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On the Laws of the Poetic Art (The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts #41)
by Anthony HechtA magisterial exploration of poetry’s place in the fine arts by one of the twentieth century's leading poetsIn this book, eminent poet Anthony Hecht explores the art of poetry and its relationship to the other fine arts. While the problems he treats entail both philosophic and theoretical discussion, he never allows abstract speculation to overshadow his delight in the written texts that he introduces, or in the specific examples of painting and music to which he refers. After discussing literature’s links with painting and music, Hecht investigates the theme of paradise and wilderness, especially in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. He then turns to the question of public and private art, exploring the ways in which all the arts participate in balances between private and public modes of discourse, and between an exclusive or elitist role and the openly political. Beginning with a discussion of architecture as an illustration of a more general theme of discord and balance, the penultimate lecture probes the inner contradictions of works of art and our reactions to them, while the final piece concerns art and morality.
On the Limits of Constitutional Adjudication
by Juliano Zaiden BenvindoJuliano Z. Benvindo investigates the current movement of constitutional courts towards political activism, especially by focusing on the increasing use of the balancing method as a "rational" justification for this process. From the critical perception of the serious risks of this movement to democracy, the book takes as examples two constitutional realities, Germany and Brazil, in order to discuss the rationality, correctness, and legitimacy of constitutional decisions within this context. Through a dialogue between Jacques Derrida's deconstruction and Jürgen Habermas's proceduralism, the author confronts Robert Alexy's defense of the balancing method as well as those two constitutional realities. This confrontation leads to the introduction of the concept of limited rationality applied to constitutional democracy and constitutional adjudication, which affirms the double bind of history and justice as a condition for a practice of decision-making committed to the principle of separation of powers.
On the Logos: A Naïve View on Ordinary Reasoning and Fuzzy Logic (Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing #354)
by Enric TrillasThis book offers an inspiring and naïve view on language and reasoning. It presents a new approach to ordinary reasoning that follows the author’s former work on fuzzy logic. Starting from a pragmatic scientific view on meaning as a quantity, and the common sense reasoning from a primitive notion of inference, which is shared by both laypeople and experts, the book shows how this can evolve, through the addition of more and more suppositions, into various formal and specialized modes of precise, imprecise, and approximate reasoning. The logos are intended here as a synonym for rationality, which is usually shown by the processes of questioning, guessing, telling, and computing. Written in a discursive style and without too many technicalities, the book presents a number of reflections on the study of reasoning, together with a new perspective on fuzzy logic and Zadeh’s “computing with words” grounded in both language and reasoning. It also highlights some mathematical developments supporting this view. Lastly, it addresses a series of questions aimed at fostering new discussions and future research into this topic. All in all, this book represents an inspiring read for professors and researchers in computer science, and fuzzy logic in particular, as well as for psychologists, linguists and philosophers.
On the Mathematics of Modelling, Metamodelling, Ontologies and Modelling Languages
by Brian Henderson-SellersComputing as a discipline is maturing rapidly. However, with maturity often comes a plethora of subdisciplines, which, as time progresses, can become isolationist. The subdisciplines of modelling, metamodelling, ontologies and modelling languages within software engineering e.g. have, to some degree, evolved separately and without any underpinning formalisms. Introducing set theory as a consistent underlying formalism, Brian Henderson-Sellers shows how a coherent framework can be developed that clearly links these four, previously separate, areas of software engineering. In particular, he shows how the incorporation of a foundational ontology can be beneficial in resolving a number of controversial issues in conceptual modelling, especially with regard to the perceived differences between linguistic metamodelling and ontological metamodelling. An explicit consideration of domain-specific modelling languages is also included in his mathematical analysis of models, metamodels, ontologies and modelling languages. This encompassing and detailed presentation of the state-of-the-art in modelling approaches mainly aims at researchers in academia and industry. They will find the principled discussion of the various subdisciplines extremely useful, and they may exploit the unifying approach as a starting point for future research.
