Reference Books - Page 5

Modern Identity Changer: How To Create And Use A New Identity For Privacy And Personal Freedom

Sheldon Charrett

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

VERY good! 5 out of 5 stars.
27 of 30 people found this review helpful.

Many "Identity changing books" use outdated methods that no longer work in today's computer driven society. They also don't seem to tell you the rest of the identity story... this book uses up to date information and exposes MANY secrets, pit falls, and faulty information that other books don't touch.

So you know how to get an Alternate ID? Great, do you know the other stuff that sends up red flags to companies when you present this ID? Mr. Charrett does! AND he tells you what those flags are and how to avoid them. He walks you through it, he adds the "trivia" to "flesh out" your alternate ID that many people forget.

Sheldon's obviously "been there, done that"... of course, who knows who he was when he did? This is an EXCELLENT ID resource! One that could be very valuable in light of all the Gov intrusions into our Constitutionally protected privacy rights.

Editorial Review:

Finally, here is an all-new instruction book on how to obtain a new identity, produce supporting documents for it and use it safely in today's society. Learn how to get Social Security numbers, driver's licenses and more. For academic study only.

Philosophy: The Classics

Nigel Warburton

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Now a word from Phil O. Sopher 4 out of 5 stars.
22 of 22 people found this review helpful.

This book is easy to read. I like books that are easy to read. Therefore, I like this book. PTC is an introduction to twenty great works in the history of philosophy. They are: Plato's Republic; Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics; Descartes' Meditations; Hobbes' Leviathan; Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Second Treatise of Government; Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion; Rousseau's The Social Contract; Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals; Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Idea; Mill's On Liberty and Utilitarianism; Kierkegaard's Either/Or; Marx and Engel's The German Ideology; Nietzche's On the Genealogy of Morality; Ayer's Language, Truth and Logic; Sartre's Being and Nothingness; Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. The point of each chapter is simply to introduce each book and present the important ideas. Each chapter usually consists of ten to twelve pages, enough space to provide the pertinent details without overwhelming the reader (Warburton assumes that his readers will have had little or no previous experience reading or studying philosophy). He ends each chapter with common criticisms of each work presented, a glossary of terms, and a reading list for further study.

Editorial Review:

Warburton's Philosophy: The Classics introduces philosophy through its key writings and does not assume any previous knowledge of philosophy. It is a clear and concise explanation of some of the great works of Western philosophy from Plato's Republic to Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. The second edition of this best-selling book includes four new chapters covering great works by Boethius, Machiavelli, Spinoza and Rawls.

Philosophy: The Classics offers the reader an accessible introduction to these texts, identifying and clearly explaining the key themes as well as subjecting them to critical scrutiny. This is an ideal book for anyone who wants to discover philosophy since it gracefully introduces the subject to anyone who ever hesitated to approach it.

Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Edward Craig

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Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A walk in the shallows - and unaware of its own bias 3 out of 5 stars.
15 of 23 people found this review helpful.

I suppose one cannot expect too much of a book which aims only to be a "very short introduction", but I did expect a little more than this book gave. I read through it at the request of a friend who wanted to know whether this would give him an adequate starting point for some philosophical reading, as he's entirely new to the field. I found myself shaking my head over most of the book, although certainly there are some portions of the writing which are impartial and informative.

However, as a GENERAL overview, I can't recommend this book. It often bears a rather patronising tone, and in the very first chapter declares its own bias without realising it does so. The examination of the Platonic work is superficial; the discussion of Humes' work is given an extraordinary weighting without reference to other philosophical works pertinent to that discussion; the Indian dialogue is treated in a lopsided fashion; and so on. If discussion of these selections (which are in themselves odd choices in an introductory work) can only be maintained at so superficial a level, better they had been dropped altogether. I am strongly of the opinion that the questions and topics raised in the selections (some of which were not even mentioned) deserve either more elaborate treatment or should be given many more possible interpretations so as to avoid laying a personal interpretation upon the ideas of the writers thus represented.

At no point is the reader to be permitted to make up his mind when it comes to Humes, for instance.

