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$23.82
81. Theory and Reality: An Introduction
$31.83
82. Three Books of Occult Philosophy
$9.48
83. History of Philosophy, Volume
$14.97
84. What is Analytic Philosophy?
$6.44
85. Philosophy 101 by Socrates: An
$12.87
86. Philosophy in a Time of Terror:
$34.40
87. Readings In Ancient Greek Philosophy:
$4.78
88. Introducing Philosophy: A Graphic

81. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (Science and Its Conceptual Foundations series)
by Peter Godfrey-Smith
Paperback: 272 Pages (2003-08-01)
list price: US$29.00 -- used & new: US$23.82
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0226300633
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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How does science work? Does it tell us what the world is "really" like? What makes it different from other ways of understanding the universe? In Theory and Reality, Peter Godfrey-Smith addresses these questions by taking the reader on a grand tour of one hundred years of debate about science. The result is a completely accessible introduction to the main themes of the philosophy of science.

Intended for undergraduates and general readers with no prior background in philosophy, Theory and Reality covers logical positivism; the problems of induction and confirmation; Karl Popper's theory of science; Thomas Kuhn and "scientific revolutions"; the views of Imre Lakatos, Larry Laudan, and Paul Feyerabend; and challenges to the field from sociology of science, feminism, and science studies. The book then looks in more detail at some specific problems and theories, including scientific realism, the theory-ladeness of observation, scientific explanation, and Bayesianism. Finally, Godfrey-Smith defends a form of philosophical naturalism as the best way to solve the main problems in the field.

Throughout the text he points out connections between philosophical debates and wider discussions about science in recent decades, such as the infamous "science wars." Examples and asides engage the beginning student; a glossary of terms explains key concepts; and suggestions for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. However, this is a textbook that doesn't feel like a textbook because it captures the historical drama of changes in how science has been conceived over the last one hundred years.

Like no other text in this field, Theory and Reality combines a survey of recent history of the philosophy of science with current key debates in language that any beginning scholar or critical reader can follow.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

5-0 out of 5 stars A discriminating review of the philosophy of science
One of the most refreshing qualities of this succinct, digestible, and comprehensive account of major currents in the philosophy of science since the early 20th century is that it does not treat each school's position as equally plausible. Godfrey-Smith does not hesitate to argue, respectfully but directly, that some have been effectively refuted (logical positivism) while others appear to be especially promising. He explicitly informs the reader whenever he defends his own outlook. At the end of every chapter he gives a compact selection of references along with a brief description of each, making it easy to delve deeper into primary sources.

The latter parts of this book are concerned with contemporary currents in the philosophy of science. In light of my own experience of scientific practice, many of them come across as naive. Nevertheless, Godfery-Smith has managed to convince me that at least some of the people pursuing them are thinking critically.

4-0 out of 5 stars Excellent but omits Nagel's "The Structure of Science."
This book is excellent as a first introduction to the philosophy of science. Two weaknesses are firstly, that it gives a less than precise explanation of empiricism and secondly, it omits discussion or even mention of Ernst Nagel's superior work "The Structure of Science" which is unforgiveable. Nagel's book is one of the half dozen or so superior analyses of the philosophy of science and positivism and should be essential reading for any intelligent reader in these fields.

4-0 out of 5 stars interesting
I found the book readable and engaging. Since I have read no other introductions to the philosophy of science, I have no references with which to compare this book. That said, I would like to have had more attention paid to some obvious questions for a newcomer, such as 'By what criteria can we distinguish a 'good' philosophy of science from a 'bad' one? What are the consequences of adopting a 'bad' philosophy of science? Why is this area of study so contentious? Why should scientists or non-scientists care about this topic? Fortunately, Godfrey-Smith stimulated rather than suppressed my interest in this topic, so I'm looking forward to reading another introductory book or two to get more perspective.

3-0 out of 5 stars Half-hearted
This is a half-hearted textbook which in its worst moments degenerates into mantras and slurs.

As an example of blatant prejudice underpinned by appallingly poor arguments we may consider the treatment of Feyerabend.

"Feyerabend massively overextends his argument, into a principle that cannot be defended: 'Hence it is advisable to let one's inclinations go against reason in any circumstances, for science may profit from it'. Feyerabend claims that because some principle or rule may go wrong, we should completely ignore it. The claim is obviously crazy." (p. 114)

It is of course Godfrey-Smith who "massively overextends" things when he passes from the quotation to his own gloss: how on earth can anyone in their right mind infer from this (or any other) quotation that Feyerabend want us to "completely ignore" rules of reason? He simply never said anything of the sort. I'm afraid it's Godfrey-Smith who is "obviously crazy."

Two pages later we read that "What is missing in Feyerabend's picture is some rule or mechanism for the rejection and elimination of ideas. ... there is no way for an idea to be taken off the table." (p. 116)

Godfrey-Smith is clearly very confused. Just moments ago he maintained that Feyerabend would urge us to dismiss any fallible principle and now suddenly Feyerabend cannot dismiss anything at all. Godfrey-Smith goes on to criticise this latter stance by giving an example of a crackpot theory, and concluding that we need rules to dismiss such things. But this simple-minded argument proves nothing. A bad poem does not prove the necessity of rules for dismissing bad poems, no matter how important it is for us to find good poems. In fact, a canon of good poetry is rather distinctly crystallised despite the absence of rules. A serious critique of Feyerabend would have to explain why the same is not possible or satisfactory in science.

