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Ecological Ethics and the Philosophy of Simone Weil: Decreation for the Anthropocene (Routledge Environmental Ethics)
by Kathryn LawsonThis book places the philosophy of Simone Weil into conversation with contemporary environmental concerns in the Anthropocene.The book offers a systematic interpretation of Simone Weil, making her ethical philosophy more accessible to non-Weil scholars. Weil’s work has been influential in many fields, including politically and theologically-based critiques of social inequalities and suffering, but rarely linked to ecology. Kathryn Lawson argues that Weil’s work can be understood as offering a coherent approach with potentially widespread appeal applicable to our ethical relations to much more than just other human beings. She suggests that the process of "decreation" in Weil is an expansion of the self which might also come to include the surrounding earth and a vast assemblage of others. This allows readers to consider what it means to be human in this time and place, and to contemplate our ethical responsibilities both to other humans and also to the more-than-human world. Ultimately, the book uses Weil’s thought to decanter the human being by cultivating human actions towards an ecological ethics.This book will be useful for Simone Weil scholars and academics, as well as students and researchers interested in environmental ethics in departments of comparative literature, theory and criticism, philosophy, and environmental studies.
Why Not Capitalism?
by Jason BrennanMost people believe capitalism is a compromise with selfish human nature. As Adam Smith put it, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest." Capitalism works better than socialism, according to this thinking, only because we are not kind and generous enough to make socialism work. If we were saints, we would be socialists.In Why Not Capitalism?, Jason Brennan attacks this widely held belief, arguing that capitalism would remain the best system even if we were morally perfect. Even then, private property and free markets would be the best way to realize mutual cooperation, social justice, harmony, and prosperity. Socialists seek to capture the moral high ground by showing that ideal socialism is morally superior to realistic capitalism. But, Brennan responds, ideal capitalism is superior to ideal socialism, and so capitalism beats socialism at every level.Clearly, engagingly, and at times provocatively written, Why Not Capitalism? will cause readers of all political persuasions to re-evaluate where they stand vis-à-vis economic priorities and systems—as they exist now and as they might be improved in the future.In this expanded second edition, Brennan responds to his critics throughout the book and provides two new, final chapters. One argues against egalitarianism in a capitalist utopia because egalitarianism frequently misdiagnoses the problems (for example, the problem with poverty isn’t that poor people have less but that they don’t have enough). The other new chapter shows that we don’t need to be angels in an anarchic utopia, but merely decent people who are willing to adhere to four undemanding moral principles.
Philosophy and Leadership: An Evolution of Leadership from Ancient Times to the Digital Age (Routledge Open Business and Economics)
by Łukasz Sułkowski Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz Katarzyna Szczepańska-WoszczynaPhilosophy and Leadership is an ambitious exploration of leadership's philosophical underpinnings from antiquity to the AI-driven future. The book journeys through history, gleaning insights from eminent philosophers and contextualizing their teachings to leadership.The book's foundational premise lies in the symbiosis of philosophy and leadership. Philosophy provides the "why" that drives the practices and decisions in leadership. This intricate connection is unfolded from the teachings of Confucius on virtue and ethics to the contemporary dialogues of Judith Butler on leadership identity. The book also delves into the evolution of leadership concepts through various eras—medieval times highlighting religious and scholastic perspectives, the Renaissance juxtaposing Machiavellian pragmatism with More's utopian ideals, and the Enlightenment era underscoring the importance of duty, skepticism, and rationality. An exciting aspect of the narrative is the amalgamation of evolution and leadership. By drawing parallels between Darwin's natural selection and leadership dynamics or Bergson's vitalism and intuitive leadership, the authors present a merger of biological evolution with leadership's ever-evolving paradigms. Finally, the concluding chapters reside in envisioning the future and reflect upon the impending synergy between AI and leadership. They emphasize the importance of amalgamating philosophical wisdom with the promises and challenges brought about by AI.The book will guide readers from the philosophical epochs of yore to the AI-predicted leadership paradigms of the future. By intertwining the enduring wisdom of philosophers with the dynamic nature of leadership, this book serves as a beacon for anyone aspiring to lead in any era.
