Introduction to Philosophy

Ethics: A Very Short Introduction

Second Edition

Simon Blackburn

9780198868101
Paperback
28 January 2021

Very Short Introductions

Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire, and freedom, and considers how we should think about the meaning of life. This new edition highlights the importance of an understanding of approaches to ethics and its foundations, and how this relates to our modern world of eroding trust.

Philosophy for Girls: An Invitation to a Life of Thought

Melissa M. Shew, Kimberly K. Garchar

9780190072926
Paperback
17 November 2020

Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Second Edition

Edward Craig

9780198861775
Paperback
24 September 2020

Very Short Introductions

How ought we to live? What really exists? How do we know? Edward Craig discusses some of the key questions philosophy engages with. He explores important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, alongside a new chapter for this edition on free will, discussing determinism and indeterminism in the context of Descartes and Hegel's work.

Philosophical Method: A Very Short Introduction

Timothy Williamson

9780198810001
Paperback
27 August 2020

Very Short Introductions

Aesthetics: A Very Short Introduction

Bence Nanay

9780198826613
Paperback
24 October 2019

Very Short Introductions

Bence Nanay introduces aesthetics, a branch of philosophy that explores the nature of art, beauty, and taste. Looking beyond traditional artistic experiences, he defends the topic from accusations of elitism, and shows how more everyday experiences such as the pleasure in a soft fabric or falling leaves can become the subject of aesthetics.

Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction

Second Edition

Michael Dunn, Tony Hope

9780198815600
Paperback
22 November 2018

Very Short Introductions

Dealing with some of the thorniest problems in medicine, from euthanasia to the distribution of health care resources, this book introduces the reasoning we can use to approach medical ethics. Exploring how medical ethics supports health professionals' work, it also considers the impact of the media, pressure groups, and legal judgments.

Stoicism: A Very Short Introduction

Brad Inwood

9780198786665
Paperback
26 July 2018

Very Short Introductions

Stoicism is two things: a long past philosophical school of ancient Greece and Rome, and an enduring philosophical movement that still inspires people in the twenty-first century to re-think and re-organize their lives in order to achieve personal satisfaction. Brad Inwood presents the long history that connects these.

Marx: A Very Short Introduction

Second Edition

Peter Singer

9780198821076
Paperback
22 March 2018

Very Short Introductions

Marx is one of the most influential philosophers of all time, whose theories about society, economics, and politics have shaped and directed political and social thought for 150 years. In this new edition, Peter Singer discusses the legacy and impact of Marx's core theories, considering how they apply to twenty first century politics and society.

Philosophy of Religion: A Very Short Introduction

Tim Bayne

9780198754961
Paperback
22 February 2018

Very Short Introductions

Philosophy of religion contains some of our most burning questions about the role of religion in the world, and the relationship between believers and God. Tim Bayne considers the core debates surrounding the concept of God; the relationship between faith and reason; and the problem of evil, before looking at reincarnation and the afterlife.

Analytic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Michael Beaney

9780198778028
Paperback
23 November 2017

Very Short Introductions

Michael Beaney introduces analytic philosophy by exploring some of the key ideas of Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Susan Stebbing. He also considers how analytic philosophy has developed and spread to become the dominant philosophical tradition across the world.

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy

Third Edition

Simon Blackburn

9780198735304
Paperback
25 February 2016

Oxford Quick Reference

This dictionary is written by one of the leading philosophers of our time, and it is recognized as the best dictionary of its kind. Comprehensive and authoritative, it includes over 3,300 alphabetical entries, it is the ideal introduction to philosophy for anyone with an interest in the subject, as well as students and teachers.

Medieval Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

John Marenbon

9780199663224
Paperback
28 January 2016

Very Short Introductions

In this book John Marenbon discusses the extraordinary breadth of medieval philosophy as written by Christians in Greek and Latin, Muslims in Arabic and by Jews in Hebrew, from c. 500 to c. 1550. He considers important factors such as where and when it took place, its social setting and its links with religion.

The Enlightenment: A Very Short Introduction

John Robertson

9780199591787
Paperback
24 September 2015

Very Short Introductions

This Very Short Introduction explores the history of the 18th-century Enlightenment movement. Considering its intellectual commitments, Robertson then turns to their impact on society, and the ways in which Enlightenment thinkers sought to further the goal of human betterment, by promoting economic improvement and civil and political justice.

Love: A Very Short Introduction

Ronald de Sousa

9780199663842
Paperback
08 January 2015

Very Short Introductions

Do we love someone for their virtue, their beauty, or their moral or other qualities? Are love's characteristic desires altruistic or selfish? Are there duties of love? What do the sciences tell us about love? In this Very Short Introduction, Ronald de Sousa explores the different kinds of love, from affections to romantic love.

Humour: A Very Short Introduction

Noël Carroll

9780199552221
Paperback
23 January 2014

Very Short Introductions

Humour is a universal feature of human life. In this Very Short Introduction Noel Carroll considers the nature and value of humour, from its leading theories and its relation to emotion and cognition, to ethical questions of its morality and its significance in shaping society.

Happiness: A Very Short Introduction

Daniel M. Haybron

9780199590605
Paperback
29 August 2013

Very Short Introductions

Most of us spend our lives striving for happiness. But what is it? How important is it? How can we (and should we) pursue it? In this Very Short Introduction Dan Haybron provides a comprehensive look at the nature of happiness. By using examples, Haybron considers how we measure happiness, what makes us happy, and considers its subjective nature.

Thought: A Very Short Introduction

Tim Bayne

9780199601721
Paperback
31 January 2013

Very Short Introductions

In this lively Very Short Introduction, Tim Bayne looks at the nature of thought. Exploring questions such as 'What are thoughts?' and 'How is thought realized in the brain?', he draws on research in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology to look at what we know - and don't know - about the capacity for thought.

Comedy: A Very Short Introduction

Matthew Bevis

9780199601714
Paperback
20 December 2012

Very Short Introductions

With a broad scope across the millennia, from high literature to popular culture, between page and stage and screen, this Very Short Introduction considers comedy not only as a literary genre, but also as a broader impulse at work in many other historical and contemporary forms of satire, parody, and play.

Philosophy Bites Back

David Edmonds, Nigel Warburton

9780199693009
Hardback
22 November 2012

A sparkling, original tour through 2,500 years of Western thought, from Socrates to Derrida, from happiness and love in ancient Greece to truth and forgiveness in the twentieth century. Twenty-seven of today's leading philosophers each introduce and explore ideas from one of history's greatest minds.

Philosophical Devices: Proofs, Probabilities, Possibilities, and Sets

David Papineau

9780199651733
Paperback
04 October 2012

Philosophical Devices introduces the technical ideas that are taken for granted in contemporary philosophical writing. It offers simple explanations and covers a wealth of material that is normally available only to specialists. This original, distinctive book will appeal to anyone who is curious about the technical infrastructure of philosophy.