Spiritual reflections on dogs can teach us lessons that just might save our lives. Thank God for dogs who remind us to be happy in the moment, for dogs who play with sticks and tennis balls and let them lie when they've had enough. Thank God for dogs who get us out and about, who remind us that it's not 'all about me' or even all about humans. Thank God for dogs who teach us about injury and pardon. Thank God for the bonds of love that endure. God help all creatures who do not feel safe or...

Sexual politics gets very personal as radical second wave feminists raise fears about persons with penises in female public toilets; midwives are instructed that the word ‘mother’ is discriminatory to pregnant trans men; and transactivists relate their experience of exclusion from female space and feminist solidarity. Queer theory has led to the umbrella term ‘transgender’ being used for transsexual and transvestite people alike, and sometimes also to genderqueer or non-binary people who a...

What is a doctor of philosophy, whose thesis on education-as-alchemy focuses on the metaphysics of Quality, doing writing about food? Why am I interested in what, when and how people eat and what are my qualifications for writing a book about body-logic? Why, in other words, should you read this book? These are all valid questions, especially for all of you who sigh while standing on the scales – as new diet after new diet makes no difference.Metaphysics is just another word for th...

"Dreaming Anarchy" describes my fieldwork and theoretical reflection in the autumn of 2001 on a back-to-nature community occupying a Pyrenean village in Spanish Territory. The self-conscious methodology I adopted was to record and analyse my own dreams while in the community, using "The Interpretation of Dreams" as a toolbox. I hoped to observe not only the transition from English (and Scots) to Spanish (and Basque) but also the Gestalt of resistance and attraction to my self-definition as...

From the no-man's-land of the continuing conflict over abortion, "Life Choice" listens to women and makes a plea for women on differing sides to respect the integrity of the motivation of their sisters - even when they totally disagree - and suggests that questioning the automatic link between legality and morality may enable women to listen to each other. The author finds the framing of this conflict as a debate unhelpful and provides an alternative view, of the ambiguity inherent in trag...

On days out to the beach, always be the first in the family to get out of the car, onto the beach and into the sea. Always be the last in the family to get out of the sea, onto the beach and into the car. Remember to shake excess sea water from your fur once you are inside the car.Humans may refrain from passing you food to test. To them, a piece of salmon, followed by Liquorice Allsorts, a chocolate cake, and a selection of vegetables is a foul combination. Humans believe meals sho...

Open this book and you willDiscover the theory of knowledgeMeet key thinkersAnalyse the main argumentsExplore the history of philosophy

The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts confront the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers from history's great thinkers. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas.In Big Questions: Philosophy, bestselling author Simon Blackburn addresses 20 essenti...

A Thunk is a beguiling question about everyday things that stops you in your tracks and helps you start to look at the world in a whole new light. The author guides you through the origins and uses of Thunks and demonstrates how this powerful little book can develop philosophical thinking for all ages ... remember there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. How liberating is that ...? Winner of The Author's Licensing and Collecting Society Award for Educational Writing by the S...

Benedict de Spinoza (1632-77) was at once the father of the Enlightenment and the last sad guardian of the medieval world. In his brilliant synthesis of geometrical method, religious sentiment, and secular science, he attempted to reconcile the conflicting moral and intellectual demands of his epoch, and to present a vision of humanity as simultaneously bound by necessity and eternally free. In this book Roger Scruton presents a clear and systematic analysis of Spinoza's thought,and shows ...

‘Philosophy: The Basics deservedly remains the most recommended introduction to philosophy on the market. Warburton is patient, accurate and, above all, clear. There is no better short introduction to philosophy.’ - Stephen Law, author of The Philosophy GymPhilosophy: The Basics gently eases the reader into the world of philosophy. Each chapter considers a key area of philosophy, explaining and exploring the basic ideas and themes including:

How can we apply philosophy to our everyday lives? Can philosophy affect the way we live? This book will show how philosophy can help to improve your thinking about everyday life. And how, by improving the quality of your thinking, you can improve the quality of your life. It will make you more aware of what you think and why, and how knowing this can help you can change the way you think about your life. Full of practical examples and straightforward advice, and written by an expert in th...