Another indication of Godfrey-Smith's complacent laziness is his perpetuation of ridiculous myths that are shattered by a thirty-second visit to the library, such as: "in the nineteenth century, mathematicians did work out alternative geometrical systems to Euclid's, but they did so as a mathematical exercise, not as an attempt to describe ... the actual world" (p. 26); or: "Adam Smith argued in the Wealth of Nations that individual selfishness in economic behaviour leads to good outcomes for society as a whole" (p. 99).

4-0 out of 5 stars Sound material, but disjointed presentation
Godfrey-Smith has put together a reasonable introduction to the philosophy of science.This is no small feat, given the vast spectrum of differing philosophical opinions and outright clan warfare that has characterized this field.To pull together so many disparate ideas, from thinkers whose backgrounds are so different, truly requires some mental agility.And Godfrey-Smith accomplishes this task acceptably.All of the necessary philosophical viewpoints, all of the main players, all of the intricate arguments -- they are all in the book.However, the overall (dis)organization of the book does little to help clarify a confusing field.

Godfrey-Smith seems unable to settle on what sort of book he is writing.Is it an introduction to the philosophy of science, a sort of "survey" of the main ideas of the field and their relation to each other?Or is it his own treatise, in which he lays out his own ideas to deal with the problems that arise as one "does" philosophy of science?Unfortunately, Godfey-Smith cannot make up his mind, and so the book is a mixture of (seemingly) objective reviews of the major ideas, along with a smattering of sometimes silly commentary (perhaps designed to keep the under-enthused undergraduate engaged?) and one-sided conversations with deceased philosophers.

Furthemore, as bewildering a field as philosophy of science is, it would have made sense to present the ideas in a logical, ordered fashion.Perhaps this could have been done chronologically, starting with Aristotle's metaphysics (despite it's anathema status to philosophers of science -- it would have given some much needed background to the book) and continuing on through the end of the 20th century.Or perhaps it could have been arranged by topic -- what do various thinkers make of the demarcation between science and pseudoscience? what about confirmation of theories? what about the induction and deduction?Either of these designs would have made sense and enhanced the book.Godfrey-Smith claims that the book is ordered chronologically, but this is just not the case.There are far too many interruptions to make it flow smoothly -- interruptions such as the chapter on feminism's influence on the philosophy of science, or the sociology of science.Those should have been worked into the chronological discussion.The author's own commentary and his advocacy of his own theories serve as further distractors.

However, Godfrey-Smith does have the respectable quality of being down-to-earth in a field whose chief thinkers have thought so hard that they end up in ridiculous places, with their arguments so twisted that they end up arguing against themselves!Godfrey-Smith's ideas serve to ground the book to earth, at times when the big minds of philosophy of science get too abstract, too sublime, or honestly just devoid of common sense.He cuts through the Gordian knot tied by many of his predecessors.

Overall, this is a solid introduction to the philosophy of science.It is easy to read, entertaining, and interesting.It would serve its reader even better if a little more attention had been paid to organizing it in a sensible manner. ... Read more


82. Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Llewellyn's Sourcebook)
by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, James Freake, Donald Tyson
Paperback: 1024 Pages (1992-01-08)
list price: US$49.95 -- used & new: US$31.83
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0875428320
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Product Description
Now you can learn from the original, most important source for magic in the Western world that has ever been published, when you get Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

This massive volume was originally published in 1531, and occultists have been drawing on it ever since. Now, Llewellyn is proud to produce the first complete reprint of the original English translation in the last 500 years. Donald Tyson edited this work and removed the hundreds of errors that appeared in the original translation. He also fully annotated the work, to make it understandable—and usable—by people today.

·Discover what the Renaissance scholar knew about astrology, medicine, history, herbs, geography, animals, angels, devils, Witches, charms, the weather, and a host of other subjects
·Gain immediate reference to a vast amount of arcane, but completely annotated, magical material
·Find corrected drawings of seals, sigils, and magic squares, and correctly represented geomantic figures
·Explore the practical Kabbalah, geomancy, the magic squares, the elements, the humors, and the Soul of the World
·Consult the new Biographical dictionary for background on each of the hundreds of writers and historical figures referred to by Agrippa
·Consult the new Geographical Dictionary for data on referenced rivers, mountains, nations, cities—many of which now carry different names.

The Three Books of Occult Philosophy is the most complete repository of pagan and Neoplatonic magic ever compiled. This book is packed with material you will not find elsewhere, including copious extracts on magic from obscure or lost works by Pythagoras, Ptolemy, Plato, Aristotle, and many others. Tyson's detailed annotations clarify difficult references and provide origins of quotations, even expanding upon them in many cases, in order to make Agrippa's work more accessible to the modern reader.

The Three Books of Occult Philosophy is the ultimate "how-to" for magical workings. It describes how to work all manner of divinations and natural and ceremonial magic in such clear and useful detail that it is still the guide for modern techniques. The extensive new supplementary material makes this wisdom practical for use today.

The Three Books of Occult Philosophy is an essential reference tool for all students of the occult. Get your copy today.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

5-0 out of 5 stars Great Job By Tyson
I have gotten the PDFs of this book, and several other version of this book and find this version is the best there is. With 784 pages of reference material from Renaissance era magic. There is From page 785 to 850 is a biographical dictionary that is really interesting, and he also helped buy adding a commentary so one can understand what Agippa was trying to say or what was formulated. Only mistakes I found was some math and a couple of editorial mistakes but all in all it is a good reference book for on who wants to practice magic, especially Renaissance era magic and grimoric magic. Tyson Did a great Job with a classic, He made Agippa's Three Books of Occult of Philosophy accessible to all and Tyson editorial translation give the book some Justice and this version is soon going to a classic in it own right.

4-0 out of 5 stars must read book!
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the arts. It is written to where you get one message when reading over it swiftly like usual, but if you slow down and read chapter by chapter and let it digest there is a much deeper message to be understood.

