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Turning Points: How Critical Events Have Driven Human Evolution, Life, And Development
by Kostas KampourakisAn accessible introduction to core concepts in evolution for lay readers, which shows that random events have played a critical role in the development of lifeCritical historical events--or "turning points"--have shaped evolution and continue to have a decisive effect on individual lives. This theme is explored and explained in this lucid, accessible book for lay readers. The author argues that, although evolution is the result of unpredictable events, these events have profound influences on subsequent developments. Life is thus a continuous interplay between unforeseeable events and their decisive consequences.As one example, the author cites the fusing of two chromosomes, which differentiated the human species from our closest animal relatives about 4 to 5 million years ago. This event was not predictable, but it had a profound effect on the evolution of our species thereafter. By the same token, certain unpredictable circumstances in the past enabled only Homo sapiens to survive to the present day, though we now know that other human-like species also once existed.The author contrasts such scientific concepts grounded in solid evidence with prevalent misconceptions about life: specifically, the religious notion that there is a plan and purpose behind life, the widespread perception that intelligent design governs the workings of nature, the persistent belief in destiny and fate, and the attribution of an overly deterministic role to genes.This excellent introduction for laypersons to core ideas in biology goes a long way toward dispelling such misconceptions and presents current scientific research in clearly understandable, jargon-free terms.
Turning Toward Technology: A Glimpse into the Asian Paradigm
by Alessandro TomasiWe live in an age when the dominant technologically utilitarian worldview is undergoing a transformation. To increase our awareness of this change, Turning Toward Technology introduces readers to the possibility of an alternative technological worldview by examining foundational concepts to Asian thought.The early Eastern philosophical treatment of technology was not ethical, but ontological, exhibiting sensitivity to how human existence was defined and determined in its relation to technology and to reality as a whole. Within the Eastern cultural orientation, technological development was guided by a singular aesthetic sensibility to the useful, the good, the beautiful, the true, and the holy. Instead of controlling the shape of future technology by systems of rational management, George Teschner and Alessandro Tomasi recommend a view of technology that arises from questioning fundamental assumptions within Western culture about knowledge, reality, and human nature.Turning Toward Technology aims to stimulate awareness of an alternative technological paradigm, and thus a different mode of social action that can establish an optimistic future for global civilization.
Turning the Mind Into an Ally
by Sakyong Miphan RinpocheStrengthening, calming, and stabilizing the mind is the essential first step in accomplishing nearly any goal. <P><P>Growing up American with a Tibetan twist, Sakyong Mipham talks to Westerners as no one can: in idiomatic English with stories and wisdom from American culture and the great Buddhist teachers. Turning the Mind Into an Ally makes it possible for anyone to achieve peace and clarity in their lives.
Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future
by Margaret J. Wheatley"I believe we can change the world if we start talking to one another again." With this simple declaration, Margaret Wheatley proposes that people band together with their colleagues and friends to create the solutions for real social change.
Tutto dipende da come si guarda: É nello sguardo che tutto comincia
by Catia Polverini Danilo Henrique GomesIn "Tutto dipende da come si guarda", l'autore porta un modo diverso di vedere il mondo e i problemi di tutti i giorni. Sulla base della teologia e della fenomenologia, famosa linea di pensiero filosofico, il lettore può riprogrammare la sua mente per godersi la vita in un modo semplice. Troverete in questo libro argomenti correlati: - Fenomenologia (teoria filosofica) - Il potere dell’ottimismo e del pessimismo - Il cognitivismo (teoria psicologica) - Il potere della convinzione - La soggettività - La forma corretta di vedere il mondo E molto altro ancora! In forma chiara e, in alcune parti, divertente, gli antichi pensieri e le teorie di scienziati come William James, Edmund Husserl, Jean-Paul Sartre e altri, vengono analizzati e come questi devono essere applicati nella vita quotidiana sono esposti nelle pagine di questo lavoro. Il vostro sguardo comanda il vostro modo di vivere la vita e può essere modificato, per tanto immergetevi in questo libro e cambiate il vostro modo di vedere il mondo.
