Publisher's Synopsis
What is the place of individual choice and consequence in a post-Holocaust world of continuing genocidal ethnic cleansing? Is 'identity' now a last-ditch cultural defence of ethnic nationalisms and competing fundamentalisms? In a climate of instant information, free markets and possible ecological disaster, how do we define 'rights', self-interest and civic duties? Introducing Ethics confronts these dilemmas, tracing the arguments of the great moral thinkers, including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes and Kant, and brings us up to date with postmodern critics.
Logic is the backbone of Western civilization, holding together its systems of philosophy, science and law. Yet despite logic's widely acknowledged importance, it remains an unbroken seal for many, due to its heavy use of jargon and mathematical symbolism. Introducing Logic follows the historical development of logic, explains the symbols and methods involved and explores the philosophical issues surrounding the topic. It will take you through the influence of logic on scientific method and the various sciences from physics to psychology, and will show you why computers and digital technology are just another case of logic in action.
Dave Robinson and Judy Groves' Introducing Philosophy explores the awkward and provocative questions that philosophers have always enjoyed asking, such as: what is the nature of reality? Can we prove that God exists? Does language provide us with a true picture of the world? Comprehensive and enjoyable, it examines the key arguments and ideas off all the significant philosophers of the Western world from Heraclitus to Derrida.