On the Meaning of Life (Thinking in Action)
by John CottinghamThe question 'What is the meaning of life?' is one of the most fascinating, oldest and most difficult questions human beings have ever posed themselves. In an increasingly secularized culture, it remains a question to which we are ineluctably and powerfully drawn.Drawing skillfully on a wealth of thinkers, writers and scientists from Augustine, Descartes, Freud and Camus, to Spinoza, Pascal, Darwin, and Wittgenstein, On the Meaning of Life breathes new vitality into one of the very biggest questions.
On the Meaning of Sex
by J. BudziszewskiOur society is obsessed with sex - and yet we don't understand it at all. Acclaimed philosopher J. Budziszewski remedies the problem in this wise, gracefully written book about the nature, meaning, and mysteries of sexuality. On the Meaning of Sex corrects the most prevalent errors about sex - particularly those of the sexual revolution, which by mistaking pleasure for a good in itself has caused untold pain and suffering.
On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State (Princeton Classics #21)
by Joseph R. StrayerThe modern state, however we conceive of it today, is based on a pattern that emerged in Europe in the period from 1100 to 1600. Inspired by a lifetime of teaching and research, On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State is a classic work on what is known about the early history of the European state. This short, clear book book explores the European state in its infancy, especially in institutional developments in the administration of justice and finance. Forewords from Charles Tilly and William Chester Jordan demonstrate the perennial importance of Joseph Strayer's book, and situate it within a contemporary context. Tilly demonstrates how Strayer’s work has set the agenda for a whole generation of historical analysts, not only in medieval history but also in the comparative study of state formation. William Chester Jordan's foreword examines the scholarly and pedagogical setting within which Strayer produced his book, and how this both enhanced its accessibility and informed its focus on peculiarly English and French accomplishments in early state formation.
On the Metaphysics of Morals and Ethics
by Immanuel KantCollected here in this omnibus edition are Immanuel Kant's three most important works on the Metaphysics of Morals and Ethics. Included are Kant: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Introduction to the Metaphysic of Morals, and The Metaphysical Elements of Ethics. Kant's Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals is one of the most important works in modern moral philosophy. It belongs beside Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, and Hobbes. Here Kant sets out to articulate and defend the Categorical Imperative - the fundamental principle that underlies moral reasoning - and to lay the foundation for a comprehensive account of justice and human virtues. In Introduction to the Metaphysic of Morals Kant states: "All duties are either duties of right, that is, juridical duties, or duties of virtue, that is, ethical duties. Juridical duties are such as may be promulgated by external legislation; ethical duties are those for which such legislation is not possible." In The Metaphysical Elements of Ethics states: "If there exists on any subject a philosophy (that is, a system of rational knowledge based on concepts), then there must also be for this philosophy a system of pure rational concepts, independent of any condition of intuition, in other words, a metaphysic. It may be asked whether metaphysical elements are required also for every practical philosophy, which is the doctrine of duties, and therefore also for Ethics."
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems: Confederated International Conferences: CoopIS, ODBASE, C&TC 2019, Rhodes, Greece, October 21–25, 2019, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #11877)
by Christophe Debruyne Hervé Panetto Robert Meersman Claudio Agostino Ardagna Dave Lewis Martin HeppThis volume LNCS 11877 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Confederated International Conferences: Cooperative Information Systems, CoopIS 2019, Ontologies, Databases, and Applications of Semantics, ODBASE 2019, and Cloud and Trusted Computing, C&TC, held as part of OTM 2019 in October 2019 in Rhodes, Greece. The 38 full papers presented together with 8 short papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 156 submissions. The OTM program every year covers data and Web semantics, distributed objects, Web services, databases, informationsystems, enterprise workflow and collaboration, ubiquity, interoperability, mobility, grid and high-performance computing.
