Philosophical Issues & Topics
Last updated: August 24, 2024
In this section leading philosophers recommend books on particular philosophical issues and topics. Among others, John Kaag, professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell discusses American philosophy, exploring the transcendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as works by Margaret Fuller, the 19th century feminist, Henry David Thoreau and William James.
Robert Talisse, professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University, focuses exclusively on pragmatism in the work of American philosophers, and explains how it differs from the straightforward empiricism of the British tradition. He chooses work by C S Pierce, the founder of the pragmatism school, as well as William James and others.
Meanwhile, on more general philosophical issues and topics Tim Crane, professor at the Central European University in Budapest discusses metaphysics and Paul Russell, professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia chooses his best books on free will and responsibility.
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1
On the Sublime
by Longinus -
2
A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful
by Edmund Burke -
3
Critique of the Power of Judgement
by Immanuel Kant -
4
The World as Will and Representation
by Arthur Schopenhauer -
5
The Sublime: A Study of Critical Theories in XVIII-Century England
by Samuel Monk
The best books on The Sublime, recommended by Robert Clewis
The best books on The Sublime, recommended by Robert Clewis
Whenever we go in search of rugged landscapes, thundering waterfalls or awesome vistas, we are in search of ‘the sublime’—an aesthetic quality that has been the subject of significant philosophical, artistic and psychological study. Here, philosopher Robert Clewis talks us through the landmark studies of the sublime, and makes some recommendations for those seeking introductory books on the subject.
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1
The Animal Mind: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Animal Cognition
by Kristin Andrews -
2
What Would Animals Say If We Asked the Right Questions?
by Vinciane Despret, translated by Brett Buchanan -
3
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us
by Ed Yong -
4
The Emotional Lives of Animals
by Marc Bekoff -
5
Why Look At Animals?
by John Berger
The best books on Animal Consciousness, recommended by David Peña-Guzmán
The best books on Animal Consciousness, recommended by David Peña-Guzmán
The more we learn about the minds of other species, the more we are forced to question any assumptions that might previously have been made about their inner lives. Here, the philosopher David Peña-Guzmán talks us through the profound questions thrown up by research into animal cognition, perception and emotion, as he recommends five of the best books on animal consciousness.
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1
Lyrical Ballads
by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge -
2
Letters From A Young Poet: 1887-1895
by Rabindranath Tagore -
3
The Imperative of Responsibility
by Hans Jonas -
4
Entropia: Life Beyond Industrial Civilisation
by Samuel Alexander -
5
Down to Earth: Politics in the New Climatic Regime
by Bruno Latour
The Best Eco-Philosophy Books, recommended by Rupert Read
The Best Eco-Philosophy Books, recommended by Rupert Read
Eco-philosophy concerns itself with the intersection of ecology with philosophy—and particularly our response to industrialisation and manmade climate change. Rupert Read, the philosopher-activist and author of Parents for a Future, selects five of the best books that contemplate eco-philosophy and our place on this Earth.
The best books on Aphorisms, recommended by Andrew Hui
The unexamined life is not worth living; nature loves to hide; you can’t step in the same river twice. No doubt we’ve all grown up hearing aphorisms, but perhaps we take their importance for granted. Andrew Hui, the author of the first full book on the theory of the aphorism, guides us through the history of the short philosophical saying from Heraclitus to Nietzsche and beyond.
The best books on American Philosophy, recommended by John Kaag
Should we be moral? Should we love? John Kaag, philosopher and author of American Philosophy: A Love Story and Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are, puzzles how five American Pragmatist and Transcendentalist philosophers quarrel with these searching questions and other timeless subjects, from faith and belief to human rights.
The best books on Free Will and Responsibility, recommended by Paul Russell
Many philosophical theories try to evade the uncomfortable truth that luck and fate play a role in the conduct of our moral lives, argues philosopher Paul Russell. He chooses the best books on free will and responsibility.
