Are statements of fact true or only more or less useful? This question is of vital importance, because it cuts to the core of the nature of truth; it leads to decisive choices in modern philosophy. Beneath the concept ́truth ́ serious problems defy and resist philosophic analysis; revealing and resolving them is the early focus of PHILOSOPHY THAT WORKS. The way things are, people mix up what they mean by ́truth ́ and get bound up in fallacies that condemn human knowledge to seeminly pointless relativism. But an adequate understanding of ́truth ́ transforms philosophy and individual undertanding, improves thinking itself, and strengthens education, organizations, and society. Showing how so much progress is possible is the business end of this book, the payoff of its thoughtful investigations into truth and knowledge. PHILOSOPHY THAT WORKS is an intellectual adventure, an impassioned story about navigating philosophy from its backwaters down a great river of advancing civilization. The philosopher, disillusioned with academic philosophies, begins an investigation into the many meanings of truth. He makes a lasting discovery that changes what philosophy itself can achieve and what it can mean. He faces daunting tasks but reconfigures philosophy; confusion concerning truth resolves into clear understanding. Who should join the adventure'. Not only philosophers. This is a book for everyone who likes to think. It has power, narrative conviction, and a soulful center that resonates through its pages. (From the Introduction) "...Albert Einstein once mentioned that humanity cannot solve its vexing problems at the same level of thought that produced the crisis. A higher level of thinking will require a philosophic transformation. That ́s what Philosophy That Works is all about. Despite postmodern skepticism, a simplistic true and false outlook on reality remains the commonplace of a civilization; this is the level that has produced the crisis. This book describes a basic change in the dominant paradigm of the age. It shows that a colossal mistake underlies the commonsense outlook, an error that has prevented consensus about what is real and, therefore, what life can mean: it penetrates the problem to its heart..."

New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory teamed up to write The Obsidian Trilogy, set in a wondrous world filled with magical beings, competing magic systems, and a titanic struggle between good and evil. That world proved so popular with the creators and readers alike that Lackey and Mallory have returned to it with The Phoenix Unchained, Book One of The Enduring Flame, the opening volume of a new epic fantasy trilogy. After a thousand years of peace, much Magick has faded from the world. The Elves live far from humankind. There are no High Mages, and Wild Mages are seen only rarely. Bisochim, a powerful Wild Mage, is determined to reintroduce Darkness to the world, believing that it is out of Balance. Tiercel, a young Armethalian nobleman, is convinced that High Magic is not just philosophy. He attempts a spell—and draws the unwelcome attention of Bisochim. Tiercel survives Bisochim's attack and begins trying to turn himself into a High Mage. Next in line to be Harbormaster of Armethalieh, Harrier instead finds himself regularly saving Tyr's life and meeting magickal people and creatures. To Harrier's dismay, it seems that he must become a hero. In The Phoenix Unchained, Harrier and Tiercel begin a marvelous journey to uncover their destinies. Along the way, they meet a charming female centaur, several snooty Elves, and the most powerful dragon their world has ever known. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

This book examines the relationship between freedom and true knowledge, which is a central part of the hotly debated issue of human freedom. Is truth necessary for the attainment of freedom? Does a free life require a clear understanding of reality? And if so, to what extent? These questions lead back to a classical philosophical debate, of which the first major chapter was written by Plato. In the dialogues, he describes human life as a peculiar form of imprisonment and calls for a global liberation of human cognition. This work analyses this ambitious project and its unique influence on the work of two modern authors, Hegel and Nietzsche, who explicitly linked the notions of ignorance and truth to those of bondage and freedom—or slavery and mastery—and whose philosophies are also centred on the liberation of human consciousness. Following a historical and systematic approach, this book is of interest to readers who are reasonably acquainted with the history of ancient and modern philosophy, including undergraduate and graduate students, as well as scholars working on Plato, German Idealism, Nietzsche and other related fields.

Philosophy: Themes and Thinkers is becoming an increasingly popular subject choice at AS and A Level. This textbook has been written for students studying the AQA AS and A Level Philosophy syllabus. As well as meeting the needs of these students, the book is also suitable for students studying the IB Diploma, and is an excellent introductory text for undergraduates.The book covers key philosophical concepts, themes, and philosophy texts. As well as gaining a thorough grounding in these areas, students will develop the ability to analyse and assess philosophical writings, form their own judgements and contribute effectively to the process of debate.

Rhythm is the fundamental pulse that animates poetry, music, and dance across all cultures. And yet the recent explosion of scholarly interest across disciplines in the aural dimensions of aesthetic experience--particularly in sociology, cultural and media theory, and literary studies--has yet to explore this fundamental category. This book furthers the discussion of rhythm beyond the discrete conceptual domains and technical vocabularies of musicology and prosody. With original essays by philosophers, psychologists, musicians, literary theorists, and ethno-musicologists, The Philosophy of Rhythm opens up wider-and plural-perspectives, examining formal affinities between the historically interconnected fields of music, dance, and poetry, while addressing key concepts such as embodiment, movement, pulse, and performance. Volume editors Peter Cheyne, Andy Hamilton, and Max Paddison bring together a range of key questions: What is the distinction between rhythm and pulse? What is the relationship between everyday embodied experience, and the specific experience of music, dance, and poetry? Can aesthetics offer an understanding of rhythm that helps inform our responses to visual and other arts, as well as music, dance, and poetry? And, what is the relation between psychological conceptions of entrainment, and the humane concept of rhythm and meter? Overall, The Philosophy of Rhythm appeals across disciplinary boundaries, providing a unique overview of a neglected aspect of aesthetic experience.

Django Unchained is certainly Quentin Tarantino's most commercially-successful film and is arguably also his most controversial. Fellow director Spike Lee has denounced the representation of race and slavery in the film, while many African American writers have defended the white auteur. The use of extremely graphic violence in the film, even by Tarantino's standards, at a time when gun control is being hotly debated, has sparked further controversy and has led to angry outbursts by the director himself. Moreover, Django Unchained has become a popular culture phenomenon, with t-shirts, highly contentious action figures, posters, and strong DVD/BluRay sales. The topic (slavery and revenge), the setting (a few years before the Civil War), the intentionally provocative generic roots (Spaghetti Western and Blaxploitation) and the many intertexts and references (to German and French culture) demand a thorough examination. Befitting such a complex film, the essays collected here represent a diverse group of scholars who examine Django Unchained from many perspectives.

Philosophy is the quest for a life that is fully alive. Drawing on the insights of philosophers through the ages, The Way of Philosophy clarifies what it means to live life intensely. It exposes the shallowness of conventional wisdom by asking such questions as -Can science know everything? -Should we do it if it feels good? -Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? -Is life about creating ourselves? -Is love supposed to be selfless? -Can we ignore death? -If God exists, why is he hiding? Philosophers invite us to go down deep and live a life in light of truth, goodness, and beauty. If we tread this path, we can discover for ourselves the hidden source of the philosophical life in the unending wellspring of wonder.