The writing style is simple and clear. This will appeal to some readers. The examples are shallow - again, this will appeal to some readers. The reader is guided into following the writer's own viewpoint - this is what one would expect of a philosopher's own work, not of what purports to be an overview or introduction, which ought of necessity to be more disinterested.

This will appeal to those who have little or no experience with reading Plato themselves, or who have never sat down to embark upon a course of reading including Kant, Freud, Thomas Aquinas, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, C.S. Lewis, Stephen Meyer, Descartes, Rousseau, etc. I can't even say this is a good introductory book. It is a good book in terms of presenting some of the philosophical ideas or works that have influenced its writer.

But even as an introduction, it walks too narrow a path along the shoreline, where only certain waves are permitted to splash and which certainly does not delve into any depths.

Editorial Review:

How ought we to live? What really exists? How do we know? This book introduces important themes in ethics, knowledge, and the self, via readings from Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hegel, Darwin, and Buddhist writers. It emphasizes throughout the point of studying philosophy, explains how different areas of philosophy are related, and explores the contexts in which philosophy was and is studied.

Nietzsche: Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent Piece of Philosophy--But have Kaufmann's at Your Side 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 16 people found this review helpful.

This was the textbook to a college class on Zarathustra, and I have to say not only am I glad I took the class, I'm incredibly happy I have this book. First I'll tackle the negatives. The teacher used this instead of Kaufmann's translation because he noticed it packed in a few lines that Kaufmann's lacked: however it also discarded some. So essentially the translation is incomplete. Additionally, (my professor is fluent in German) there are many words that he himself thought would have been a better translation. Also, on one of the sections on women, the editor puts a notation where he says that Nietzsche says "Women are not yet ready [to be friends]." The text has to be read carefully: It most certainly does not say that.

All that said, if possible I would recommend reading this book with guidance; It is highly allusory (95% of allusions are to biblical scenes) and you have to both have a good knowledge of ancient Greece as well as a very good grasp of the New Testament to be able to more fully understand some of what he's saying. Be prepared for careful study--you cannot just pick it up and read it like a novel. Each section and subsection are poetically and carefully arranged, and all sections link to previous and upcoming sections. Nietzsche's straightforward argument only becomes apparent when the book is finished.

It did indeed personally affect me. It made me realize that I valued creativity and had lost touch with that in my pursuit of a degree in biotechnology. It made me switch to accounting so I can simply make a good living while having all the time in the world to write and engage in my artistic endeavors.

As far as what people say about his views on God, if you read this book carefully, you will realize that he critiques what people say about God, and attacks the image of God as western civilization has made it, not necessarily God itself. He is neither an atheist nor theist and could barely be considered agnostic, because agnosticism implies that there is some kind of absolute knowledge, an idea which he very early decries as nonexistant. Man's role in the world is to deal with infinite uncertainty, and the prescription is to be lighthearted in your dealings and to always work towards a goal, while respecting science albeit not to the point of declaring any of science as an absolute.

I could write much more about what this book has done for me but I'll rob you of your own interpretations. Good day!

Editorial Review:

Nietzsche regarded 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' as his most important work, and his story of the wandering Zarathustra has had enormous influence on subsequent culture. Nietzsche uses a mixture of homilies, parables, epigrams and dreams to introduce some of his most striking doctrines, including the Overman, nihilism, and the eternal return of the same. This edition offers a new translation by Adrian Del Caro which restores the original versification of Nietzsche's text and captures its poetic brilliance. Robert Pippin's introduction discusses many of the most important interpretative issues raised by the work, including who is Zarathustra and what kind of 'hero' is he and what is the philosophical significance of the work's literary form? The volume will appeal to all readers interested in one of the most original and inventive works of modern philosophy.

The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z (Ayn Rand Library)

Ayn Rand

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Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Convenient reference to Objectivist Thought 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Ayn Rand was one of the most original thinkers of the 20th century and a magnificent defender of freedom and capitalism. She was also a prescient critic of a consensus that has since proved harmful and been discarded. This encyclopaedic work provides easy reference to all the key ideas in her extensive writings and the vast range of issues that she dealt with. Approximately 400 entries are arranged alphabetically, making it easy to access her thoughts on many topics of enduring importance.