Philosophy and Leadership: An Evolution of Leadership from Ancient Times to the Digital Age (Routledge Open Business and Economics)
by Łukasz Sułkowski Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz Katarzyna Szczepańska-WoszczynaPhilosophy and Leadership is an ambitious exploration of leadership's philosophical underpinnings from antiquity to the AI-driven future. The book journeys through history, gleaning insights from eminent philosophers and contextualizing their teachings to leadership.The book's foundational premise lies in the symbiosis of philosophy and leadership. Philosophy provides the "why" that drives the practices and decisions in leadership. This intricate connection is unfolded from the teachings of Confucius on virtue and ethics to the contemporary dialogues of Judith Butler on leadership identity. The book also delves into the evolution of leadership concepts through various eras—medieval times highlighting religious and scholastic perspectives, the Renaissance juxtaposing Machiavellian pragmatism with More's utopian ideals, and the Enlightenment era underscoring the importance of duty, skepticism, and rationality. An exciting aspect of the narrative is the amalgamation of evolution and leadership. By drawing parallels between Darwin's natural selection and leadership dynamics or Bergson's vitalism and intuitive leadership, the authors present a merger of biological evolution with leadership's ever-evolving paradigms. Finally, the concluding chapters reside in envisioning the future and reflect upon the impending synergy between AI and leadership. They emphasize the importance of amalgamating philosophical wisdom with the promises and challenges brought about by AI.The book will guide readers from the philosophical epochs of yore to the AI-predicted leadership paradigms of the future. By intertwining the enduring wisdom of philosophers with the dynamic nature of leadership, this book serves as a beacon for anyone aspiring to lead in any era.
As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence
by Nigel Shadbolt Roger HampsonA new approach to the challenges surrounding artificial intelligence that argues for assessing AI actions as if they came from a human being Intelligent machines present us every day with urgent ethical challenges. Is the facial recognition software used by an agency fair? When algorithms determine questions of justice, finance, health, and defense, are the decisions proportionate, equitable, transparent, and accountable? How do we harness this extraordinary technology to empower rather than oppress? Despite increasingly sophisticated programming, artificial intelligences share none of our essential human characteristics—sentience, physical sensation, emotional responsiveness, versatile general intelligence. However, Nigel Shadbolt and Roger Hampson argue, if we assess AI decisions, products, and calls for action as if they came from a human being, we can avert a disastrous and amoral future. The authors go beyond the headlines about rampant robots to apply established moral principles in shaping our AI future. Their new framework constitutes a how-to for building a more ethical machine intelligence.
Forschungsinstitute für Zahlentheorie in Indien: Im 20. Jahrhundert
by Purabi MukherjiDieses Buch versucht, die schrittweise Entwicklung der wichtigsten Forschungsinstitute zur Zahlentheorie in Südindien, Punjab, Mumbai, Bengalen und Bihar zu beschreiben, einschließlich der Gründung des Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai, einem bahnbrechenden Ereignis in der Geschichte der Zahlentheorie-Forschung in Indien. Die Forschung zur Zahlentheorie in Indien begann in der modernen Zeit mit dem Auftreten des ikonischen Genies Srinivasa Ramanujan, das Mathematiker auf der ganzen Welt inspirierte. Das Buch diskutiert die nationale und internationale Wirkung der Forschung indischer Zahlentheoretiker und enthält eine sorgfältig zusammengestellte, umfassende Bibliographie bedeutender indischer Zahlentheoretiker des 20. Jahrhunderts. Es ist wichtig für die historische Dokumentation und eine wertvolle Ressource für Forscher auf diesem Gebiet. Das Buch diskutiert auch kurz die Bedeutung der Zahlentheorie in der modernen Mathematik, einschließlich Anwendungen der Ergebnisse indigener Zahlentheoretiker in praktischen Bereichen. Da das Buch aus der Perspektive der Wissenschaftsgeschichte geschrieben ist, wurden technische Fachbegriffe und mathematische Ausdrücke so weit wie möglich vermieden.Die Übersetzung wurde mit Hilfe von künstlicher Intelligenz durchgeführt. Eine anschließende menschliche Überarbeitung erfolgte vor allem in Bezug auf den Inhalt.