Tweetable Nietzsche: His Essential Ideas Revealed and Explained
by C. Ivan SpencerFriedrich Nietzsche radically confronted Western culture, morality, and social mores, until his death in 1900. Occupying a first-rank position as a thinker, his thought later inspired numerous movements that weave the tapestries of contemporary culture: existentialism, theology, nihilistic culture, Nazism, twentieth century film and art, atheism, ethical egoism, deconstruction, the hermeneutics of suspicion, and the postmodern age. Nietzsche’s incalculable sway on our culture persists to this day. Even his acerbic criticism of Christianity has affected the religion. But many people remain unaware of the pervasive attitudes Nietzsche disseminated, attitudes they echo. His stark prophecy that “God is dead, and we killed him” thrives in this accelerating secular age where postmodernists lionized him as a prophetic voice of a new era. Tweetable Nietzsche introduces and analyzes the worldview of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s tweets, 140 characters or less, provide readers a distilled essence of every major aspect of his worldview. Each tweet illustrates some aspect of his worldview contributing toward a full-orbed understanding of Nietzsche’s thought.
Twelve Cries from Home: In Search of Sri Lanka's Disappeared
by Minoli SalgadoTwelve Cries from Home speaks out against Sri Lanka&’s official silencing of war crimes, reclaiming the stories of survivors who insist on being heard.Since August 2020, the intimidation of witnesses and journalists has surged in Sri Lanka. Twelve Cries from Home navigates the memories and stories of twelve war survivors, mostly women and relatives of the disappeared, who wished to have their stories retold so that a permanent record might be made, and so that those outside the country might understand their experiences. The outcome of a journey across the island in late 2018 by writer and Professor of Literature Minoli Salgado, who was revisiting her ancestral home, Twelve Cries from Home is deeply-layered and localised work of travelling witness. It returns to the concept of home as a place of belonging and security, which is a lost ideal for most, and uses a Sri Lankan measure of distance – the call, or hoowa – to ask how we might attend to stories that are difficult to tell and to hear.Exploring the bitter complexity of war by presenting stories from four regions of Sri Lanka, it reveals the complex network of relationships between the agents of conflict and their victims, as well as the blurred boundary between victims and perpetrators, the role of informers and the process of ethical repair after traumatic experience. Twelve Cries from Home offers a rare glimpse into a country subject to enforced self-censorship, allowing us to take stock of social and political developments in Sri Lanka and what has and has not been achieved in light of the transitional justice mechanisms promised to the UN.
Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive: And the Truth That Sets Us Free
by Jonathan P. Walton Greg Jao"America is a Christian nation." "All men are created equal." "We are the land of the free and the home of the brave." Except when we're not. These commonly held ideas break down in the light of hard realities, the study of Scripture, and faithful Christian witness. The president is not the messiah, the Constitution is not the Bible, and the United States is not a city on a hill or the hope for the world. The proclaimed hope of America rings most hollow for Native peoples, people of color, the rural poor, and other communities pressed to the margins. Jonathan Walton exposes the cultural myths and misconceptions about America's identity. Focusing on its manipulation of Scripture and the person of Jesus, he redirects us to the true promises found in the gospel. Walton identifies how American ideology and way of life has become a false religion, and shows that orienting our lives around American nationalism is idolatry. Our cultural notions of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are at odds with the call to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Ultimately, our place in America is distinct from our place in the family of Jesus. Discover how the kingdom of God offers true freedom and justice for all.
Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy
by Avrum StrollAnalytic philosophy is difficult to define since it is not so much a specific doctrine as a loose concatenation of approaches to problems. As well as having strong ties to scientism -the notion that only the methods of the natural sciences give rise to knowledge -it also has humanistic ties to the great thinkers and philosophical problems of the past. Moreover, no single feature characterizes the activities of analytic philosophers. Undaunted by these difficulties, Avrum Stroll investigates the "family resemblances" between that impressive breed of thinkers known as analytic philosophers. In so doing, he grapples with the point and purpose of doing philosophy: What is philosophy? What are its tasks? What kind of information, illumination, and understanding is it supposed to provide if it is not one of the natural sciences? Imbued with clarity, liveliness, and philosophical sophistication, Stroll´s book presents a synoptic picture of the main developments in logic, philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics in the past century. It does this by concentrating on the individual thinkers whose ideas have been most influential. Major themes in Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy include: · the innovation of mathematical logic by Gottlob Frege at the close of the nineteenth century and its independent development by Bertrand Russell; · the impact of advancements in science on the world of philosophy and its importance for understanding such doctrines as logical positivism, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and eliminative materialism; · the refusal by such thinkers as Wittgenstein, Moore, and Austin to treat logic as an ideal language superior to natural languages; and · a conjecture about which, if any, of the philosophers discussed in the book will enter the pantheon of philosophical gods. Along the way, Stroll also covers the theories of Rudolf Carnap, W. V. O. Quine, Gilbert Ryle, J. L. Austin, Hilary Putnam, Saul Kripke, John Searle, Ruth Marcus, and Patricia and Paul Churchland. Stroll´s approach to his subject treats the critical movements in analytic philosophy in terms of the philosophers who defined them. The notoriously complex realm of analytic philosophy emerges less as an abstract enterprise than as a domain of personalities and their competing methods and arguments. The book´s inventive presentations of complex logical doctrines relate them to the traditional problems of philosophy, seeking the continuity between them rather than polemical distinctions so as to bring the true differences of their respective achievements into sharper focus.
Twentieth-Century Classical Music: A Ladybird Expert Book (The Ladybird Expert Series #20)
by Fiona MaddocksPart of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES.____________How did modern classical music develop over the 20th Century?What enabled women to get their music performed in the early 1900s?Which classical composers borrowed from jazz?How did composers respond to politics and war?DISCOVER the stories behind Mahler's, Symphony No. 5 (1901-2), Ullman's Piano Sonata No. 7 (1944), Bernstein's West Side Story (1957), as well as learn about minimalism, jazz, swing, opera . . . AND UNDERSTAND TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICAL MUSIC.Discover the answers and more inside Fiona Maddocks' Twentieth Century Classical Music, the thrilling and accessible account that explains what happened throughout the 20th century, who the key composers were and what influenced them to write what they did?
Twentieth-Century Marxism: A Global Introduction
by David M. Walker Daryl GlaserThis book outlines and assesses the Marxist tradition as it developed in the twentieth century, and considers its place and standing as we move into the twenty-first century. It is divided into three parts examining Marxism historically, geographically and thematically: Part 1 analyzes early Marxism in Russia and Europe as it developed after the death of Marx. Lenin, Trotsky, Luxemburg, Kautsky, Bernstein and the school of thought associated with them are all examined Part 2 deals with thinkers, debates and movements that followed the early Marxism focused on in part one, and includes chapters on Marxism in Europe, the Soviet Union, Africa, Asia and Latin America Part 3 is concerned with more contemporary debates in relation to Marxism and its standing and role today. The chapters in this section consider various themes including the relationship between theory and practice in Marxism, democratic procedure and liberties, Marxism as an economic critique of capitalism and Marxist methodology. Twentieth Century Marxism is not an introspective discussion of Marxism that would be of interest only to a limited number of specialists. Rather, it provides a thoughtful and stimulating contribution to debates about the role of Marxism today and its future direction.
Twentieth-Century Philosophy of Religion: The History of Western Philosophy of Religion, Volume 5
by Graham Oppy N. N. TrakakisThe twentieth century saw religion challenged by the rise of science and secularism, a confrontation which resulted in an astonishingly diverse range of philosophical views about religion and religious belief. Many of the major philosophers of the twentieth century - James, Bergson, Russell, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Heidegger, and Derrida - significantly engaged with religious thought. Idiosyncratic thinkers, such as Whitehead, Levinas and Weil, further contributed to the extraordinary diversity of philosophical investigation of religion across the century. In their turn, leading theologians and religious philosophers - notably Buber, Tillich and Barth - directly engaged with the philosophy of religion. Later, philosophy of religion became a distinct field of study, led by the work of Hick, Alston, Plantinga, and Swinburne. "Twentieth-Century Philosophy of Religion" provides an accessible overview of the major strands in the rich tapestry of twentieth-century thought about religion and will be an indispensible resource for any interested in contemporary philosophy of religion.
