Contemporary philosophy deals with issues we face in the world—be it digital ethics, science, religion, politics, AI, sport, travel or the nature of consciousness. Ethics is at the heart of philosophy because, at its best, philosophy isn’t just a theoretical subject, it has implications for what you actually do with your time on earth and how to live.
You can learn a lot about philosophy just from reading some of our expert interviews because we've interviewed some top philosophers about subjects dear to their heart. Even without reading the books that they're recommending, you will get a good overview of philosophy from the many diverse interviews here.
Science Fiction and Philosophy, recommended by Eric Schwitzgebel
Serious philosophy need not take the form of a journal article or monograph, argues the philosopher and U.C. Riverside professor Eric Schwitzgebel, as he selects five science fiction books that succeed both as novels and provocative thought experiments that push us to consider deep philosophical questions from every angle.
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Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite
by Marjorie Hope Nicolson -
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Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
by Mary Wollstonecraft -
3
Walden
by Henry David Thoreau -
4
The Art of Travel
by Alain de Botton -
5
How to Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel
by Michele Hutchison (translator) & Pierre Bayard
The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel, recommended by Emily Thomas
The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel, recommended by Emily Thomas
At its best, travel broadens our minds, expands our horizons and allows us to see the world we live in differently. But it has also played an important role in the history of philosophy. Emily Thomas, author of The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad, explores the connections between her two passions—philosophy and travel—at a moment when most of us are unable to leave our houses: perhaps the perfect moment to reflect on travel’s significance for human beings.
The Best Philosophy of Science Books, recommended by Stathis Psillos
Science is often held to give us the best insight into the nature of reality, with a prestige unmatched in other disciplines. But what is the scientific method and how does it operate? Does it give us objective knowledge or does it just ‘work’? And if an electron is an “unobservable entity”, why should we believe that they exist? Professor Stathis Psillos gives a detailed look at the philosophy of science
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The Philosophy of (Erotic) Love
by Edited by Robert C Solomon and Kathleen M Higgins -
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The Second Sex
by Simone de Beauvoir -
3
Tête-à-Tête: The Lives and Loves of Simone de Beauvoir & Jean-Paul Sartre
by Hazel Rowley -
4
Dialogue on the Infinity of Love
by Tullia d'Aragona -
5
All About Love: New Visions
by bell hooks
The best books on Philosophy of Love, recommended by Skye C Cleary
The best books on Philosophy of Love, recommended by Skye C Cleary
What is love? Can you choose to do it? If love ends, was it really love? The author and academic Skye C Cleary selects five key texts that deal with philosophy of love, whether romantic, erotic, familial or platonic.
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Why I am not a Christian
by Bertrand Russell -
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The Miracle of Theism: Arguments For and Against the Existence of God
by John Mackie -
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Testament: Memoir of the Thoughts and Sentiments of Jean Meslier
by Jean Meslier -
4
Dialogues and Natural History of Religion
by David Hume -
5
In Gods We Trust: The Evolutionary Landscape of Religion
by Scott Atran
The best books on Atheist Philosophy of Religion, recommended by Graham Oppy
The best books on Atheist Philosophy of Religion, recommended by Graham Oppy
From the work of an 18th century atheist priest, to recent research in the cognitive anthropology of religion, atheist philosopher of religion Graham Oppy discusses the books that have been most influential to him.
The best books on The Philosophy of Language, recommended by Scott Soames
When you study the philosophy of language, you study the languages of logic, mathematics, and science, and not just English, French, and German. Philosopher Scott Soames picks the best books on the philosophy of language.
The best books on Philosophy and Sport, recommended by David Papineau
Sport can offer insights into philosophy and life in general, argues the philosophy professor and sports enthusiast David Papineau. He chooses the best books on philosophy and sport.
The best books on The Philosophy of Art, recommended by Noël Carroll
What is art? Does it have to be good? Is it up to a museum curator or other expert to decide? If so, how did the first art arise? A leading philosopher chooses the best books on the philosophical questions surrounding art.
The best books on The Philosophy of Information, recommended by Luciano Floridi
The Oxford professor of philosophy and ‘the ethics of information’ says methods for discussing the ethics of information technology have been latent in philosophy from its origins. He picks the best books on the philosophy of information.
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Technics and Civilization
by Lewis Mumford -
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Autonomous Technology – Technics-Out-of-Control as a Theme in Political Thought
by Langdon Winner -
3
Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life
by Albert Borgmann -
4
Does Technology Drive History? The Dilemma of Technological Determinism
by Edited by Merritt Roe Smith and Leo Marx -
5
Philosophy of Technology
by Edited by Jan-Kyrre Berg Olsen and Evan Selinger
The best books on Philosophy of Technology, recommended by Evgeny Morozov
The best books on Philosophy of Technology, recommended by Evgeny Morozov
It’s easy to be impressed by the latest gadgets and comment on how much has changed since we started using them. But how often do we really take a step back and think about technological advances in their broader context? Belarussian tech commentator, Evgeny Morozov, picks the best books on the philosophy of technology.
The best books on The Philosophical Stakes of Art, recommended by Michael Fried
The distinguished art critic and art historian Michael Fried talks about the importance of philosophy to his work. He recommends the best books on the ‘philosophical stakes of art.’