Philosophy of Violence: A Multidisciplinary Perspective
by John Sodiq Sanni Charles Mathurin VilletThis volume explores the role of violence generally but with specific reference to African concepts and themes, and the significance they have for social redress. The contributors interpret African concepts and themes to include accounts of violence, explicitly or implicitly construed from indigenous axiological resources like Ubuntu or personhood and from those works that are not African in origin but have become central in African moral, political and legal thought, such as Hannah Arendt’s On Violence and Walter Benjamin’s Critique of Violence. The volume contributes to moral philosophy, social philosophy, African philosophy, and political philosophy/theory. It situates itself within the Global South, specifically the African perspective, to explore, articulate, and defend (or even critique) African conceptions of violence. This volume also takes seriously the need to tap into the intellectual resource of the African and diasporic African episteme thruthinkers such as Steve Biko, Frantz Fanon and Reiland Rabaka. It appeals to students and researchers working in philosophy and related disciplines on violence in Africa and the postcolonial context.
Towards Posthumanism in Education: Theoretical Entanglements and Pedagogical Mappings (Routledge New and Critical Studies in Education)
by Jessie A. Bustillos Morales Shiva ZarabadiThis edited volume presents a post-humanist reflection on education, mapping the complex transdisciplinary pedagogy and theoretical research while also addressing questions related to marginalised voices, colonial discourses, and the relationship between theory and practice.Exhibiting a re-imagination of education through themed relationalities that can transverse education, this cutting-edge book highlights the importance of matter in educational environments, enriching pedagogies, teacher-student relationships and curricular innovation. Chapters present contributions that explore education through various international contexts and educational sectors, unravelling educational implications with reference to the climate change crisis, migrant children in education, post-pandemic education, feminist activists and other emergent issues. The book examines the ongoing iterations of the entanglement of colonisation, modernity, and humanity with education to propose a possibility of education capable of upholding heterogeneous worlds.Curated with a global perspective on transversal relationalities and offering a unique outlook on posthuman thoughts and actions related to education, this book will be an important reading for students, researchers and academics in the fields of philosophy of education, sociology of education, posthumanism and new materialism, curriculum studies, and educational research.
Towards Posthumanism in Education: Theoretical Entanglements and Pedagogical Mappings (Routledge New and Critical Studies in Education)
This edited volume presents a post-humanist reflection on education, mapping the complex transdisciplinary pedagogy and theoretical research while also addressing questions related to marginalised voices, colonial discourses, and the relationship between theory and practice.Exhibiting a re-imagination of education through themed relationalities that can transverse education, this cutting-edge book highlights the importance of matter in educational environments, enriching pedagogies, teacher-student relationships and curricular innovation. Chapters present contributions that explore education through various international contexts and educational sectors, unravelling educational implications with reference to the climate change crisis, migrant children in education, post-pandemic education, feminist activists and other emergent issues. The book examines the ongoing iterations of the entanglement of colonisation, modernity, and humanity with education to propose a possibility of education capable of upholding heterogeneous worlds.Curated with a global perspective on transversal relationalities and offering a unique outlook on posthuman thoughts and actions related to education, this book will be an important reading for students, researchers and academics in the fields of philosophy of education, sociology of education, posthumanism and new materialism, curriculum studies, and educational research.
Philosophy After Lacan: Politics, Science, and Art (The Lines of the Symbolic in Psychoanalysis Series)
by Alireza Taheri Chris Vanderwees Reza NaderiPhilosophy After Lacan: Politics, Science, and Art brings together reflections on contemporary philosophy inspired by and in dialogue with Lacanian theory.Rather than focus on the thinkers who came before Lacan, the editors maintain attention on innovations in contemporary philosophy that owe their emergence to complimentary, critical, direct, or tangential engagement with Lacan. This collection makes one of the first concerted efforts to expand discussions between psychoanalysis and more recent philosophical thinkers while gathering chapters by some of the leading philosophical voices of the present moment. With contributors from around the world, this book has international appeal and is unique in its emphasis on contemporary philosophies inspired or influenced by Lacan.Philosophy After Lacan will not only appeal to psychotherapists and psychoanalysts, but also to students and professors of philosophy, critical theory, psychology, politics, history, and literature.