Twenty Life-Changing Buddhist Concepts
by World TribuneEncountering Nichiren Buddhism can change your life. This ancient philosophy, practiced by millions around the world today, can help you see your problems in new ways, find wisdom and courage, and discover the power of your own life. These twenty simple yet profound concepts will help get you started.
Twenty Questions: An Introduction To Philosophy
by Meredith W. Michaels G. Lee Bowie Robert C. SolomonHow should I make (and spend) money? What gives my life meaning? Should I be afraid of death? Philosophical questions such as these--timely, personal, and relevant to daily life--are explored in the best-selling TWENTY QUESTIONS. Through an exploration of classical and contemporary approaches to these problems in philosophy, literature, and beyond, TWENTY QUESTIONS provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to philosophical reasoning.
Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy (6th edition)
by Meredith W. Michaels G. Lee Bowie Robert C. SolomonUsing a series of questions on a variety of topics, this extended collection of readings for undergraduates, with contributors ranging from those of Kant to Plato, Descartes, Berkeley, Chuang-Tzu, Sartre, the Koran, the Bible and Joseph Campbell, the editors cover the basics including religion and the meaning of life, the interactions of science, mind and nature, thinking and knowing, personhood, living a good life, and justice and responsibility. Questions include "Why shouldn't I be selfish?" "Am I free to choose what I do?" "Does religion give my life meaning" and "What is the meaning of death?" Each question includes a summary and commentary and a series of short readings. The text for this edition has been updated to include material on terrorism, violence, cloning, and personal identity.
Twenty-First Century Socialism (Radical Futures)
by Jeremy GilbertWhat causes climate change, social breakdown, rampant inequality and the creeping spread of ubiquitous surveillance? Capitalism. What is the only alternative to capitalism? Socialism. Socialism cannot, however, remain static if it is going to save civilisation from these catastrophes. In this urgent manifesto for a 21st century left, Jeremy Gilbert shows that we need a revitalised socialist politics that learns from the past to adapt to contemporary challenges. He argues that socialism must overcome its industrial origins and give priority to an environmental agenda. In an age of global networks, digital technology and instant communication, central government diktat and restrictions on free speech and movement must be jettisoned. We need to control the economy rather than let it control us - but we must do this by empowering workers, citizens and communities to run their world their way. It’s time to take back the wealth, the services and the platforms that our own energy has built. In the digital age, it’s time for a new socialism.
Twilight Zone Reflections: An Introduction to the Philosophical Imagination
by Saul TraigerTwilight Zone Reflections is the first book of its kind to explore the entirety of The Twilight Zone (1959–1964) as a series. It acts as both an introduction to the field of philosophy and as a complete guide to the philosophical issues illustrated throughout the original 1959-64 television series. Author Saul Traiger explores each of the 156 episodes, investigating the show’s themes in metaphysics, epistemology, moral and political philosophy, and other topics in a way that is accessible to both seasoned philosophers and those outside academia. Each short chapter dives into a single episode and concludes with helpful cross-references to other episodes that explore similar philosophical problems and subjects. For example, a reader may be interested in questions about the nature of the mind and whether machines can think. By referencing this book, they could easily discover the thematic connections between episodes like “I Sing the Body Electric” or “The Lateness of the Hour,” and learn how both episodes introduce the viewer to possible worlds that challenge us to consider whether our idea of the mind, and even our very personhood, extends beyond the human to robots and other artificial intelligences. Each chapter introduces fundamental philosophical questions such as these through the lens of The Twilight Zone and inspires additional exploration. Further readings are suggested for all episodes, making this volume indispensable to academics, students, and fans of the show. Each chapter is short and accessible, ensuring that this book is the perfect resource to accompany a complete series re-watch. The Twilight Zone considered questions that strike at the heart of philosophical inquiry, such as the nature of self, the existence of god, the possibility of an afterlife, the relationship between knowledge and mental illness, the nature of possibility, even the nature of imagination itself, and so much more. Traiger argues that each episode can serve as an entry point for philosophical reflection. Twilight Zone Reflections is a valuable reference for anyone interested in exploring a well-known slice of popular culture history that doubles as a vast store of philosophical ideas.
