Cengage Advantage Books: Knowledge, Nature, and Norms An Introduction to Philosophy

by Timmons, Mark; Shoemaker, David

• ISBN13: 9780495097228
• ISBN10: 0495097225
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-20
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Find everything you need for a solid introduction to philosophy with this brief, powerful text. One of the most concise introductory philosophy anthologies available, KNOWLEDGE, NATURE, AND NORMS: AN INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY features classical philosophy readings, short fiction, and literature from popular writers, as well as a wealth of effective learning tools. Concise, well-edited selections are designed to give first-time philosophy students what you need to succeed--a well-crafted focus on the essential elements of philosophical debate. Integrated learning tools, such as a comprehensive introductory essay at the beginning of the text, provides an overview of how to approach philosophy. Engaging Chapter Introductions highlight key arguments, while Reading Comprehension and Review Questions draw your attention to key ideas. A robust companion website further enhances learning with self-assessment exercises, study guides, and links to philosophical and other helpful resources. With this anthology, you’ll find a complete range of philosophical topics, including key issues in epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. This thorough introduction is all within a book that’s one-third the length of a typical anthology for cost savings and unmatched clarity.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. x
Introduction	p. 1
Personal Identity & Immortality	p. 17
The Meeting	p. 26
Phaedo	p. 35
The Myth of the Soul	p. 38
The Prince and the Cobbler	p. 45
A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality	p. 49
The Unimportance of Identity	p. 62
The Mind-Body Problem	p. 67
They're Made Out of Meat	p. 77
In Defense of Dualism	p. 79
Dualism: For and Against	p. 84
The Mind-Body Problem	p. 96
Minds, Brains, and Machines	p. 110
The Puzzle of Conscious Experience	p. 128
Free Will, Determinism, and Responsibility	p. 138
Leopold and Loeb	p. 150
The Illusion of Free Will	p. 156
Has the Self 'Free Will'?	p. 162
The Problem of Free Will	p. 175
The Impossibility of Moral Responsibility	p. 183
Freedom and Resentment	p. 193
The Existence of God	p. 206
Rebellion	p. 213
The Ontological Argument/The Lost Island Objection	p. 217
The Cosmological Argument	p. 220
The Teleological Argument	p. 223
The Evidence of Miracles: An Exchange Between a Christian and an Atheist	p. 229
The Wager	p. 235
God	p. 238
The Problem of Evil	p. 250
The Mirror of Evil	p. 258
Knowledge, Skepticism, and Belief	p. 270
A Brain in a Vat	p. 282
Within the Sphere of the Doubtful	p. 284
Certainty	p. 290
A Defense of Skepticism	p. 295
The Ethics of Belief	p. 301
Is It Wrong Everywhere, Always, and for Anyone to Believe Anything on Insufficient Evidence?	p. 306
Ethics	p. 313
The Myth of Gyges	p. 322
A Defense of Ethical Relativism	p. 325
Right and Wrong	p. 331
In Defense of Utilitarianism	p. 339
The Moral Law and Autonomy of the Will	p. 346
An Ethic of Caring	p. 357
Virtue and Character	p. 368
Glossary	p. 379
Index	p. 387
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