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems. OTM 2017 Conferences: Confederated International Conferences: CoopIS, C&TC, and ODBASE 2017, Rhodes, Greece, October 23-27, 2017, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #10574)
by Hervé Panetto, Christophe Debruyne, Walid Gaaloul, Mike Papazoglou, Adrian Paschke, Claudio Agostino Ardagna and Robert MeersmanThis double volumes LNCS 10573-10574 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Confederated International Conferences: Cooperative Information Systems, CoopIS 2017, Ontologies, Databases, and Applications of Semantics, ODBASE 2017, and Cloud and Trusted Computing, C&TC, held as part of OTM 2017 in October 2017 in Rhodes, Greece.The 61 full papers presented together with 19 short papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 180 submissions. The OTM program every year covers data and Web semantics, distributed objects, Web services, databases, information systems, enterprise workflow and collaboration, ubiquity, interoperability, mobility, grid and high-performance computing.
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems. OTM 2018 Conferences: Confederated International Conferences: CoopIS, C&TC, and ODBASE 2018, Valletta, Malta, October 22-26, 2018, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #11230)
by Hervé Panetto Christophe Debruyne Henderik A. Proper Claudio Agostino Ardagna Dumitru Roman Robert MeersmanThis double volumes LNCS 11229-11230 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Confederated International Conferences: Cooperative Information Systems, CoopIS 2018, Ontologies, Databases, and Applications of Semantics, ODBASE 2018, and Cloud and Trusted Computing, C&TC, held as part of OTM 2018 in October 2018 in Valletta, Malta. The 64 full papers presented together with 22 short papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 173 submissions. The OTM program every year covers data and Web semantics, distributed objects, Web services, databases, informationsystems, enterprise workflow and collaboration, ubiquity, interoperability, mobility, grid and high-performance computing.
On the Muslim Question (The Public Square #2)
by Anne NortonWhy “the Muslim question” is really about the West and its own anxieties—not IslamIn the post-9/11 West, there is no shortage of strident voices telling us that Islam is a threat to the security, values, way of life, and even existence of the United States and Europe. For better or worse, "the Muslim question" has become the great question of our time. It is a question bound up with others--about freedom of speech, terror, violence, human rights, women's dress, and sexuality. Above all, it is tied to the possibility of democracy. In this fearless, original, and surprising book, Anne Norton demolishes the notion that there is a "clash of civilizations" between the West and Islam. What is really in question, she argues, is the West's commitment to its own ideals: to democracy and the Enlightenment trinity of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In the most fundamental sense, the Muslim question is about the values not of Islamic, but of Western, civilization.Moving between the United States and Europe, Norton provides a fresh perspective on iconic controversies, from the Danish cartoon of Muhammad to the murder of Theo van Gogh. She examines the arguments of a wide range of thinkers--from John Rawls to Slavoj Žižek. And she describes vivid everyday examples of ordinary Muslims and non-Muslims who have accepted each other and built a common life together. Ultimately, Norton provides a new vision of a richer and more diverse democratic life in the West, one that makes room for Muslims rather than scapegoating them for the West's own anxieties.
On the Nature of Ecological Paradox
by Michael Charles Tobias Jane Gray MorrisonThis work is a large, powerfully illustrated interdisciplinary natural sciences volume, the first of its kind to examine the critically important nature of ecological paradox, through an abundance of lenses: the biological sciences, taxonomy, archaeology, geopolitical history, comparative ethics, literature, philosophy, the history of science, human geography, population ecology, epistemology, anthropology, demographics, and futurism. The ecological paradox suggests that the human biological–and from an insular perspective, successful–struggle to exist has come at the price of isolating H. sapiens from life-sustaining ecosystem services, and far too much of the biodiversity with which we find ourselves at crisis-level odds. It is a paradox dating back thousands of years, implicating millennia of human machinations that have been utterly ruinous to biological baselines. Those metrics are examined from numerous multidisciplinary approaches in this thoroughly original work, which aids readers, particularly natural history students, who aspire to grasp the far-reaching dimensions of the Anthropocene, as it affects every facet of human experience, past, present and future, and the rest of planetary sentience.With a Preface by Dr. Gerald Wayne Clough, former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and President Emeritus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Foreword by Robert Gillespie, President of the non-profit, Population Communication.
