The relation between virtue and knowledge is at the heart of the Socratic view of human excellence, but it also points to a central puzzle of the Platonic dialogues: Can Socrates be serious in his claims that human excellence is constituted by one virtue, that vice is merely the result of ignorance, and that the correct response to crime is therefore not punishment but education? Or are these assertions mere rhetorical ploys by a notoriously complex thinker?Lorraine Smith Pangle tra...

What does it mean to live a good life or a happy life, and what part does reason play in the quest for fulfillment? Proceeding by means of a close and thematically selective commentary on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, this book offers a novel interpretation of Aristotle's teachings on the relation between reason and moral virtue. Pangle shows how Aristotle's arguments for virtue as the core of happiness and for reason as the guide to virtue emerge in dialectical response to Socr...

"One of the very finest introductions to this remarkable American's thought." —Ralph Ketcham, Claremont Review of BooksHe invented the wood-burning stove and the lightning rod, he wrote Poor Richard's Almanac and The Way to Wealth, and he traveled the world as a diplomat. But it was in politics that Benjamin Franklin made his greatest impact.Franklin's political writings are full of fascinating reflections on human nature, on the ch...

"Lichens" by Annie Lorrain Smith is a comprehensive exploration of these fascinating organisms that thrive in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. The book delves into the biology, ecology, and significance of lichens, which are symbiotic associations between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. Smith's meticulous observations and detailed descriptions provide readers with a deeper understanding of how lichens contribute to ecosystems, serve as bioindicators of environmental health...

Lichens are, with few exceptions, perennial aerial plants of somewhat lowly organization. In the form of spreading encrustations, horizontal leafy expansions, of upright strap-shaped fronds or of pendulous filaments, they take possession of the tree-trunks, palings, walls, rocks or even soil that afford them a suitable and stable foothold. The vegetative body, or thallus, which may be extremely long-lived, is of varying colour, white, yellow, brown, grey or black. The great majority of lic...

The most famous man of his age, Benjamin Franklin was an individual of many talents and accomplishments. He invented the wood-burning stove and the lightning rod, he wrote Poor Richard's Almanac and The Way to Wealth, and he traveled the world as a diplomat. But it was in politics that Franklin made his greatest impact.Franklin’s political writings are full of fascinating reflections on human nature, on the character of good leadership, and on why government is su...

Still SearchingBy: Lorraine Ophelia SmithBrenda Peekson always seems to be searching—the best college, a fantastic job, a wonderful life, and a great guy with whom to share it all. A turbulent relationship with Brenda’s family finds her stepping out from all she’s known to embark on a new life at school, making new friends, and acquiring male admirers. Through a series of relationships, Brenda will learn what is most important in her life, and the only one who can decide wh...

"Still Searching," a coming-of-age story, will have you on the edge of your seat and will take you on a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs and twists and turns. Just when you think the stars are aligned and she has gotten her act together, the bottom falls out and here we go again!Brenda Peekson, is an independent thinker, and at times, a head strong African American young lady, growing up in the traditional South during the 60's and 70's in an upper-middle-class family....

About the Booka fictional diary of the bureaucratic, outrageous, infuriating, hilarious work situations in the Welfare Department. The characters, clients, coworkers, and bosses tend to be bizarre, endearing, or irritating—rather like the TV series OFFICE, but stranger. It also touches on the futility of some bureaucratic innovations.About the AuthorLorraine J. Smith is retired. She completed college late in life with a master’s in sociology and almost a second major i...

How can boards and members of boards reach their full potential? The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations (TIHR) has been at the forefront of thinking about organizations since its inception in 1947. Today, as then, the corporate world is undergoing increasing pressure to demonstrate a sustainable, generative and meaningful impact on society and employees whilst delivering improved services and products. These tensions and others are explored in this important new book, Dynamics at B...

American schools are in a state of crisis.At the root of our current perplexity, beneath the difficulties with funding, social problems, and low test scores, festers a serious uncertainty as to what the focus and goals of education should be. We are increasingly haunted by the suspicion that our educational theories and institutions have lost sight of the need to perpetuate a core of moral and civic knowledge that is essential for any citizen’s education, and indeed for any individ...

We live in a fast-food society and seem to live on the trend mill at warp speed. This book offers help, guidance, and encouragement to the woman on life's journey who wishes her life had more quality. And to be honest, she feels like someone has taken her life, and she wants it back!“Lorraine Bossé-Smith provides counsel, examples, and plans to help the reader find a quality of life that is enriching and rewarding. Her book is chock-full of personal testimony and positive ways of m...