5-0 out of 5 stars Important work
A great source of information on Western black arts.
In depth study and meaningful essays.
Highly recommended!!

5-0 out of 5 stars Every Ceremonial Magician Needs This!
This book is the basis for Barret's The Magus.The Appendices alone are worth the $39.99, and Tyson's annotation's make it much more readable.Fair warning though, you WILL need a Bible, Apocrypha, and I Enoch to understand most of the references as it was written while in jail in the 1530's. (Right in the middle of the Burning Times.)

5-0 out of 5 stars One of the best books to understand how to research the astral!
This is one of the main classics that Occultists draw on - over and over again - it has much for the novice and for the advanced practitioner. Some of the material will help you understand some of the stumbling blocks when working on a particular occult project.I recommend this book 100% and can offer a few other key books if you are looking for just practical occult teachings, i.e. how to achieve occult power instead of just plain research (but these books that I am about to recommend really are not for the novice, they are strictly for someone seeking occult power and who can keep it in check):

Finding The Higher Powers Of Mind And Spirit: The Way To The Prime Goal

Getting In Tune With The Infinite: A Guide To Fullness Of Peace, Power, And Plenty

How To Achieve Clairvoyance And Occult Power

How To Read The Crystal: With A Concise Dictionary Of Astrological Terms

Second Sight: A Study Of Natural And Induced Clairvoyance

The New Avatar And The Destiny Of The Soul: Answers To The Question: Why?

True Astral Worship: Why Today, More Than Ever, Are The Pre-Religions Very Important.

These books can take you to the astral plane - but what you do there, and why you go there is your affair. ... Read more


83. History of Philosophy, Volume 5
by Frederick Copleston
Paperback: 440 Pages (1993-12-01)
list price: US$19.99 -- used & new: US$9.48
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0385470428
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Product Description
Conceived originally as a serious presentatin of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's  nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English.



Copleston, an Oxford Jesuit of immense erudition who once tangled with A.J. Ayer in a fabled debate about the existence of God and the possibility of metaphysics, knew that seminary students were fed a woefully inadequate diet of theses and proofs, and that their familiarity with most of history's great thinkers  was reduced to simplistic caricatures.  Copleston set out to redress the wrong by writing a complete history of Western Philosophy, one crackling with incident an intellectual excitement - and one that gives full place to each thinker, presenting his thought in a beautifully rounded manner and showing his links to those who went before and to those who came after him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

5-0 out of 5 stars The Dawn of the Empiricists
The philosophers stated here were brilliant minds, no doubt about it.The scientific revolution created a new way of thinking about and carrying out solutions to problems that was attempted(poorly) by Descartes and their ilk.It's takes a while for good thinking to develop when one starts from a completely new framework.This starts the era when something substantial is said outside the school of classical greekthought that isn't completely idiotic.

The first empricist is Locke,who is really quite mind numbingly dull to read, but very important in how the empricists after him build off of(and subsequently demolish much of) what he said.His philosophy, even if not very agreeable, is straightforward and quite logically fleshed out.

Berkeley, in contrast, was a joy to read.The funny part about him is that he wanted to save philosophy from abstract notions that have no application to real life, then expounds a philosophy that denies the meterial world in its entirety!It must be said that his critique was phenomenal, and rightly states many of the things taken for granted such as substance have no empiricial basis, as well as rightfully stating objects have no qualities in themselves, but only what we perceive as qualities, thereby refuting much of Aristotle.

Hume goes even further than Berkeley in refuting spiritual substance, doubting cause and effect, in essence doubting everything.He does so with lucidity and style that makes for another enjoyable section.His views on morality is his main weakness, and essentially boils down to Pain=Bad, Happiness=Good.

There were a couple others also, but after those three guys I can't remember anything substantial they said.Reading this History was akin to watching a wrecking crew destroy an entire village, laughing gleefully as they do it.The problem is they left next to nothing to rebuild it with.For that we have to wait for Kant.

5-0 out of 5 stars The Best Introduction to Philosophy out there!!!
Copleston's series, "The History of Philosophy", is quite possibly the best introduction to the history of philosophical thought that has ever been published and certainly the best currently in print.

You will be hard pressed to find a better collection of solid philosophical surveys in one place.The beauty of the series is that Copleston has clearly done his research on each period and each thinker of Western philosophy.

I cannot recommend this series any more highly.It is a must-have collection for anyone who is a scholar (professional or casual) of philosophy, theology or any of the arts.

If this isn't on your bookshelf, it should be!

5-0 out of 5 stars Philosophy for All
"A History of Philosophy" by Frederick Copleston,S.J., is a very complete work. All volumes, including #5 - Modern Philosophy The British philosophers from Hobbes to Hume, are first class. I recomend with emphasis!

mgs

5-0 out of 5 stars A good beginning series
This is series is a good way to get involved in the thought of the world. You'll want to go further than what is discussed in the book but it is a very good start.