Philosophy After Lacan: Politics, Science, and Art (The Lines of the Symbolic in Psychoanalysis Series)
Philosophy After Lacan: Politics, Science, and Art brings together reflections on contemporary philosophy inspired by and in dialogue with Lacanian theory.Rather than focus on the thinkers who came before Lacan, the editors maintain attention on innovations in contemporary philosophy that owe their emergence to complimentary, critical, direct, or tangential engagement with Lacan. This collection makes one of the first concerted efforts to expand discussions between psychoanalysis and more recent philosophical thinkers while gathering chapters by some of the leading philosophical voices of the present moment. With contributors from around the world, this book has international appeal and is unique in its emphasis on contemporary philosophies inspired or influenced by Lacan.Philosophy After Lacan will not only appeal to psychotherapists and psychoanalysts, but also to students and professors of philosophy, critical theory, psychology, politics, history, and literature.
Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction
by Oliver TraldiAnyone who’s had an argument about politics with a friend may walk away wondering how this friend could possibly hold the beliefs they do. A few self-reflective people might even wonder about their own political beliefs after such an argument. This book is about the reasons that people have, and could have, for political beliefs: the evidence they might draw on, the psychological sources of their views, and the question of how we ought to form our political beliefs if we want to be rational.The book’s twenty-four chapters are divided into four larger parts, which cover the following: (1) the differences between political and other types of beliefs, (2) theories of political belief formation, (3) sources of our political beliefs and how we might evaluate them, and (4) contemporary phenomena – like polarization, fake news, and conspiracy theories – related to political beliefs. Along the way, the book addresses questions that will arise naturally for many readers, like: Does the news you choose to watch and your own social media leave you stuck in an “information bubble”? Are you committed to a certain ideology because of the history of your society? Are people who believe “fake news“ always acting irrationally? Does democracy do a good job of figuring out what’s true? Are some political beliefs good and some evil? As the book investigates these and other questions, it delves into technical, philosophical topics like epistemic normativity, the connection between belief and action, pragmatic encroachment, debunking arguments, and ideology critique. Chapter summaries and discussion questions will help students and all interested readers better grasp this new, important area on the border of politics and philosophy.Key Features Systematically covers the political turn in contemporary epistemology and integrates it with important work in other fields (like psychology and political science) In addition to deep coverage of the nature of political belief, includes material on the ethics of political belief and how we ought to form our beliefs Approaches topics that naturally interest students like political disagreement, fake news, conspiracy theories, and the morality of belief Provides a Conclusion and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter, prompting student readers to think more clearly and deeply about the material they’ve read The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 International license.
Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction
by Oliver TraldiAnyone who’s had an argument about politics with a friend may walk away wondering how this friend could possibly hold the beliefs they do. A few self-reflective people might even wonder about their own political beliefs after such an argument. This book is about the reasons that people have, and could have, for political beliefs: the evidence they might draw on, the psychological sources of their views, and the question of how we ought to form our political beliefs if we want to be rational.The book’s twenty-four chapters are divided into four larger parts, which cover the following: (1) the differences between political and other types of beliefs, (2) theories of political belief formation, (3) sources of our political beliefs and how we might evaluate them, and (4) contemporary phenomena – like polarization, fake news, and conspiracy theories – related to political beliefs. Along the way, the book addresses questions that will arise naturally for many readers, like: Does the news you choose to watch and your own social media leave you stuck in an “information bubble”? Are you committed to a certain ideology because of the history of your society? Are people who believe “fake news“ always acting irrationally? Does democracy do a good job of figuring out what’s true? Are some political beliefs good and some evil? As the book investigates these and other questions, it delves into technical, philosophical topics like epistemic normativity, the connection between belief and action, pragmatic encroachment, debunking arguments, and ideology critique. Chapter summaries and discussion questions will help students and all interested readers better grasp this new, important area on the border of politics and philosophy.Key Features Systematically covers the political turn in contemporary epistemology and integrates it with important work in other fields (like psychology and political science) In addition to deep coverage of the nature of political belief, includes material on the ethics of political belief and how we ought to form our beliefs Approaches topics that naturally interest students like political disagreement, fake news, conspiracy theories, and the morality of belief Provides a Conclusion and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter, prompting student readers to think more clearly and deeply about the material they’ve read The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 International license.
