Widely accepted as a philosophical masterpiece, Ethics sets out to explain nothing less than the nature of God, the world, and how we should live. Rejecting some of the most deeply held presuppositions of classical and medieval thought, Spinoza makes the radical claim that God and the universe are in fact one and the same.
The book delves into the critical responses to Henri Bergson's philosophy during the early 20th century, highlighting the tensions between his ideas and those of prominent figures in analytic philosophy like L. Susan Stebbing, Bertrand Russell, and others. It explores how these critiques were shaped by the influence of thinkers such as William James, who viewed Bergson as an ally of American Pragmatism, and Max Scheler, who regarded him as a prophetic figure. This examination sheds light on the intellectual landscape of the time and the evolution of philosophical discourse.
The Warrington Wolves Miscellany is the definitive set text for every fan of the world famous Wire. Packed with facts, fun, gossip, nostalgia and conjecture, it looks back over 135 years of glorious history to celebrate the personalities, victories and controversies of the sport's biggest name. Handily pocket-sized to pull out in the middle of those pub arguments over who was the fastest, dirtiest or biggest, this book will not only tell you who scored the most tries, kicked the most goals or won the most trophies, but also who earned the most red cards, which former player still haunts the town and who was sent off twice in one match. Put down your pie and pick up a copy.
Rene Descartes posed questions about the nature of knowledge and the nature of being that philosophers still debate today. In Meditations, Descartes expands on his most famous pronouncement, I think, therefore I am, which first appeared in an earlier text.
Baruch Spinoza’s Ethics is a dense masterpiece of sustained argumentative reasoning. It earned its place as one of the most important and influential books in Western philosophy by virtue of its uncompromisingly direct arguments about the nature of God, the universe, free will, and human morals. Though it remains one of the densest and most challenging texts in the entire canon of Western philosophy, Ethics is also famous for Spinoza’s unique approach to ordering and constructing its arguments. As its full title – Ethics, Demonstrated in Geometrical Order – suggests, Spinoza decided to use the rigorous format of mathematical-style propositions to lay out his arguments, just as the Ancient Greek mathematician Euclid had used geometrical propositions to lay out the basic rules of geometry. In choosing such a systematic method, Spinoza’s masterwork shows the crucial aspects of good reasoning skills being employed at the highest level. The key use of reasoning is the production of an argument that is well-organised, supports its conclusions and proceeds logically towards its end. Just as a mathematician might demonstrate a geometrical proof, Spinoza sought to lay out a comprehensive philosophy for human existence – an attempt that has influenced generations of philosophers since.