5-0 out of 5 stars This volume is facinating
At one point I went throught a British Empiricist phase. This book was an invaluable resource.I've never noticed any misinterpretations of the author's original texts in this volume. ... Read more


84. What is Analytic Philosophy?
by Hans-Johann Glock
Paperback: 304 Pages (2008-04-21)
list price: US$22.99 -- used & new: US$14.97
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0521694264
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Analytic philosophy is roughly a hundred years old, and it is now the dominant force within Western philosophy. Interest in its historical development is increasing, but there has hitherto been no sustained attempt to elucidate what it currently amounts to, and how it differs from so-called 'continental' philosophy. In this rich and wide-ranging book, Hans Johann Glock argues that analytic philosophy is a loose movement held together both by ties of influence and by various 'family resemblances'. He considers the pros and cons of various definitions of analytic philosophy, and tackles the methodological, historiographical and philosophical issues raised by such definitions. Finally, he explores the wider intellectual and cultural implications of the notorious divide between analytic and continental philosophy. His book is an invaluable guide for anyone seeking to understand analytic philosophy and how it is practised. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

5-0 out of 5 stars An astounding work
I cannot help but echo the Notre Dame Philosophical Review's opinion: this is, indeed, a great book. Sure, there are flaws here and there, but that's nitpicking. Glock really does know his stuff, and he doesn't make any of the errors standard works on this topic do. He understands analytic philosophy, knows its competitors, and helps us to delimit the bounds of our own discipline.

The book is essentially divided into three topics: historical hatchet-work, defenses of analytic philosophy, and substantive metaphilosophy. For anyone new to the field of analytic philosophy, he offers a nice overview of where we've come from. For those skeptical of it, he should help disabuse readers of some analytic monolith, or the bizarre yet widely repeated notion that analytic philosophy is positivistic. For those already in the tradition, he offers a great synoptic view of the discipline and some genuinely interesting metaphilosophical ruminations.

Not only this: his writing style is clear, engaging, and entertaining. Indeed, there's a possibility he'll actually make reader smile. Even if you disagree with many of his more substantive points (indeed, I disagree with several major points he makes), nobody should pass up this book.

The book is eminently readable by anyone with a modicum of interest in what philosophers do nowadays. There is no reason this book cannot be read by any intelligent reader, and, in my opinion, there is no reason that it shouldn't. ... Read more


85. Philosophy 101 by Socrates: An Introduction to Philosophy Via Plato's Apology
by Peter Kreeft
Paperback: 100 Pages (2002-10)
list price: US$11.95 -- used & new: US$6.44
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0898709253
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Product Description
We are still working on filling in the product descriptions. If you need more information please call or email us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

5-0 out of 5 stars Great philosophy book and perfect for a christian teaching
This book combines philosophy and christianity perfectly.I higly reccommend it as a teaching tool or enjoyment reading.

5-0 out of 5 stars Excellent philosophy primer and intro to Socrates!
Kreeft's book is an excellent philosophy primer that anyone can enjoy, easily read, and benefit from.As a huge fan of Socrates, I was enthralled with the use of Plato's "Apology", the "Euthyphro", and the "Phaedo" as a teaching tools that will captivate your imagination and search your soul.You can really feel Socrates probing you, making you ask questions of and about yourself, profound questions, that everyone needs to confront and be confronted by.Everyone should apply the Socratic Method to their own life...it will change it forever!

This book is an easy read and you should purchase a copy, take it with you everywhere, and read every chance you get.When you finish, READ IT AGAIN!!!Let Socrates teach you that what you think you know, you really don't know.The unexamined life is truly not worth living.Let Socrates examine you and then you too will live life more fully...by asking good questions about everything.Take nothing for granted or on surface value; probe, probe, probe!

This book would be a great tool for informal chats re philosophy, psychology, religion, or even just for fun.I highly recommend it...no matter your chosen faith or the lack thereof.But get ready to be challenged!

5-0 out of 5 stars Yes, Buy It and Read It Passionately
Peter Kreeft transmits his passion for wisdom, for philosophy, in this small book by focusing on the personification of philosophy: Socrates. Kreeft shows us how the pursuit of wisdom will lead to respectful confrontation with those who do not know but think they know. The Socratic method of respectful cross-examination is at the core of exposing the fallacies of those, as someone once said, who are always certain but seldom right. Kreeft also presents the parallels between Socrates and Jesus. You will enjoy and be inspired by this celebration of the passionate pursuit of philosophy.

4-0 out of 5 stars Socrates from a Christian prospective
Peter Kreeft introduces Philosophy by introducing us to the father of philosophy, Socrates. He uses the Apology of Socrates to give 40 descriptions of philosophy. He shows the paradox of philosophy with such terms as foolish, simplistic and conformist. Throughout the book, Kreeft's Christian perspective comes through with comparisons of Socrates and Christ, which I think give the book a unique niche but I sure will offend some.

5-0 out of 5 stars Introducing philosophy
Peter Kreeft has taught philosophy for over forty years. He is also a Christian. So what does philosophy have to do with Christianity? Or as Tertullian put it long ago, what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?

Well quite a bit really, according to Kreeft. For example, both are, or should be, concerned with truth, or the discovery of truth. Both are concerned about going beyond appearances and getting at reality.

Thus Kreeft thinks philosophy, properly understood and practiced, can be a real aid to the believer. This book is an introductory primer to philosophy, or more specifically, to doing philosophy. Kreeft thinks that Plato/Socrates may have been our greatest philosopher, and his works make for an excellent entry point to philosophy. (Kreeft side-steps the historical debate over Socrates, and for his/our purposes, we will simply speak of Socrates.)

Three dialogues that exemplify Socrates' method and manner are here focused on: the Apology of Socrates, the Euthyphro, and the Phaedo. Kreeft enjoys using these dialogues as they do not just talk about philosophy but they actually show us philosophy in action.

The Apology is the main text focused on. In it Kreeft tells us forty different things about philosophy and the philosophical method. As we all know, philosophy is the love of wisdom. It differs from mere knowledge, and God is its source. While God has wisdom, man pursues it. In this Socrates and biblical religion are on common ground.

Moreover, the quest of philosophy is not for truth as found in the physical sciences, but moral and eternal truths, as found in religion. Moral questions, like "What is justice?" cannot be answered by the physical sciences.

