Contemporary Philosophy

So many people long for love, chase it, craft elaborate fantasies around it, but how many find it..? I am not certain of the numbers—should I count on my fingers the ones who have been lucky? Too exhausting a feat, so I just begin to observe. Seeing lovers hand in hand, whispers shared under streetlights, laughter echoing beneath a midnight sky. And then there's me, always watching, always wondering. Is it not enough to want love? To ache for it with every fiber of our being..? Time drips like the rain outside, each moment echoing with longing. I close my eyes, crafting images behind my ...

The Prince is a 16th-century political treatise by the Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. The Prince is sometimes claimed to be one of the first works of modern philosophy, especially modern political philosophy, in which the effective truth is taken to be more important than any abstract ideal. It was also in direct conflict with the dominant Catholic and scholastic doctrines of the time concerning politics and ethics.

Americans have never been more divided, and we're ripe for a breakup. The bitter partisan animosities, the legislative gridlock, the growing acceptance of violence in the name of political virtue - it all invites us to think that we'd be happier were we two different countries. There's another reason why secession beckons, says F. H. Buckley: we're too big. In population and area, the United States is one of the biggest countries in the world, and American Secession provides data showing that smaller countries are happier and less corrupt.

Embark on an illuminating journey into the intricate world of Jacques Derrida, one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, in "Deconstructing Derrida. This comprehensive book unravels the complex ideas that underpin Derrida's work, offering readers an engaging and easy-to-understand exploration of his philosophy. Each chapter delves into a different facet of Derrida's thought, from his influential idea of deconstruction to his groundbreaking works like 'Writing and Difference' and 'Of Grammatology'. This book also elucidates Derrida's thoughts on ethics, justice, language,...

Oratory is one of the most influential skills in history, capable of shaping societies, transforming thoughts, and consolidating leaderships. This book presents a comprehensive study on the fundamentals, techniques, and philosophy of rhetoric, exploring its evolution from Antiquity to the challenges of communication in the digital era. Based on the teachings of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian, the work analyzes the essential principles of persuasion, including ethos, pathos, and logos, and details strategies that make the speech more effective and impactful.

Mortimer Adler stood on the metaphysical and moral teachings of Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas to convey to his readers an understanding of the nature of Aristotle’s rhetoric as an essential means for conveying to readers of his time and to posterity a specific understanding of philosophy as an essential humanistic educational tool that might, someday, be able to issue in global peace!

A philosophical and spiritual book set in various regions influenced by ancient wisdom throughout history. Delve into the profound depths of existence with "Science of the Soul," where the boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms blur, leading to transformative insights about health and healing. This groundbreaking book invites readers on a journey to uncover the ancient wisdom that shapes our understanding of disease, prompting a re-evaluation of modern medical practices that often overlook the soul's vital role in holistic well-being. In a compelling examination of humanity's ...

In this sweeping and provocative work, political economist William Davies draws on a 400-year history of ideas to reframe our understanding of the contemporary world. He argues that global trends decades and even centuries in the making have reduced a world of logic and fact into one driven by emotions - particularly fear and anxiety. This has ushered in an age of "nervous states", both in our individual bodies and our body politic.

One of Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists, Joshua Cohen arrives with his first collection of nonfiction, the culmination of two decades of writing and thought about life in the digital age. In essays, memoir, criticism, diary entries, and letters—many appearing here for the first time—Cohen covers the full depth and breadth of modern life.

Contemporary views of business ethics often show businessmen and women in a bad light. Egoism, profits, and competition are branded as immoral, while social consciousness is praised. Atlas Society Senior Scholar Stephen Hicks, PhD, disagrees with this point of view. Most contemporary business ethics does business a disservice. Worse than that, its proposed cures are plagued with unintended consequences that are often much worse than the problems it is attempting to solve. Hicks defends the egoism that drives successful business people and the morality of free-market capitalism.

The Slippery Slope Contemporary Society through the Lens of Applied Ethics Expanded Second Edition provides a framework of how to experience ethics within your worldview without being prescriptive. A little history, a bit of context, and a touch of some of today's critical thinking topics hopefully lead to dialogue with friends and colleagues about a topic rarely explored in the world we live in together, ethics. The behavioral domain of ethics is an abstract part of everyday life that people tend to tiptoe around. Also, the new material elevates the text tremendously. Enjoy the journey, ...

Dive into the resonant world of Merleau-Ponty's philosophical ballet with "Fleshed Realities." This book navigates the profound waters of embodied perception, inviting readers to explore the rhythmic interplay between self and world. Through a delicate choreography of ideas, Merleau-Ponty's dance comes alive, unveiling a tapestry of existential insights and interdisciplinary echoes. Whether you're a seasoned philosopher or a curious mind, this book orchestrates a journey through the melody of perception, inviting you to engage with the enduring relevance of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology

The timeless teachings of Epictetus, one of the greatest Stoic philosophers, are now at your disposal in an updated language, close to your reality. Imagine feeling in control of yourself, no matter what happens around you. That is the essence of stoicism: a life of inner freedom and serenity. Each page will open you to a new way of thinking, teaching you to master your emotions and see challenges as opportunities for personal growth.

One day, 14-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find two notes in her mailbox, with one question on each: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up?

The Individualization of War examines the status of individuals in contemporary armed conflict in three main capacities: as subject to violence but deserving of protection; as liable to harm because of their responsibility for attacks on others; and as agents who can be held accountable for the perpetration of crimes.

"The Story of Philosophy: Contemporary European Philosophers: Bergson, Croce, and Bertrand Russell" by Will Durant offers a comprehensive look at the lives and philosophies of three influential thinkers who shaped early 20th-century European thought. Durant provides accessible and engaging summaries of their key ideas and contributions to philosophy.

Self Reliance is an essay written in 1841 by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow his own instincts and ideas. This essay is an analysis into the nature of the aboriginal self on which a universal reliance may be grounded. He stresses that anyone is capable of achieving happiness simply if they change their mindset. Emerson focuses on seemingly insignificant details explaining how life is "learning and forgetting and learning again".

Dogmas are the interpretation of our experience of God, in the Crucified and Risen Jesus Christ. This experience through the ages does not alter, for Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). The disciples and apostles (and bishops afterwards) did not sit around a table and agree to teach new dogmas, but rather they preached their Christian experience. As St. John says, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (1 John 1:3). Thus, all Christian dogmas produced are the church's experience of the Crucified and Risen Christ. "Truth" and "Love" at the...

In What's the Point of College?, historian Johann N. Neem offers a new way to think about the major questions facing higher education today, from online education to disruptive innovation to how students really learn. As commentators, reformers, and policymakers call for dramatic change and new educational models, this collection of lucid essays asks us to pause and take stock. What is a college education supposed to be? What kinds of institutions and practices will best help us get there? And which virtues must colleges and universities cultivate to sustain their desired ends?

Once upon a time, Postmodernism was a buzz word. It pronounced Modernism dead or at least in the throes of death. It was a wave that swept over Christendom, promising to wash away sterile, dogmatic and outmoded forms of church. But whatever happened to postmodernism? It was regarded as the start of a major historical transition to something new and promising and hailed as a major paradigm shift. Is it a philosophy that has passed its "sell-by" date? No! The radical fringe has become the dominant view and has been integrated into all aspects of life, including the Christian church. With the ...