosophy 101.

The Study of Philosophy provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the history of philosophy in the West. S. Morris Engel walks the reader through the story of philosophy, starting with its nature and origins; progressing to the central questions emerging from its four main branches of logic, metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics; and culminating in an overview of modern and contemporary movements, most notably the philosophy of Wittgenstein and the existentialism of Kirkegaard, Nietzsche, and Sartre. Carefully crafted supplements enhance the volume, demonstrating for students the relevance of philosophy to the world and to themselves. A Collegiate Press Book

"Free will: mental energy that poofs into existence from scratch?"In pairing key ideas from the history of philosophy with examples from everyday life and culture, David Cunning produces a clear, incisive and engaging introduction to philosophy. Everyday Examples explores historical philosophy and the contemporary theory scene and includes ideas from both the analytic and continental traditions. This broad sweep of topics provides a synoptic overview of philosophy as a discipline and philosophizing as an activity.With examples drawn from everything from The Matrix and Sesame Street to sleepwalking, driving, dancing, playing a sport and observing animals, students are pointed to ways in which they can be a philosopher outside the classroom in the everyday world.As well as providing entertaining and relatable examples from everyday life, this book will be especially useful in the classroom, it is accessible and discussion-oriented, so that students can get first-hand practice at actually 'doing' philosophy. This accessibility does not come at the expense of rigour but, rather, provides a 'way in' to thinking about the major issues, figures and moments in the history of philosophy. The chapters are divided into brief sustainable nuggets so that students can get a definite handle on each issue and also be the expert for the day on a given section.There are suggested study questions at the end of each chapter that bring out the force of each side of the many different issues.An indispensable tool for those approaching philosophy for the first time.

Written for any readers interested in better harnessing philosophy’s real value, this book covers a broad range of fundamental philosophical problems and certain intellectual techniques for addressing those problems. In Introducing Philosophy: God, Mind, World, and Logic, Neil Tennant helps any student in pursuit of a ‘big picture’ to think independently, question received dogma, and analyse problems incisively. It also connects philosophy to other areas of study at the university, enabling all students to employ the concepts and techniques of this millennia-old discipline throughout their college careers – and beyond. KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS: -- Investigates the philosophy of various subjects (psychology, language, biology, math), helping students contextualize philosophy and view it as an interdisciplinary pursuit; also helps students with majors outside of philosophy to see the relationship between philosophy and their own focused academic pursuits -- Author comes from a distinguished background in Logic and Philosophy of Language, which gives the book a level of rigor, balance, and analytic focus sometimes missing from primers to philosophy -- Introduces students to various important philosophical distinctions (e.g. fact vs. value, descriptive vs. prescriptive, norms vs. laws of nature, analytic vs. synthetic, inductive vs. deductive, a priori vs. a posteriori) providing skills that are important for undergraduates to develop in order to inform their study at higher levels. They are essential for further work in philosophy but they are also very beneficial for students pursuing most other disciplines -- Is much more methodologically comprehensive than competing introductions, giving the student the ability to address a wide range of philosophical problems – and not just the ones reviewed in the book -- Offers a companion website with links to apt primary sources, organized chapter-by-chapter, making unnecessary a separate Reader/Anthology of primary sources – thus providing students with all reading material necessary for the course -- Provides five to ten discussion questions for each chapter, helping instructors and students better interact with the ideas and concepts in the text

Engaging for all kinds of readers, VOICES OF WISDOM has become the standard for multicultural introductions to philosophy. This collection of culturally diverse readings introduces readers to basic philosophical questions in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. The classic writings of Buddha, Plato, the Dalai Lama and others are used to explore important issues such as terrorism, civil disobedience, homosexuality, human rights, animal rights, language, and truth and power. VOICES OF WISDOM introduces readers to the traditional terrain of philosophy as developed in the European tradition in a manner that embraces significant philosophical insights borne out of different cultural legacies.

Philosophy goes to the Movies is a new kind of introduction to philosophy that makes use of movies including The Matrix, Antz, Total Recall and Cinema Paradiso, to explore philosophical ideas.Topics covered include:*the theory of knowledge*the self and personal Identity *moral philosophy*social and political philosophy*philosophy of science and technology*critical thinking. Ideal for the beginner, this book guides the student through philosophy using lively and illuminating cinematic examples. It will also appeal to anyone interested in the philosophical dimensions of cinema.

ROOTS OF WISDOM, Sixth Edition, invites students to explore universal and current philosophical issues through a rich tapestry of perspectives including the ideas and traditions of men and women from the West, Asia, Peoples of the Americas, and Africa. No other book offers such breadth of multicultural coverage coupled with a clear, concise, and approachable writing style. Mitchell uses striking color and black and white images to illustrate our diverse cultural inheritance, using fine art, cartoons, poetry, movies, and popular music to bring the issues of philosophy to life for the student. This new edition features four new color inserts to illustrate philosophical themes as well as new material on animal intelligence, brain science, Asian approaches to war, and from President Obama's memoir on race and identity.