Also, belief in God and the really important things in life goes hand in hand with humility. Socrates stressed this, as do many of the great religions. Skepticism about God tends to correlate with pride, while true wisdom recognizes its limits, and is open to truth outside its limited perceptions.

And Socrates, like Jesus, was a real counter-culturalist. Indeed, both men were hated by many because of their challenges to the status quo. Indeed, both were ultimately put to death.

Of course in all this Kreeft does not equate the two great men. Socrates could only claim to be a seeker after truth, while Jesus claimed to be the truth.

A key issue raised in the Euthyphro is the connection between God and goodness. Can we be good without God? The two options presented are, 1) that God chooses what is good (Euthyphro's position), and 2) that God is subject to what is good (Socrates' position). Of course Christians tend to say that this is a false dilemma, and argue for a third position, that God's goodness is coterminous with his nature. Position one seems to make God arbitrary, and position two seems to make goodness greater than God. But the third option fully equates goodness with God. What God commands is good because it is in accord with his own good nature.

The last work examined, the Phaedo, is the story of the death of Socrates. It is also the argument of Socrates for why life extends beyond the grave, for why the soul is immortal.

The "gadfly of Athens" was put to death for his search for truth. Of course Jesus was put to death for his proclamation of truth. To refer to the earlier discussion about historicity, Kreeft reminds us that while Christianity cannot survive without Christ, philosophy can survive without an historical Socrates. Even if he is just the creation of Plato's pen, his timeless truths live on.

It was Alfred North Whitehead who once said that the European philosophical tradition "consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." No one can improve upon the greatness of Plato/Socrates. His greatness and wisdom live on. Thus there is so much we can learn from Socrates, so much we are indebted to.

He is not the equivalent of Christ, but he bears many similarities, as Kreeft points out throughout this book. And there are real shortcomings to Socrates. His insistence on the importance of the soul was as valuable as his denial of the importance of the body was flawed.

Believers need not be ashamed of nor afraid of philosophy. In its proper form, it leads us to truth. And in the Christian tradition, God is truth. Of course in a fallen world, extrnal revelation is needed to supplement internal inquiry.

But is it possible that God can use pre-Christians like Socrates to teach us much about life and even Himself? Kreeft thinks so, and this book goes a long way in showing Christians how to appreciate the beauties of philosophy. Of course in other books in this series, Kreeft shows the dark side of reckless philosophy (as in his discussions about Sartre and Marx). But here we learn of the good purposes which philosophy can serve.
... Read more


86. Philosophy in a Time of Terror: Dialogues with Jurgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida
by Giovanna Borradori
Paperback: 224 Pages (2004-09-01)
list price: US$17.00 -- used & new: US$12.87
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0226066665
Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description

The idea for Philosophy in a Time of Terror was born hours after the attacks on 9/11 and was realized just weeks later when Giovanna Borradori sat down with Jürgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida in New York City, in separate interviews, to evaluate the significance of the most destructive terrorist act ever perpetrated. This book marks an unprecedented encounter between two of the most influential thinkers of our age as here, for the first time, Habermas and Derrida overcome their mutual antagonism and agree to appear side by side. As the two philosophers disassemble and reassemble what we think we know about terrorism, they break from the familiar social and political rhetoric increasingly polarized between good and evil. In this process, we watch two of the greatest intellects of the century at work.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

5-0 out of 5 stars Good book
And the only blathering on that I see in evidence is what commentary the book has spawned, both here and elsewhere.

4-0 out of 5 stars Postmodern situations, postmodern ideas
As Borradori states in his introduction, 'Both [Habermas and Derrida] hold that terrorism is an elusive concept that exposes the global political arena to imminent dangers as well as future challenges.'I think that this sums up what many people feel about the war on terrorism - unlike conflicts such as World War I and World War II, or even the more vaguely defined Cold War or Vietnam war, this is a war where there the front-line can be anywhere and nowhere, where the enemies can be anyone and no one, and where the tactics, strategies, motives and hoped-for achievables are so far removed from what traditional political and military methodology deals with that it requires a paradigm shift in our thinking.'While the Cold War was characterized by the possibility of balance between two superpowers, it is impossible to build a balance with terrorism because the threat does not come from a state but from incalculable forces and incalculable responsibilities.'

As is typical of Derrida, he sees the relationship between terrorism and communication to be paramount.(I was first exposed to Derrida in theology classes, dealing with the postmodern predicament of looking for meaning in language and behind language in ways that make sense).It is perhaps ironic that the term that springs to mind most when contemplating Derrida is 'deconstruction', which is, in often a dramatically literal sense, what terrorism also hopes to achieve.'The intellectual grounding of Derrida's deconstruction owes much to the nineteenth- and twentieth-century lineage constituted by Nietzsche, Heidegger and Freud.For Derrida, many of the principles to which the Western tradition has attributed universal validity do not capture what we all share or even hope for.'This becomes all the more problematic when dealing with those outside the Western tradition, such as occurred in Vietnam, Korea, and now in the war on terror.

For Derrida, communication is not simply political.'Derrida engaged the themes of terror as a psychological and metaphysical state as well as terrorism as a political category.'This draws upon philosophical ideas that can reinterpret the events in various ways, as plays out in various media outlets even to this day.But the events of 9/11 for Derrida are not surprising.'Was 9/11 truly unpredictable?Not for Derrida.... The kind of attack that the terrorists launched in 2001 had already been prefigured in detail by the technocinematic culture of our days.'