On the Nature of Human Sexual Difference: A Symposium (Historical-Analytical Studies on Nature, Mind and Action #15)
by Timothy Paul FortinThis work offers a “symposium” on the nature of human sexual difference drawing on Plato’s masterpiece: having explored the observed phenomena of sexual difference, four stories are told of the origins, essence, and ends of the human male and female. First, the evolutionists, and then Simone de Beauvoir, and Judith Butler present their accounts. Next, a fourth (and unique vision for our age) is added: the thought of Thomas Aquinas is placed in dialogue with the evolutionists, Beauvoir, and Butler, thereby introducing into contemporary discourse a voice that is both ancient and new. The work seeks to trace each protagonist’s account to its fonts, so providing a perspective from which various streams of thought might be understood both in their divergence and common origins. It thus hopes to offer a common language and an interpretive key in a realm where confusion and misunderstanding too often reign.
On the Nature of Man
by Dagobert D. RunesThis insightful work, from the pen of the well-known philosopher, is offered as an attempt to define the borderlines of human thinking and human morality. Dr. Runes, in his search for verities and true humanity, takes the reader on an arduous voyage through the depths of the mind. This type of soul-searching philosophy, unburdened by traditional manner and terminology, is sometimes baffling, frequently of melancholy character, but almost always fascinating and inspiring.
On the Nature of Man: An Essay in Primitive Philosophy
by Dagobert D. RunesThis work of philosophical soul-searching explores the mysteries of human life and consciousness.In this fascinating work of spiritual philosophy, Dagobert D. Runes sets out on a contemplative journey unencumbered by the traditional manner and terminology of philosophical writing. His purpose here is to articulate the true essence of humanity and human thought. By turns inspiring and melancholy, Runes peels back the layers of quotidian life to explore its deepest meaning. As Runes puts it in this volume: &“What goes on in the core of our mind, this tumult created of our vexation with the business of animal living, lies just in our mind. Our mind is our whole world; the whole world is in our mind.&”
On the Nature of Marx's Things: Translation as Necrophilology (Lit Z)
by Jacques Lezra Vittorio MorfinoOn the Nature of Marx’s Things traces to Marx’s earliest writings on the Epicurean tradition a subterranean, Lucretian practice that Lezra calls necrophilological translation. “Translation” here is extensively used, and covers practices that put different natural and national languages into relation, often across periods; but also practices or mechanisms internal to each language. Obscured by later critical attention to the contradictory lexicons—of fetishism and of chrematistics—that Capital uses to describe how value accrues to commodities, and by the dialectical approach that’s framed Marx’s work since Engels sought to marry it to the natural philosophy of his time, necrophilological translation has a troubling, definitive influence in Marx’s thought and in his wake. It entails a radical revision of what counts as translation, and wholly new ways of imagining what an “object” is; “matter;” “value;” “sovereignty;” “mediation;” and “number.” In On the Nature of Marx’s Things a materialism “of the encounter,” as recent criticism in the vein of the late Althusser calls it, encounters Marxological value-form theory; the development of so-called divisible sovereignty in post-Schmittian political philosophy; Meillassoux’s critique of correlationism; the resurgence of humanism in object-oriented-ontologies; and philosophies of translation and untranslatability in debt to Quine, Cassin, and Derrida. Marx through Lucretius; through Spinoza’s marranismo; through his translators. Freud’s account of the agency of the unconscious, through Schiller’s Don Karlos; Adorno’s exilic antihumanism, against Said’s cosmopolitan humanism; the absolutization of what is not-one, in Badiou, Meillassoux and Freud through Donne and Neruda: “Lezra,” writes Vittorio Morfino in his preface, “transfers all of the power of the Althusserian encounter into his conception of translation: translation is never simple, and in every translation a multiplicity of mediations come into play, without which these mediations would be guaranteed by a telos.”