Breakthrough: How to Think Like a Scientist, Learn to Fail and Embrace the Unknown
by Camilla PangA scientist’s journey from observation to discovery is anything but straightforward. It is littered with failure, unexpected diversions and joyous realizations. Science helps us to understand ourselves – but what we know about the world around us, what has already been explored and discovered, is only half of science’s story.Dr Camilla Pang will look at some of the biggest mysteries facing science today and how some of the best, most cutting-edge scientists can illuminate our own approaches to observation, hypothesis, exploration, troubleshooting and discovery in our own lives. Breakthrough explores the frontier between what we do and don’t know about the world: where knowledge meets mystery, complexity overwhelms certainty, and the vastness of our universe unspools the logic of science's established laws.There's a scientist hidden inside all of us. Science's greatest gift to us is not formulae but enabling the urge to discover that makes us truly human.
The Commercialisation of Massive Open Online Courses: Reading Ideologies in Between the Lines
by Seb DianatiThis book critically examines the role of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in higher education, against the backdrop of rapid developments in online learning. Reporting on a method by which one could isolate ideologically charged words from websites, the author underlines the need to pause, question and understand the underlying motives behind MOOCs, and ask fundamental questions about their data use, commercial interests, and ability to provide ‘good’ education. With its step-by-step ideological analysis, the author challenges educators, policymakers, and students alike to reconsider the fabric of online courses and their associated platforms. The book will appeal to scholars of digital education and sociology, as well as scholars from the critical sciences.
Scandinavia After Napoleon: The Genesis of Scandinavianism (War, Culture and Society, 1750–1850)
by Rasmus Glenthøj Morten Nordhagen OttosenThis book explores the intellectual grounds of Scandinavianist ideology and its political development into a national unification movement. Denmark, Norway and Sweden were nearly annihilated during the Napoleonic Wars. The lesson learned was that survival was a matter of size. Whereas their union of 1814 offered Sweden-Norway geostrategic security tempered by fear of Russia, Denmark was the biggest territorial loser of the Napoleonic Wars and faced separatism connected to German nationalism in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. This evolved into a national conflict that threatened Denmark’s survival as a nation. Meanwhile, a new generation of Danes, Swedes and Norwegians had come to regard kindred language, culture and religion as a case for Scandinavian union that could offer protection against Russia and Germany. When the European revolutions of 1848 unleashed the First Schleswig War, the influence of Scandinavianism was such that it nearly turned into a Scandinavian war of unification.
Scandinavia and Bismarck: The Zenith of Scandinavianism (War, Culture and Society, 1750–1850)
by Rasmus Glenthøj Morten Nordhagen OttosenThis book accounts for Scandinavian unification efforts in a time of great upheaval. The ideological repercussions of the European revolutions of 1848-1849 and the Crimean War (1853-1856) transformed both the international political system and nationalism into more ‘realist’ types. The First Schleswig War (1848-1851) having nearly turned into one of Scandinavian unification, the influence of Scandinavianism extended into the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian courts, cabinets and parliaments, attracting interest from the great powers. The Crimean War offered another window of opportunity for Scandinavian unification, before the Danish-German conflict over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein nearly united Scandinavia upon the outbreak of the Second Schleswig War in 1864. The ultimate failure of Scandinavianism in its unification efforts was not predetermined, although historiography has made it appear as such. Napoleon III, Cavour and Bismarck all actively contributed to plans for Scandinavian unification, the latter even declaring himself as “very strongly Scandinavian”.