Habermas also sees communication as a critical element.One issue for Habermas is the speed of modern mass communication - it 'works in the interest of those who select and distribute the information rather than those who receive it.Habermas suggests that the pressure of thinking and evaluating data quickly has a political import, because it facilitates an experience of politics based on the persona of the actors rather than the ideas that each of them defends.' Habermas' theory of communicative action, including its idea of violence as distorted communication, shows the importance of perception, understanding, critical analysis and response.

'Habermas understands modernity to be a change in belief attitude rather than a coherent body of beliefs.A belief attitude indicates the way in which we believe rather than what we believe in.Thus, fundamentalism has less to do with any specific text or religious dogma and more to do with the modality of belief.'This fits in many ways when one commentator I read recently who discussed the overall state of Muslim theology, expressing the understanding that the Muslims have never gone through a period of Reformation as Christendom did, nor have Muslims come to embrace the idea of a society and nation-state separate from religious.Indeed, we can hear echoes of this latter idea in political speech in America, often from groups that can be described as (and often embrace the term) fundamentalist.This will continue to be an issue in the war on terror.

Another issue for Habermas will be the issue of nation-state vs. international organisation power.'Habermas is convinced that what separates the present moment from a full transition to cosmopolitanism is not only a theoretical matter but a practical one, too, for the decisions of the international community need to be respected. ... Unfortunately, the power differential between national and international authorities threatens to weaken the legitimacy of any military intervention and to retool police action as war.'This has been true not just in the twentieth century, but previously as well.The Congress of Vienna, the League of Nations, and the United Nations have all failed to have power to counter the superpowers of their times; alliances such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact relied heavily on one particular partner.

For both Derrida and Habermas, the war on terror is not as simple as Arab vs. West, Muslim against Christian/post-Christian society, or particular nations against one another.Perhaps had this been written after the recent situation with the Dubai acquisition of American ports being stopped, they would have pointed out that once again, our definitions and communicative premises fail - how does one balance the idea that foreign ownership of ports is unwise with the fact that few are concerned when British, Canadian, Australian or Norwegian firms do the same?There is a lack of definition about it all, even when all the words we use, to bring about clarity.The war on terror might be the quintessential post-modern situation.

5-0 out of 5 stars Great, thought-provoking
It's a privilege to hear what these two minds have to say about our times, especially because their styles of thinking and the way they articulate today's problems are so divergent.

4-0 out of 5 stars A most noble endeavour
Although the section dedicated to Habermas is brief and Derrida is allowed to make a more dynamic impact, Borradori knows very well what she is doing, and ensures that the end relult is that they both complement each other. These two thinkers might occupy opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to a whole host of issues, but "Philosophy in a Time of Terror" is not about who is right and who is wrong or about the reader choosing his/her favourite.
Habermas lays much of the groundwork, reminding us of the relevance of the Enlightenment, championing notions of the public sphere and communicative action. Reason, rationality and discourse have been, and always will be, essential components of any society wishing to realise the Enlightenment ideal. Just as philosophy was vital at the time of the Enlightenment, so too is it needed today in helping us come to terms with terrorism and in conceptualising a future which re-addresses the notion of citizenship, bestowing upon it a global and cosmopolitan character.
Derrida gets to work on much of what Habermas proposes, questioning received wisdom and conceptual systems through his own deconstructive methods. Focusing on 9/11 as an "event" and putting his own spin on globalization, we are invited to temporarily suspend belief and look at things from a more unfamiliar angle. Yes, some of Derrida's points are questionable, overblown and occasionally ridiculous, but his concerns have much in common with those of Habermas: how to realise a world society where primacy is given to international law and the religious undercurrents of political rhetoric are abandoned once and for all,dangerous as they all too often are.

This book is a reminder to us all of the role played by philosophy in shaping our present and a call for a return to philosophical reflection in order to forge a sustainable future for everybody. It's a start, and credit is due to Habermas, Derrida and of course Borradori for their collaboration. The world may well be awash with pragmatism (much of it needed admittedly) but there has to be a degree of reflexivity if we are going to avoid a groundhog day scenario. I mean, we're all idealists at heart, aren't we?

3-0 out of 5 stars A Philosophy left on the table....
The main issues I have with this book are:
1. the dialogue with Habermas is way too short. I don't know if he was on a time line, but, it is just as he is gathering a full head of steam that everything ends, and what he has to say and to subject to thoughtful consideration is profoundly worth mulling over deeply. I kept wishing Borradori would continue to probe further with Habermas. He is the foremost thinker in Germany since Heidegger and is as creatively determined to tackle this issue of terrorism as anyone could aspire to. He goes after the issues with a passion and a commitment. Perhaps there will be more from him in his own write in the future.
2. Derrida likes to hear himself talk and see himself write. The foremost exponent of Thesaurus Philosophy, Derrida does not so much hermeneutically deconstruct as blather on, much like a Michael Palin riff in Monty Python. Read the opening pages of the dialogue with Derrida, and then go watch Palin in THE CONCERT FOR GEORGE HARRISON, and I dare you to deconstruct the difference. I keep expecting Derrida to launch into the Lumberjack Song. He gets to the meat of the issue but then becomes obsessed with his own vocabulary, like the boring uncle at family gatherings. You would think there would be more drive from somone who experienced the sort of childhood and coming of age that he did, but, like so many other French thinkers, he seems to fall in love with the way words roll off.
3. Borradori comes up short with Habrmas and doesn't cut off or focus Derrida enough. Too much of her post dialogue analyses is reiiterative.
That's a pity on many fronts, because there is a significant trail to be traced from Kant through Hegel and into the Twentieth Century about the nature of peace, government and the fact that as Kant observed this is a bloody small planet and we need to figure out how we are all going to live on it without resorting to the criminality of these past centuries. Habermas is clearly focused on such questions. Derrida can clearly see the need to come to terms with them. A more disciplined interviewer might have made this the tome it could have been. God knows we need it. ... Read more