Twilight Zones: The Hidden Life of Cultural Images from Plato to O.J.
by Susan BordoConsidering everything from Nike ads, emaciated models, and surgically altered breasts to the culture wars and the O.J. Simpson trial, Susan Bordo deciphers the hidden life of cultural images and the impact they have on our lives. She builds on the provocative themes introduced in her acclaimed work Unbearable Weight—which explores the social and political underpinnings of women's obsession with bodily image—to offer a singularly readable and perceptive interpretation of our image-saturated culture. As it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between appearance and reality, she argues, we need to rehabilitate the notion that not all versions of reality are equally trustworthy. Bordo writes with deep compassion, unnerving honesty, and bracing intelligence. Looking to the body and bodily practices as a concrete arena where cultural fantasies and anxieties are played out, she examines the mystique and the reality of empowerment through cosmetic surgery. Her brilliant discussion of sexual harassment reflects on the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill controversy as well as the film Disclosure. She suggests that sexuality, although one of the mediums of harassment, is not its essence, and she calls for the recasting of harassers as bullies rather than sex fiends. Bordo also challenges the continuing marginalization of feminist thought, in particular the failure to read feminist work as cultural criticism. Finally, in a powerful and moving essay called "Missing Kitchens"—written in collaboration with her two sisters—Bordo explores notions of bodies, place, and space through a recreation of the topographies of her childhood. Throughout these essays, Bordo avoids dogma and easy caricature. Consistently, and on many levels, she demonstrates the profound relationship between our lives and our theories, our feelings and our thoughts.
Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of Immortality (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series #15)
by William IrwinThe first look at the philosophy behind Stephenie Meyer's bestselling Twilight series Bella and Edward, and their family and friends, have faced countless dangers and philosophical dilemmas in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels. This book is the first to explore them, drawing on the wisdom of philosophical heavyweights to answer essential questions such as: What do the struggles of "vegetarian" vampires who control their biological urge for human blood say about free will? Are vampires morally absolved if they kill only animals and not people? From a feminist perspective, is Edward a romantic hero or is he just a stalker? Is Jacob "better" for Bella than Edward? As absorbing as the Meyer novels themselves, Twilight and Philosophy: Gives you a new perspective on Twilight characters, storylines, and themes Helps you gain fresh insights into the Twilight novels and movies Features an irresistible combination of vampires, romance, and philosophy Twilight and Philosophy is a must-have companion for every Twilight fan, whether you're new to the series or have followed it since the beginning.
Twilight of Authority
by Robert Nisbet Robert C. PerrinWe had thought, or our forefathers had, that modern liberal democracy would be spared the kind of erosion and decay that both Plato and Aristotle declared endemic in all forms of state. Now we are not so sure. " So wrote Robert Nisbet in the first edition of Twilight of Authority, published by Oxford University Press in 1975, shortly after the resignation of President Richard Nixon revealed what Nisbet called "only the most extreme and corrupt manifestation of a democratic royalism that has roots in several preceding administrations. " Nisbet argues that the political community in the West has broken down after two centuries of ascendancy. He believes that the West has entered "a twilight age" that will be characterized by political and cultural crises similar to those that preceded the fall of Rome. He foresees the displacement of traditional, liberal society by centralized, collectivized power--what he terms "the war society," driven by the rising power and expense of a hugely scaled military. "The centralization, and, increasingly, individualization of power is matched in the social and cultural spheres by a combined hedonism and egalitarianism, each in its own way a reflection of the destructive impact of power on the hierarchy that is native to the social bond," he writes. Nisbet offers no prophecy of inevitable decline; rather, he means to call attention to "the problem of finding the means of generating a social order within which the individual can live and derive a spirit of initiative. " Robert Nisbet (1913-1996) was renowned worldwide for his scholarship in the history and philosophy of social and political thought. He taught at Columbia, the University of California at Berkeley, Smith College, and the University of Bologna, and was the author of several major works, including Social Change and History and The Quest for Community.
Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism
by Anne ApplebaumA Pulitzer Prize–winning historian explains, with electrifying clarity, why elites in democracies around the world are turning toward nationalism and authoritarianism.From the United States and Britain to continental Europe and beyond, liberal democracy is under siege, while authoritarianism is on the rise. In Twilight of Democracy, Anne Applebaum, an award-winning historian of Soviet atrocities who was one of the first American journalists to raise an alarm about antidemocratic trends in the West, explains the lure of nationalism and autocracy. In this captivating essay, she contends that political systems with radically simple beliefs are inherently appealing, especially when they benefit the loyal to the exclusion of everyone else.Despotic leaders do not rule alone; they rely on political allies, bureaucrats, and media figures to pave their way and support their rule. The authoritarian and nationalist parties that have arisen within modern democracies offer new paths to wealth or power for their adherents. Applebaum describes many of the new advocates of illiberalism in countries around the world, showing how they use conspiracy theory, political polarization, social media, and even nostalgia to change their societies.Elegantly written and urgently argued, Twilight of Democracy is a brilliant dissection of a world-shaking shift and a stirring glimpse of the road back to democratic values.
Twilight of Idols and Anti-Christ
by Friedrich NietzscheIn these two devastating late works, Nietzsche offers a powerful attack on the morality and the beliefs of his timeNietzsche's Twilight of the Idols is a 'grand declaration of war' on reason, psychology and theology, which combines highly charged personal attacks on his contemporaries (in particular Hegel, Kant and Schopenhauer) with a lightning tour of his own philosophy. It also paves the way for The Anti-Christ, Nietzsche's final assault on institutional Christianity, in which he identifies himself with the 'Dionysian' artist and confronts Christ: the only opponent he feels worthy of him.Translated by R. J. Hollingdale with an Introduction by Michael Tanner
Twilight of the Idols
by Friedrich Nietzsche Richard Polt Tracy StrongTwilight of the Idols presents a vivid, compressed overview of many of Nietzsche's mature ideas, including his attack on Plato's Socrates and on the Platonic legacy in Western philosophy and culture. Polt provides a trustworthy rendering of Nietzsche's text in contemporary American English, complete with notes prepared by the translator and Tracy Strong. An authoritative Introduction by Strong makes this an outstanding edition. Select Bibliography and Index.
Twilight of the Idols and The Antichrist
by Friedrich Nietzsche Thomas Common"Books for everybody are always malodorous books: the smell of petty people clings to them," scoffed Friedrich Nietzsche. These two works, Twilight of the Idols and The Antichrist, crowned the radical philosopher's career of writing books that are decidedly not for everyone. Written in 1888, while Nietzsche was at the height of his brilliance — but shortly before the onset of the insanity that gripped him until his death in 1900 — they blaze with provocative, inflammatory rhetoric.Nietzsche's "grand declaration of war," Twilight of the Idols examines what we worship and why. Intended by the author as a general introduction to his philosophy, it assails "idols" of Western philosophy and culture (Socratic rationality and Christian morality among them) and sets the scene for The Antichrist. In addition to its full-scale attack on Christianity and Jesus Christ, The Antichrist denounces organized religion as a whole. H. L. Mencken declared that "it is, to many sensitive men, in the worst possible taste, but at bottom it is enormously apt and effective — on the surface, it is undoubtedly a good show." Students of philosophy, history, and German literature will find these works essential to an understanding of Nietzschean philosophy.
Twilight of the Idols: Or How To Philosophize With A Hammer (Dover Thrift Editions)
by Friedrich Nietzsche"Twilight of the Idols means that the old truth is on its last legs," declared Friedrich Nietzsche in this 1889 polemic. Forceful in his language and profound in his message, the philosopher delivered the nineteenth century's most devastating attack on Christianity. Intended by Nietzsche as a general introduction to his philosophy, it assails the "idols" of Western philosophy and culture, including the concepts of Socratic rationality and Christian morality. Written while Nietzsche was at the peak of his powers, less than a year before the onset of the insanity that gripped him until his death in 1900, this work's proximity to the end of the author's career renders it a distinctive portrait from his later period. The source of the famous dictum, "Whatever does not kill me makes me stronger," it blazes with provocative, inflammatory rhetoric that challenges readers to reexamine what they worship and why.