On the Nature of Things
by Lucretius W. E. LeonardA Roman poet and philosopher of the first century, Lucretius sought to dispel what he considered the chief cause of unhappiness: fear of death and fear of the wrath of the gods. His great didactic poem in six parts, De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), theorizes that natural causes are the forces behind earthly phenomena and dismisses the concept of divine intervention.Lucretius' discourse ranges from discussions of the motion of atoms, natural phenomena, and sensation, to assertions regarding free will and the soul's relationship to the body. He maintains that the soul is a chance combination of atoms that perishes with the body, rather than a distinct, immaterial entity. The philosopher proposes completely natural causes for all earthly phenomena, suggesting that the world operates independently of divine agency and that fear of the supernatural is unfounded. Although he refrains from denying the existence of gods, Lucretius considers them unconcerned with human affairs and destiny.Derived from the philosophical materialism of the Greeks, Lucretius' writings remain the primary source for contemporary knowledge of Epicurean thought. A staple of introductory philosophy courses, this volume is also a masterpiece of Latin verse.
On the Nature of Things
by Lucretius W. E. LeonardThe Roman philosopher's didactic poem in 6 parts, De Rerum Natura -- On the Nature of Things -- theorizes that natural causes are the forces behind earthly phenomena and dismisses divine intervention. Derived from the philosophical materialism of the Greeks, Lucretius' work remains the primary source for contemporary knowledge of Epicurean thought.
On the Nature of Things
by Martin Ferguson Smith LucretiusMartin Ferguson Smith's work on Lucretius is both well known and highly regarded. However, his 1969 translation of De Rerum Natura--long out of print--is virtually unknown. Readers will share our excitement in the discovery of this accurate and fluent prose rendering. For this edition, Professor Smith provides a revised translation, new Introduction, headnotes and bibliography.
On the New
by Boris GroysOn the New looks at the economies of exchange and valuation that drive modern culture's key sites: the intellectual marketplace and the archive. As ideas move from one context to another, newness is created. This continuous shifting of the line that separates the valuable from the worthless, culture from profanity, is at the center of Boris Groys's investigation which aims to map the uncharted territory of what constitutes artistic innovation and what processes underpin its recognition and appropriation.
On the Old Saw
by George Miller Immanuel Kant E. B. AshtonIn this famous essay, first published in 1793, Kant considers the alleged conflict between theory and practice in the conduct of human affairs in three widening contexts: those of the common person faced with a moral decision, of the politician and the citizen concerned with the extent and limits of political obligation, and, finally, of the citizen of the world whose actions have a bearing on war and peace among nations.Unlike other animals, Kant reminds us, people must decide how they will live their lives. They therefore ask for a guide to action, a set of principles--a theory.From the outset, Kant rejects the ancient claim that the practical possibilities of action cannot always be reconciled with moral demands. He offers his own moral theory, a theory starting out from the principle of the right as an unequivocal guide to action. In partial disagreement with the rival theories of Hobbes and Locke, he proposes that the only condition under which the individual can achieve true destiny as a person and a member of the human race is the civil state. Such a state can be secured only by law. Although "from such crooked wood as man is made of, nothing perfectly straight can be built," only the rule of law can bring about a stable society.Last, Kant turns to the relation between theory and practice in international relations. "Nowhere," he writes, "does human nature appear less lovable than in the relation of whole nations to each other." But to hope for world peace on the basis of "the so-called balance of power is a mere chimera." There is no other remedy to international lawlessness and war than an international coercive law, and such law can grow only out of sound theory. "I put my trust in theory. At the same time, I trust in the nature of things, and also take account of human nature, which I cannot, or will not, consider so steeped in evil that in the end reason should not triumph."