87. Readings In Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales To Aristotle
by S. Marc Cohen
Paperback: 958 Pages (2005-08-01)
list price: US$44.00 -- used & new: US$34.40
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0872207692
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
The rich selection of superbly translated and edited Pre-Socratic fragments and testimonies, dialogues of Plato, and selections from Aristotle that has made "Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy", the pre-eminent anthology for the teaching of ancient Greek philosophy is now even richer: G M A Grube's translation of Plato's "Phaedo" and "Alexander Nehamas", and Paul Woodruff's translation of Plato's "Symposium" are now both included in their entirety. In addition, the third edition features new translations by C D C Reeve of Plato's "Euthyphro", "Apology", and "Crito". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

5-0 out of 5 stars great quality, low price
as a textbook for school, this was the best price I could find, and it was in pristine condition, very fast to arrive

5-0 out of 5 stars A Must Have For Philosophy Students, and Anybody else interested in the "Celebrities" of Ancient Greek thought.
If your buying this book, its probably because you are enrolled in a philosophy or history class. And though it is used frequently in classrooms, the book doesn't fall into the same traps as other college level texts.

This book features all of Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Categories, Physics, Metaphysics, and Nicomachean Ethics. It also contains Apology (Written by Plato, in which Socrates speaks at his trial), along with writings and quotes from and about less well known Greek philosophers, such as Empedocles and Parmenides. The philosophers are presented by date, starting with the earliest, but they are also categorized by ideas.

One of the best things about this book is that, unlike other college texts, it is not a modern philosopher, or college historian, writing the bulk of the text. You actually hear from the horses mouth. The philosophers, such as Thales, who do not have many surviving words, have quotes from other famous Greek philosophers concerning them (often criticism, but informative criticism) . While at points the writing might seem dense, it is preferable to a third party writing; simply becauseany other person or group, though trying to, cannot capture the essence of what that person is trying to say.Anybody who has taking a philosophy coarse probably knows what I'm talking about; some philosophers have original message has been all but destroyed byprofessors "summery", either by misunderstanding, interjecting their own interpretations, or worse, allowing their own innate prejudices and beliefs to effect how they introduce them. The point is- Its preferable to have the actual philosopher talking for themselves, and this book has plenty of that.

I will say that, if you already own the dialogues and writings in this book, I wouldn't suggest buying it. While the short summaries and historical highpoints are good, they don't offer much that you couldn't find better somewhere else.

Quite simply, this is a comprehensive textbook that will enhance your understandingof Greek philosophy and provide a great starting place for further study.

5-0 out of 5 stars Good choice
I find this book to be invaluable to the philosophy student and any others who may be interested in Ancient philosophical thought in Miletus and Greece. The organization of the book is excellent, and the order in which he supplies the writings is fitting.

5-0 out of 5 stars This is the one to buy if you're buying only one
In my reading I frequently come across references to Greek philosophy. When I go to the bookstore, though, I see an entire shelf of books for Plato, and another for Aristotle. Presocratics are separate. How to choose? Fortunately, there is this volume. It is a large collection, filling 890 large pages, from the earliest Greek philosophers to Aristotle. The general breakdown is as follows: 89 pages devoted to the Presocratics and Sophists; 487 devoted to Plato; 277 devoted to Aristotle; 45 pages devoted to suggestions for further reading, concordance and sources for Presocratics, and glossary for Aristotle. The Presocratic selections represent 18 philosophers. Plato selections include the complete Republic and sections of 10 other dialogues. Aristotle selections contain readings from 13 treatises. Informative introductions precede each philosopher, and most individual selections from Plato and Aristotle have their own introductions. Each book of the Repulbic is introduced separately. In addition, footnotes are supplied on various obscure points of history, terminology, and ancient scientific theory. The notes on Timaeus are especially illustrative, giving the reader diagrams of theories. In short, this volume is very user friendly, geared toward the student or non-specialist who wants to know more about this fundamental area of Western culture, and very inclusive. The translations are modern and clear, not some dusted off antiques. A very good choice all around. ... Read more


88. Introducing Philosophy: A Graphic Guide
by Dave Robinson
Paperback: 176 Pages (2007-11)
list price: US$9.95 -- used & new: US$4.78
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 184046853X
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
Philosophers have always enjoyed asking awkward and provocative questions, such as: What is the nature of reality? What are human beings really like? What is special about the human mind and consciousness? Are we free to choose who we are and what we do? Can we prove that God exists? Can we be certain about anything at all? What is truth? Does language provide us with a true picture of the world? How should we behave towards each other? Do computers think? "Introducing Philosophy" is a comprehensive graphic guide to the thinking of all the significant philosophers of the Western world from Heraclitus to Derrida. It examines and explains their key arguments and ideas without being obscure or solemn. Lively and accessible, it is the perfect introduction to philosophers and philosophical ideas for anyone coming to the subject for the first time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

5-0 out of 5 stars Covers the Waterfront well
This is a quick and dirty introduction to Philosophy. It defines the primary questions of philosophy as: What is the nature of reality? What makes humans special? What is mind or consciousness? Can we be certain of anything? What is a valid argument? How should we behave towards each other? And: How should society be organized? Philosophy, the author tells us is a discipline organized to pursue answers to these and many similar questions. The major subcategories of the discipline are: Epistemology (questions about knowledge), Metaphysics (questions about the nature of time, space, god, cause, reality), Ethics (questions about good and evil), Aesthetics (questions about art and beauty), and political philosophy (questions about the organization of society). How these questions are pursued, has to do with methodology, the tools used to answer the questions.

