Philosophy Bites Back

by Edmonds, David; Warburton, Nigel

• ISBN13: 9780199693009
• ISBN10: 0199693005
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-01-06
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

In recent years, some of the world's leading philosophers have held forth on their favorite topics on the immensely popular websitephilosophybites.com. To date, this remarkable site has had more than 12.5 million downloads, is the most popular philosophy podcast on iTunes, and is indeed listened to all over the globe. In 2010, the volumePhilosophy Bitesbrought together the twenty-five best interviews from this hugely popular site. Now, inPhilosophy Bites Back, David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton once again offer a sparkling collection of thought-provoking interviews, with such philosophical luminaries as Sir Anthony Kenny, Peter Singer, Quentin Skinner, Sarah Bakewell, Susan James, and Richard Reeves. The result is a captivating, 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. In this volume, twenty-seven leading philosophers shed light on the ideas of some of history's greatest minds. For instance, Mary Warnock illuminates Sartre's existentialism as she considers the question: are we free to choose what we become or are we bound by human nature, by our history, by conventions? John Dunn examines John Locke's arguments in favor of religious toleration, arguments embraced by America's founding fathers. Clare Carlisle discusses Kierkegaard'sFear and Trembling. And Melissa Lane explores Rousseau's contention that civilization is for the most part morally corrupting. As these brief but absorbing interviews reveal, the most brilliant philosophers are often happy to convey their thoughts, simply and clearly, on the great ideas of philosophy.Publishers Weeklycalled the originalPhilosophy Bites"thoughtful and highly readable," concluding that "these bite-size dialogues add up to a surprisingly substantial whole."

Author Biography

David Edmonds is currently a Research Associate at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University and a Contributing Editor for Prospect Magazine. He is the author or co-author (with John Eidinow) of several books, including the national bestseller Wittgenstein's Poker, Bobby Fischer Goes To War, and Rousseau's Dog (about the relationship between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume).

Nigel Warburton is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University and author of several introductory philosophy books, including the bestselling Philosophy: The Basics and Philosophy: The Classics. His latest book is A Little History of Philosophy. He runs several popular weblogs including virtualphilosopher.com and artandallusion.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction: "Who Is Your Favourite Philosopher?"

Mary Margaret McCabe on Socrates and the Paradox of Inquiry

Angie Hobbs on Plato on Erotic Love

Terence Irwin on Aristotle's Ethics

Anthony Kenny on Aquinas' Ethics

Quentin Skinner on Machiavelli's The Prince

Sarah Bakewell on Montaigne

A. C. Grayling on Descartes' Cogito

Susan James on Spinoza on the emotions

John Dunn on Locke on Toleration

John Campbell on Berkeley's Puzzle

Peter Millican on Hume's Significance

Nicholas Phillipson on Adam Smith on What Human Beings are Like

Melissa Lane on Rousseau on Modern Society

Richard Bourke on Edmund Burke on Politics

A. W. Moore on Kant's Metaphysics

Robert Stern on Hegel on Dialectic

Richard Reeves on Mill on Liberty

Clare Carlisle on Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling

Aaron Ridley on Nietzsche on Art and Truth

Peter Singer on Henry Sidgwick's Ethics

Robert B. Talisse on the Pragmatists

Barry C. Smith on Wittgenstein

Hugh Mellor on Frank Ramsey on Truth

Mary Warnock on Sartre's Existentialism

Chandran Kukathas on Hayek

Jonathan Wolff on John Rawls

Robert Rowland Smith on Derrida on Forgiveness

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