On the Origin of Species: The Science Classic (Capstone Classics)
by Charles DarwinA new, deluxe hardcover edition of one of the most important scientific works ever written In December 1831, Charles Darwin boarded the HMS Beagle, accompanying her crew on a five-year journey that crossed the Atlantic Ocean to survey the coasts of South America. As the expedition’s geologist and naturalist, Darwin collected evidence from the Galapagos Islands and other locations which prompted him to speculate that species evolve over generations through a process of natural selection. In 1859, Darwin published On the Origin of Species, a work of scientific literature considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology. His revolutionary work presented evidence from the Beagle expedition as well as from years of subsequent research and experimentation. Written for non-specialists, Darwin’s book gained widespread interest from the scientific community, religious leaders, politicians and the general public. The theory Darwin presented in his book quickly became the subject of heated debate and discussion. Now accepted by the scientific community, Darwin’s concepts of evolutionary adaptation via natural selection are central to modern evolutionary theory and form the foundation of modern life sciences. Perhaps the most transformative scientific volume ever published, this volume of the first edition of On the Origin of Species: Outlines Darwin’s ideas, scientific influences and the core of his theory Details natural selection and address possible objections to the theory Examines the fossil record and biogeography to support evolutionary adaptation Features a "Recapitulation and Conclusion" which reviews key concepts and considers the future relevance of Darwin’s theory On the Origin of Species: The Science Classic is an important addition to the bestselling Capstone Classics series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon. It includes an insightful Introduction from leading Darwin scholar Dr John van Wyhe of the University of Singapore, which presents new research and an offers an original perspective on Darwin and his famous work. This high-quality, hardcover volume is a must-have for readers interested in science and scientific literature, particularly evolutionary theory and life sciences.
On the Origin of Species
by Charles DarwinThis exciting anniversary edition has a new introduction and scholarly references by William Bynum, and the cover design is by Damien Hirst. It replaces our existing 1968 edition. The Origin of Species is one of the most important and influential books of its time and remains one of the most significant contributions to philosophical and scientific thought. The theories Darwin sets out here had an immediate and profound impact on the literature and philosophical thought of his contemporaries, and continue to provoke thought and debate today. Written for the general public of the 1850's, The Origin of Species laid out an evolutionary view of the world which challenged contemporary beliefs about divine providence and the fixity of species. He also set forth the results of his pioneering work on the interdependence of species: the ecology of animals and plants.
On the Origin of Tepees: The Evolution of Ideas (and Ourselves)
by Jonnie HughesWhy do some ideas spread, while others die off? Does human culture have its very own "survival of the fittest"? And if so, does that explain why our species is so different from the rest of life on Earth? Throughout history, we humans have prided ourselves on our capacity to have ideas, but perhaps this pride is misplaced. Perhaps ideas have us. After all, ideas do appear to have a life of their own. And it is they, not us, that benefit most when they are spread. Many biologists have already come to the opinion that our genes are selfish entities, tricking us into helping them to reproduce. Is it the same with our ideas? Jonnie Hughes, a science writer and documentary filmmaker, investigates the evolution of ideas in order to find out. Adopting the role of a cultural Charles Darwin, Hughes heads off, with his brother in tow, across the Midwest to observe firsthand the natural history of ideas--the patterns of their variation, inheritance, and selection in the cultural landscape. In place of Darwin's oceanic islands, Hughes visits the "mind islands" of Native American tribes. Instead of finches, Hughes searches for signs of natural selection among the tepees. With a knack for finding the humor in the quirks of the American cultural landscape, Hughes takes us on a tour from the Mall of America in Minneapolis to what he calls the "maul" of America--Custer's last stand--stopping at road-sides and discoursing on sandwiches, the shape of cowboy hats, the evolution of barn roofs, the 28.99 wording of jokes, the wearing of moustaches, and, of course, the telling features from tepees of different tribes. Original, witty, and engaging, On the Origin of Tepees offers a fresh way of understanding both our ideas and ourselves.