Some believe that answers should evolve out of debate: that is out of the mechanics and art of how to ask questions properly. Others believe that "thinking about thinking" and questioning everything is the best tool. The book of course does not take sides on this important issues but proceeds to delve into the history and personalities of Philosophy beginning with the Egyptians who were good mathematicians but poor philosophers. But it then moves on to the Greeks who, at least in the Western World, are the acknowledged inventors of philosophy. They did this of course by challenging the worldview of religion. It was the Greeks who first refused to believe that religious answers were all there was to reality. They wanted to know what reality was made of?The preliminary answer they got was that it was made of air, fire, earth and water.Pythagoras however believed that mathematics held the secret to reality. And then, before the pre-Socratic era ended, came the "atomists," who believed that all matter could be "reduced" or broken down into ever smaller constituent components until the smallest possible, the atom was reached.

However, it was Socrates who believed that wisdom was a skill that could be taught and that virtue is knowledge, and who formally introduced thinking as a methodology. He and his contemporaries wrestled with questions such as "If we believe different things, how do we determine who is correct?"Ultimately, it was Socrates' view that man had to question everything, especially authority that got him condemned to death by "democrats" who forced him to drink hemlock. Despite this, it was his student Plato, who advanced the techniques of using "thinking about thinking" as the ultimate tool of philosophy. Through dialogue using a series of nested questions deductible from a central premise, Plato was able to prove that thought was indeed the ultimate instrument for answering the questions that revealed the underlying truths of philosophy. He also introduced the idea of ideal forms and most famously, the parable of the cave, in which reality was seen to be indistinguishable from a reflection of man's experiences depicted as shadows on a cave wall: Man was imprisoned by his experiences, which were little more than images on a cave wall.

It would take Aristotle to advance the ideas of both Socrates and Plato by formally linking philosophy to the tools of logic, that is, to inferences, both deductive and inductive. Arguments based on logic, propelled philosophy into a new era that has lasted for more than two millennia. And while there have been challengers, mostly from religion (the Stoics, the Epicureans, Skeptics, cynics, etc.), Aristotle's methods lasted until Rene Descartes' "Discourse on Method" introduced a way of further formalizing the systematization of knowledge. With a few procedural rules, and his most famous utterance "cogito ergo sum," Descartes used "doubt" as the new instrument that would lead philosophy into a new era of scientific thinking and methodology. After Descartes' Cartesian analysis of mind and body, philosophy was irrevocably changed. The battle between science and religion was finally brought out into the open and science was finally beginning to hold its own. There was hand-to-hand combat down the ages between the metaphysiciansand the scientists up until the modern era of philosophy.

And although there was quite a bit of "backtracking," today the background noise of those arguments can still be heard and felt. Even today, in the quantum physical world, the question of what constitutes reality still remains the centerpiece of philosophical discussions. However, in the modern era new problems have arisen about the nature of knowledge and indeed meaning itself. Language is consistently being implicated as the saga continues ...
For a $7.00 book I guarantee that the reader is sure to get more than his money's worth. Five stars.

5-0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Informative
I have always enjoyed the graphically illustrated "Introducing" series. For a visual learner such as myself, the pictorial overviews always bring the subject to life and make learning complex concepts entertaining.

"Introducing Philosophy" by Dave Robinson is an excellent overview of the subject, starting with the Ancient Greeks and continuing throughout the ages. Major philosophers covered include Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hume, Descartes, Russell, Sartre, and Wittgenstein. While Philosophy is a vast realm of knowledge that 176 pages couldn't begin to do justice to, "Introducing" does a stellar job of covering each philosophical category just enough to pique the reader's interest for more information.

While fundamental human subjectivity renders it impossible for any writer to give a complete bird's eye view in their presentation of information, Robinson does a good job of giving as fair of an overview as possible. His own personal biases only intrude on the text a handful of times.

Overall, I would recommend this book and any other "Introducing" books to visual learners with a thirst for knowledge yet little time for quenching. These books provide a wealth of information yet can be read in a day or two. Any reader will find their knowledge enriched considerably after reading these books.

4-0 out of 5 stars Philosopy - a short review
excellent (one+ page per philosopher/philosophy) introduction. Done in comics style format, but outlines "gist" of major philosophies without resorting to typical unreadable jargon.

4-0 out of 5 stars More a primer than an introduction
This book is about 170 pages, but much of the space is taken by cartoons which add little substantive value, so the amount of text is more like a 50-page book.As a result, this book winds up being somewhat superficial.Robinson is well informed and does manage to cover nearly all of the key names and ideas in Western philosophy (Eastern philosophy isn't covered at all), but he only quickly skims along the surface rather than ever providing any depth of treatment.As a result, this book isn't a true introduction, and I can recommend it only with caveats, as follows:

1. Readers who are new to philosophy can use this book to get a general sense of what Western philosophy is about and who the key players are.The book can therefore be used as primer to philosophy, but you can't really study philosophy from this book, even at an introductory level.The book will enable you to drop some names and terminology at the fabled cocktail party, but you'd better hope that nobody wants to discuss them!

2. Readers who are at least somewhat versed in Western philosophy can use the book to jog their memory and get a quick birds-eye (re)view of the subject.And if you read the book slowly, you can read it critically and compare your views with Robinson's, thus using the book as a vehicle to respond to.

4-0 out of 5 stars A good solid introduction
This gives a good overview of Western philosophy from its beginning to modern times.It's well written and clearly explains the central tenants of particular philosophies as well as explaining the evolution of the "purpose" of philosophy over the centuries.It is definitely a great springboard for most major subjects in Western philosophy. ... Read more


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