Why do human beings interpret their overall experience in terms of selfhood? How was the notion and sense of self shaped at different times and in different cultures? What sort of problems or paradoxes did these constructions face? These lectures address these and related questions by sketching a roadmap of possible theoretical avenues for conceiving of the self, bringing to the foreground its soteriological implications, while also testing this theoretical outlook against insights offered by...

By combining Saturnian philosophy with Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, This book could provide readers with a structured, holistic approach to living a disciplined and purpose-driven life that balances personal growth with larger societal influences. In an era defined by rapid change and instant gratification, the principles embodied by Saturn—discipline, responsibility, structure, and long-term thinking—offer a profound counterbalance. As we reflect on the insights presented ...

It is not only in our dark hours that scepticism, relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism dog ethics. Whether it is a matter of giving to charity, or sticking to duty, or insisting on our rights, we can be confused, or be paralysed by the fear that our principles are groundless. Many are afraid that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive.

Simon Blackburn, author of thebest-selling Think, structures th...

From respected philosopher and writer Jonathan Wolff, this brief introduction to ethics stimulates independent thought, emphasises real-world examples, and provides clear and engaging introductions to key moral theories and the thinkers behind them. The new Second Edition offers expanded coverage of moral reasoning, as well as two thoughtful and contemporary new chapters on applying moral philosophy and the ethics of race. A companion primary source collection, Readings in Moral Philosophy, a...

The classic translation of the cornerstone work of western philosophy Plato's Republic is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy. Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an inquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge; what is the purpose of education? ...

'Barthes' purpose is to tear away masks and demystify the signs, signals and symbols of the language of mass culture' The TimesIn this magnificent and often surprising collection of essays Barthes explores the myths of mass culture.

Originally delivered as a lecture in Paris in 1945, "Existentialism and Humanism" is Sartre's seminal defence of his original doctrine of existentialism and a plan for its practical application to everyday human life.

In this, her most famous book, Weil reflects on the importance of religious and political social structures in the life of the individual.

In this remarkable book, regarded by Russell as one of the most important of his career, he argues that power is man's ultimate goal and is, in its many guises, the single most important element in the development of any society.