The lexicon draws on the books Atlas Shrugged, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Introduction To Objectivist Epistemology, The New Left, Philosophy: Who Needs It?, The Romantic Manifesto, The Virtue Of Selfishness, We The Living, and The Ominous Parallels by Leonard Peikoff. Other material comes from journals like The Ayn Rand Letter, The Objectivist, The Objectivist Forum and The Objectivist Newsletter.

There is an introduction by Leonard Peikoff and preface by the editor Harry Bingswanger. A Conceptual Index classifies the topics under the headings Philosophy, Psychology, Economics and General. Philosophy is further subdivided into Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Politics and Aesthetics.

All the relevant matters from the objectivist corpus in the above disciplines and in intellectual history are covered here. The text includes some work by other authors like Peikoff only where it was specifically endorsed by Rand. The entries, from Abortion to Zero, are meticulously cross-referenced.

The Ayn Rand Lexicon is a treasure trove of original thought and information on this most radical of all philosophies devoted to reason, freedom and capitalism. It is a valuable reference work and compelling compendium of Rand's contribution to literature and philosophy.

Editorial Review:

A prolific writer, bestselling novelist, and world-renowned philosopher, Ayn Rand defined a full system of thought--from epistemology to aesthetics. Her writing is so extensive and the range of issues she covers so enormous that those interested in finding her discussions of a given topic may have to search through many sources to locate the relevant passage. THE AYN RAND LEXICON brings together all the key ideas of her philosophy of Objectivism. Begun under Rand's supervision, this unique volume is an invaluable guide to her philosophy or reason, self-interest and laissez-faire capitalism--the philosophy so brilliantly dramatized in her novels THE FOUNTAINHEAD, WE THE LIVING, and ATLAS SHRUGGED.

Metaphysics: A Comtemporary Introduction (Routledge Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy)

Michael Loux

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Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction is for students who have already done an introductory philosophy course. Michael J. Loux provides a fresh look at the central topics in metaphysics, making this essential reading for any student of the subject. This third edition is revised and updated and includes two new chapters on Time and Causation.

Topics addressed include:
· the problem of universals
· the nature of abstract entities
· the problem of individuation
· the nature of modality
· identity through time
· the nature of time
· the Realism/anti-Realism debate

Wherever possible, Michael J. Loux relates contemporary views to their classical sources in the history of philosophy. As an experienced teacher of philosophy and an important contributor to recent debates, Loux is uniquely qualified to write this book.

· the third edition retains the student -friendly features of previous editions:
· chapter overviews summarizing the main topics of study
· examples to clarify difficult concepts annotated further reading at the end of each chapter
· endnotes and a full bibliography

Philosophy: The Basics

N. Warburton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Clear and easy to understand 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Nigel Warburton has the rare gift of explaining complex subjects in clear, everyday English. That is hands down the greatest strength of this book. The organization has its pluses and minuses. While it does a great job explaining the major theories in easily digestible bite-sized chunks, it also makes it difficult to get an overall feel for the big picture. I think the best use of this book is a beginner-friendly dictionary of philosophy. Since philosophy requires multiple passes through the material, I would recommend 'An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis' by John Hospers followed by the more rigorous 'Philosophical Foundations for Christian Worldview' by JP Moreland.

My other objection to the book is one noted by many Christians here. It is not that the book is anti-theist, but that it does not address the current state of arguments for the existence of God. These include the Kalam Cosmological Argument of William Lane Craig, the Bayesian arguments of Richard Swinburne, and Alvin Plantinga's more radical assertion that faith in God is rational even without evidence. That these arguments are forceful is shown by the many debates between Christians and atheists. For example, even the atheists generally conceded that JP Moreland (a Christian) won his debate with Kai Nelson in the book 'Does God Exist?' This is not to say that there aren't arguments for atheism, there are. But either respect the reader and present the current state of debate or omit the section on religion. Making a biased case is taking unfair liberties with readers who are unfamiliar with the subject.

Editorial Review:

Philosophy: The Basics is the most successful short introduction to philosophy published in recent years. For the fourth edition, Warburton has added short sections to several chapters, revised others and brought the further reading sections up to date. New additions include sections on the environment, playing "God" in genetic science, Darwinian theory and free will, war, consciousness and the meaning of death and notion of an afterlife. This book is for anyone coming to philosophy for the first time.
This fourth edition of Philosophy: The Basics will be one of the first titles in the complete Basics redesign (which includes a new cover design and new text design).