A Politics of Melancholia: From Plato to Arendt
by George Edmondson Klaus MladekWhy melancholia is a vital form of social critique and a catalyst for political renewalMelancholia is wrongly condemned as a condition of withdrawal and despair that alienates its sufferer from community. Countering that misconception, A Politics of Melancholia reclaims an understanding of melancholia not as an affliction in need of a remedy but as an affirmative stance toward decay and ruination in political life, and restores the melancholic figure—by turns inventive and destructive, outraged and inspired—to their rightful place as the poet of political thought.George Edmondson and Klaus Mladek identify pivotal moments of political melancholia in ancient and modern texts, offering new perspectives on the death of Socrates in Plato&’s dialogues, the fratricide in Hamlet, Woyzeck&’s killing of Marie in Georg Büchner&’s Woyzeck, the murder of Moses in Freud&’s thought, and the betrayal of the revolutionary idea that Hannah Arendt identifies in her critique of eighteenth-century revolutions. Melancholia emerges here as a disposition that is mournful but also jubilant, a mood of unbending disconsolation that remains faithful to a scene of downfall, to events that cannot be forgotten, and to things that cannot be governed.Recovering a tradition of thought that is both affirmative and hopeful, this eloquent book reveals how political melancholia embodies a shared condition of discontent that binds communities together and inspires change.
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
by Anne LamottDespair and uncertainty surround us: in the news, in our families, and in ourselves. But even when life is at its bleakest, Anne Lamott shows how we can rediscover the hope and wisdom that are buried within us and that can make life sweeter than we ever imagined. Divided into short chapters that explore life's essential truths, Almost Everything pinpoints these moments of insight and, with warmth and humour, offers a path forward.
A Brief History of Mathematical Thought
by Luke HeatonAdvertisements for the wildly popular game of Sudoku often feature the reassuring words, "no mathematical knowledge required." In fact, the only skill Sudoku does require is the use of mathematical logic. For many people, anxiety about math is so entrenched, and grade school memories so haunting, that these disclaimers - though misleading - are necessary to avoid intimidating potential buyers. In A Brief History of Mathematical Thought, Luke Heaton provides a compulsively readable history that situates mathematics within the human experience and, in the process, makes it more accessible. Mastering math begins with understanding its history. Heaton's book therefore offers a lively guide into and through the world of numbers and equations-one in which patterns and arguments are traced through logic in the language of concrete experience. Heaton reveals how Greek and Roman mathematicians like Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes helped shaped the early logic of mathematics; how the Fibonacci sequence, the rise of algebra, and the invention of calculus are connected; how clocks, coordinates, and logical padlocks work mathematically; and how, in the twentieth century, Alan Turing's revolutionary work on the concept of computation laid the groundwork for the modern world. A Brief History of Mathematical Thought situates mathematics as part of, and essential to, lived experience. Understanding it does not require the application of various rules or numbing memorization, but rather a historical imagination and a view to its origins. Moving from the origin of numbers, into calculus, and through infinity, Heaton sheds light on the language of math and its significance to human life.
Edmund Burke (Classic Thinkers)
by Ross CarrollFew thinkers have provoked such violently opposing reactions as Edmund Burke. A giant of eighteenth-century political and intellectual life, Burke has been praised as a prophet who spied the terror latent in revolutionary or democratic ideologies, and condemned as defender of social hierarchy and outmoded political institutions. Ross Carroll tempers these judgments by situating Burke’s arguments in relation to the political controversies of his day. Burke’s writings must be understood as rhetorically brilliant exercises in political persuasion aimed less at defending abstract truths than at warning his contemporaries about the corrosive forces – ideological, social, and political – that threatened their society. Drawing on Burke’s enormous corpus, Carroll presents a nuanced portrait of Burke as, above all, a diagnostician of political misrule, whether domestic, foreign, or imperial. Burke’s lasting value, Carroll argues, derives less from the content of his specific positions than from the difficult questions he forces us to ask of ourselves. This engaging and illuminating account of Burke’s work is a vital reference for students and scholars of history, philosophy, and political thought.
Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies
by Martin CohenLearn how to argue points effectively, analyze information, and make sound judgments The ability to think clearly and critically is a lifelong benefit that you can apply in any situation that calls for reflection, analysis, and planning. Being able to think systematically and solve problems is also a great career asset. Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies helps you hone your thinking abilities and become a better communicator. You’ll find hands-on, active instruction and exercises that you can put to work today as you navigate social media and news websites, chat with AI, fact-check your own and others’ views, and more. Become a thinking machine, with this Dummies guide. Identify other people’s arguments and conclusions—and spot holes in them Evaluate evidence and produce more effective arguments in any situation Read between the lines of what people say and form your own judgments Apply critical thinking to school or college assignments to improve your academic performance This is the perfect Dummies title for students, researchers, and everyone who seeks to improve their reasoning and analysis ability.
Listening to the Philosophers: Notes on Notes
by Raffaella CribioreListening to the Philosophers offers the first comprehensive look into how philosophy was taught in antiquity through a stimulating study of lectures by ancient philosophers that were recorded by their students. Raffaella Cribiore shows how the study of notes—whether Philodemus of Gadara's notes of Zeno's lectures in the first century BCE, or Arrian recording the Discourses of Epictetus in the second century CE, or the students of Didymus the Blind in the fourth century and Olympiodorus in the sixth century—can enable us to understand the methods and practices of what was an orally conducted education. By considering the pedagogical and mnemonic role of notetaking in ancient education, Listening to the Philosophers demonstrates how in antiquity the written and the spoken worlds were intimately intertwined.
The Three Ethologies: A Positive Vision for Rebuilding Human-Animal Relationships (Animal Lives)
by Matthew CalarcoA transformative vision for human-animal relations on personal, social, and environmental levels. The Three Ethologies offers a fresh, affirmative vision for rebuilding human-animal relations. Venturing beyond the usual scholarly and activist emphasis on restricting harm, Matthew Calarco develops a new philosophy for understanding animal behavior—a practice known as ethology—through three distinct but interrelated lenses: mental ethology, which rebuilds individual subjectivity; social ethology, which rethinks our communal relations; and environmental ethology, which reconfigures our relationship to the land we co-inhabit with our animal kin. Drawing on developments in philosophy, (eco)feminist theory, critical geography, Indigenous studies, and the environmental humanities, Calarco casts an inspiring vision of how ethological living can help us to reimagine our ideas about goodness, truth, and beauty.
The Heart and its Attitudes
by Stephen DarwallPhilosophers don't often write about the heart. At least, analytical philosophers don't. Why is this? Philosophers are said to live life ?in their heads? rather than ?from their hearts.? But even if that is so, why don't they think and write about the heart? Moreover, it can hardly have escaped philosophers' attention that matters of the heart are central to what we human beings value most about our lives, including our lives with animals. Philosophers write a lot about friendship and love, but they tend to do so in terms that leave out heartfelt connection. They speak rather of commitment to one another and each other's well-being, or taking each other as ends, or sharing deliberative standpoints or living life together, or a whole host of other topics, and much less about mutual emotional vulnerability and sharing and being in one another's hearts. Surely one explanation of philosophers' reticence is that talk of ?the heart? seems unavoidably metaphorical. It turns out to be easy enough, however, to cash the metaphor in if we simply take ?heart? refers to a cluster of emotional susceptibilities that have an essentially reciprocating structure. The heart aims at heartfelt connection-at shared experience of joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, and other personal emotions. We seek naturally to share these feelings with others and must suppress our natural tendencies if we wish to avoid doing so. Our heart's wish is to be open to other hearts in the hope that they will be open to ours, and thereby us, in return. This book is a systematic treatment-perhaps the first-of ?attitudes of the heart?-remorse (versus guilt), love, trust, gratitude, personal anger (versus righteous anger), jealousy, and others-and their role in mediating personal relationship, attachment, and connection. This is obviously interesting in its own right, but it also shows how heartfelt attitudes mirror more extensively studied ?reactive attitudes? of guilt, resentment, and blame (?attitudes of the will?). Whereas the latter mediate moral relations of mutual respect and accountability, attitudes of the heart are the currency of heartfelt connection and personal relationship.