Publisher's Synopsis
Why should we be good? Why should we value life? Do other people have minds? Philosophy strikes right to the heart of what it means to be human.
Weaving together thought-provoking debates, stimulating ideas, and illuminating insights from the world's great thinkers, Philosophy offers a rigorous yet thoroughly accessible survey of the history of Western thought from Plato to Derrida and beyond. Referred to as the the queen of all sciences by none other than Immanuel Kant, philosophy is the study of, well, everything. What is reality? Is there a god? How do we gauge morality, reason, right and wrong? Should we even try? Analyzing these questions has been the great ongoing task of our philosophical tradition for centuries. And today, these questions continue to inspire, incite, and confound us as each new generation adds a fresh new wrinkle to the quandary of human existence: Can we justify invading a sovereign nation? Dropping a nuclear bomb? Cloning? Abortion? Creating artificial intelligence? These debates continue to rage on all over the world in classrooms, living rooms, online, on television, and in this expertly curated book. Each chapter of Philosophy offers an in-depth exploration of the ideas surrounding a key category of contemplation, including the World, the Mind and Body, Knowledge, Faith, Ethics, Aesthetics and Society. Offering concise and informative studies of history's great cultural critics, and contributions from some of the biggest names in contemporary philosophy, this compact yet powerful volume is the perfect companion for anyone interested in tackling life's biggest questions. Featuring what TheHumanist called "a stellar cast of academic philosophers to guide the uninitiated through the fundamental questions," contributors to Philosophy include Tim Crane (The World), Jesse Prinz (Mind and Body), Adam Morton (Knowledge), John Graham Cottingham (Faith), Brenda Almond (Ethics and Aesthetics), and Jonathan Wolff (Society).