Philosophy For Beginners

Richard Osborne

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Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Unfair portrayal of religious origins 1 out of 5 stars.
7 of 10 people found this review helpful.

OK. I'm going to cop a few 'unhelpfuls' for this one (mostly because those into philosophy as distinct from theology - if there really is such a dichotomy - will be reading this page). But who cares? I must say this.

I note on page 28, the advent of Jesus Christ's arrival on the scene:

"Christianity is supposedly about the Bible and Christ, but that's just what they tell the punters. It started off from myth, Moses, parables, stories about Jesus, and bits of mystical philosphy from here and there."

So, according to this book, Christianity is basically for losers who don't know their history and believe what "the church" has constructed for them. Then comes Islam, on page 43:

"Mohammed preached a simple monotheism full of the chivalrous Bedouin sentiments of the desert - kindliness, generosity and brotherhood. He abolished the old blood-feuds between Arabs, and showed a practical attitude to trade and poverty.

Although missionary in outlook, the Moslems gained ascendancy over the weak and disorganised older societies without much bloodshed, and showed a new religious tolerance."

Now, it is the "without much bloodshed" that is the most ironic, ludicrous exposure of the authors' bias. There was *more* bloodshed by Muslims in the first two centuries of Islam than there was in the first two centuries of Christianity. To say "not much violence" with regard to the expansion of Islam... compared to what? Christianity? Compared to the brutal enforcement of atheism by communist regimes?

No! Mohammed cruelly silenced his critics and committed genocide against the Jewish tribes known as the Quraish.

Editorial Review:

Why does philosophy give some people a headache, others a real buzz, and yet others a feeling that it is subversive and dangerous? Why do a lot of people think philosophy is totally irrelevant? What is philosophy anyway? The ABCs of philosophy??—easy to understand but never simplistic. Beginning with basic questions posed by the ancient Greeks - What is knowledge? What is good and evil? Philosophy For Beginners traces the answers given by western philosophy over the last 2,500 years.

Introducing Postmodernism

Richard Appignanesi

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Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Biting off more than you can chew 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

'Introducing Postmodernism' is a good source to gather names of philosophers, architects, artists, anthropologists, linguists, and everyone in between that have been somehow connected to PM. The problem, and it is a big one, is that this style of tour de force writing does little to contextualize all these diverse disciplines. Sure, if you only have half an hour to read up on PM, you can whip through this book and go on with your life. But if you're wanting to really absorb the phenomenon, and perhaps go on to read more, this book is NOT the place to start. Check out David Harvey's 'Condition of Postmodernism.' This will rip the top of your head clean off! It's much more weighty (in every sense of the word), but your understanding of PM will vastly improve, and will better prepare you to go on to other important writers of the 'genre'.

Editorial Review:

Postmodernism is the maddeningly enigmatic concept which is supposed to describe our cultural condition the world over. In this newly updated edition the author asks what this over-used term means in 2003 and beyond.

The Essential Peirce: Selected Philosophical Writings, 1893-1913

Charles S. Peirce

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Editorial Review:

This convenient two-volume reader's edition makes accessible to students and scholars the most important philosophical papers of the brilliant American thinker Charles Sanders Peirce. Volume 2 presents twenty-nine pivotal texts, beginning with "Immortality in the Light of Synechism", in which Peirce proposes synechism, the tendency to regard everything as continuous, as a key advance over the three popular 'isms' materialism, idealism, and dualism, and ending with Peirce's late and unfinished investigations of the relative merits of different kinds of reasoning.Included are selections from Peirce's Harvard lectures on pragmatism, Lowell lectures on logic, and 'Syllabus of Certain Topics of Logic,' all of 1903. During his later years Peirce worked unremittingly to integrate new insights and discoveries into his general system of philosophy, and to make his major doctrines fully coherent within that system. This volume gives the first comprehensive presentation of Peirce's mature philosophy and is required reading for students who want to appreciate the breadth of learning and wisdom of America's greatest pragmatist.